Who said “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a…”?

Disputed

It's credited to Theodore Roosevelt, but no reliable source from their lifetime has been found.

What the research foundNo reliable early source found for Theodore Roosevelt.

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.”
— Theodore Roosevelt
DisputedNo reliable early source found for Theodore Roosevelt. · evidenceEducation
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Cite this quote

APA

“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” [Quotation attributed to Theodore Roosevelt]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/1757-a-man-who-has-never-gone-to-school/

MLA

“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Attributed to Theodore Roosevelt. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/1757-a-man-who-has-never-gone-to-school/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” Attributed to Theodore Roosevelt. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/1757-a-man-who-has-never-gone-to-school/.

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VerifiedSpeech at Kennedy Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island (23 August 1902), Presidential Addresses and State Papers (1910), p. 103. · evidenceDetails & citeWealth
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All 67 Theodore Roosevelt quotes →