Who said “I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature…”?

Verified

Theodore Roosevelt. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceRemarks to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in Chattanooga, Tennessee (8 September 1902).

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“I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being.”
— Theodore Roosevelt
VerifiedRemarks to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in Chattanooga, Tennessee (8 September 1902). · evidenceUnemployment
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Remarks to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in Chattanooga, Tennessee (8 September 1902)..

APA

Roosevelt, T. (n.d.). I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41014-i-dont-pity-any-man-who-does-hard/

MLA

Roosevelt, Theodore. “I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41014-i-dont-pity-any-man-who-does-hard/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Roosevelt, Theodore. “I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41014-i-dont-pity-any-man-who-does-hard/.

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