--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One could drive a prairie schooner…" description: "\"One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact.\" — David F. Houston" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/david-f-houston-28462_argument_one-could-drive-a-prairie-schooner-throu_2675334.png" --- # One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his… ![“One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact.” quote by David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/david-f-houston-28462_argument_one-could-drive-a-prairie-schooner-throu_2675334.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/david-f-houston-28462_argument_one-could-drive-a-prairie-schooner-throu_2675334.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/david-f-houston-28462_argument_one-could-drive-a-prairie-schooner-throu_2675334.png) > “One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact.” [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argument can be broad and flexible, but without factual grounding it remains empty and unconvincing. **In simple terms:** Arguments need facts to be solid. Key Takeaway Ground your claims in evidence. Themes argumentation logic critical thinking rhetoric Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical educational When to use this quote - academic writing - policy analysis - public speaking - media commentary Key Concepts philosophy epistemology debate tactics Questions to Reflect On - How can you strengthen arguments with concrete data? - When might a narrative be more effective than pure facts? A Different Perspective May underestimate importance of emotional appeal in persuasion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) ## Related quotes > [“One could drive a schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-houston/one-could-drive-a-schooner-through-any-part-of-his-argument-and-never/) David Houston > [“French-Canadian, the Alaskan, the Latin-American, the German, the Italian, the Anglo-American, and the American Indian, squaw and warrior. In the place of honor in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-beard/french-canadian-the-alaskan-the-latin-american-the-german-the-italian/) [Charles A. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-beard/) > [I've never been mugged, never really experienced street fear. In fact, I'm the one who gets into arguments because I don't keep my mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-whittaker/i-ve-never-been-mugged-never-really-experienced-street-fear-in-fact-i/) [Jodie Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-whittaker/) > [When an American says that he loves his country, he means not only that he loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-e-stevenson/when-an-american-says-that-he-loves-his-country-he-means-not-only/) [Adlai E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-e-stevenson/) > [About 4000 men, women and teenagers regularly venture out to play a game in -20 weather and stinging prairie winds. Bundled in sweaters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-cox/about-4000-men-women-and-teenagers-regularly-venture-out-to-play-a/) Bob Cox > [I will remain what I am until I die, a hunter, and when there are no buffalo or other game I will send my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sitting-bull/i-will-remain-what-i-am-until-i-die-a-hunter-and-when-there-are-no/) [Sitting Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sitting-bull/) > [“The prairie skies can always make you see more than what you believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-burnett/the-prairie-skies-can-always-make-you-see-more-than-what-you-believe/) [Jackson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-burnett/) > [The wild black scavengers of the skies laid their eggs in season and lovingly fed their young. They soared high over prairies and mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/the-wild-black-scavengers-of-the-skies-laid-their-eggs-in-season-and/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-proud-spirit-of-the-original-owners-of-these-vast-prairies/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [My family life reads a bit like 'Little House on the Prairie.' I was big sister to Joan, Renee, and brother William, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/my-family-life-reads-a-bit-like-little-house-on-the-prairie-i-was-big/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [You might be a redneck if you watch Little House on the Prairie for decorating tips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-you-watch-little-house-on-the-prairie-for/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [Don't ask me about emotions in the Welsh dressing room. I'm someone who cries when he watches Little House on the Prairie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-norster/don-t-ask-me-about-emotions-in-the-welsh-dressing-room-i-m-someone/) Bob Norster > [“You can never really escape. It goes with you, wherever you go. Somehow, the prairie dust gets in your blood, and it flows through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-baber/you-can-never-really-escape-it-goes-with-you-wherever-you-go-somehow/) [P.S. Baber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-baber/) > [With no other choices open to us, we'd turned our gaze seaward. The oceans were our America: they reached farther than any prairie, untamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carsten-jensen/with-no-other-choices-open-to-us-we-d-turned-our-gaze-seaward-the/) [Carsten Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carsten-jensen/) > [She watched the prairies the rivers, the towns slipping past at an untouchable distance below - and she noted that the sense of detachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-watched-the-prairies-the-rivers-the-towns-slipping-past-at-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by David F. Houston > [The duty of the individual farmer, at this time, is to increase his production, particularly of food crops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-duty-of-the-individual-farmer-at-this-time-is-to-increase-his/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The high food value of field beans and the shortage of supply due to the light yields of 1915 and 1916 render them of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-high-food-value-of-field-beans-and-the-shortage-of-supply-due-to/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The soy-bean, in particular, has proved sufficiently resistant to cold in spring and to adverse weather during summer to warrant heavy planting, especially throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-soy-bean-in-particular-has-proved-sufficiently-resistant-to-cold/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [It is obvious that the greatest and most important service that is required of our agriculture under existing conditions is an enlarged production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/it-is-obvious-that-the-greatest-and-most-important-service-that-is/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [In the southern half of the country perhaps no crop has larger possibilities for quick increase of production of food for both men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/in-the-southern-half-of-the-country-perhaps-no-crop-has-larger/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [For the Gulf States, perhaps no forage crop of which the available seed supply is relatively abundant exceeds the velvet bean in potential value.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/for-the-gulf-states-perhaps-no-forage-crop-of-which-the-available/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [What this loss means will be appreciated from the statement that one bushel of wheat contains sufficient energy to support the average working man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/what-this-loss-means-will-be-appreciated-from-the-statement-that-one/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [Buckwheat may be planted later than any similar crop, and often does well on old meadows or waste land that can be broken after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/buckwheat-may-be-planted-later-than-any-similar-crop-and-often-does/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The value of the beans for oil production, as well as for human food, has become recognized so quickly and so generally during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-value-of-the-beans-for-oil-production-as-well-as-for-human-food/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The importance to the nation of a generously adequate food supply for the coming year cannot be overemphasized, in view of the economic problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-importance-to-the-nation-of-a-generously-adequate-food-supply-for/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [Corn is the leading food and feed crop of the United States in geographic range of production, acreage, and quantity of product. The vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/corn-is-the-leading-food-and-feed-crop-of-the-united-states-in/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [Barley, where it succeeds, yields a larger weight of feed per acre than any other small grain crop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/barley-where-it-succeeds-yields-a-larger-weight-of-feed-per-acre-than/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The older, thinner, and less productive grass lands, however, frequently can be made to produce much larger yields of feed in corn than if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-older-thinner-and-less-productive-grass-lands-however-frequently/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The usefulness of cow-peas and soy-beans as human food has been recognized only recently in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-usefulness-of-cow-peas-and-soy-beans-as-human-food-has-been/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The most effective step that may be taken to increase the production of these crops is to enlarge the acreage devoted to them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-most-effective-step-that-may-be-taken-to-increase-the-production/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) [Explore all 19 David F. Houston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David F. 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