---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The laboring man and the trade-unionist…"
description: "\"The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand him, asks only equality before the law. Class legislation and unequal privilege, though expres..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg"
---

#  The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand…

![“The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand him, asks only equality before the law. Class legislation and unequal privilege, though expressly in his favor, will in the end work no benefit to him or to society.” quote by William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg)

> “The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand him, asks only equality before the law. Class legislation and unequal privilege, though expressly in his favor, will in the end work no benefit to him or to society.”

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Equality before law is essential; special privileges and class legislation ultimately harm both individuals and society.

**In simple terms:** Fair laws benefit everyone.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for equal legal treatment.

Themes

equality law class justice

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- workplace negotiations
- policy reform
- civil rights activism

Key Concepts

political theory social equity labor rights

Questions to Reflect On

- What barriers prevent true legal equality?
- How can citizens promote fair legislation?

A Different Perspective

Legal equality may clash with entrenched interests.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Legislation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislation/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/)

## Related quotes

> [The Holy Spirit is a great worker, not a 'trade unionist.' He is a great worker, and He works in us, always. He does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-holy-spirit-is-a-great-worker-not-a-trade-unionist-he-is-a-great/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [I am a proud trade unionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/i-am-a-proud-trade-unionist/)

[Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/)

> [Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-niemoller/then-they-came-for-the-trade-unionists-and-i-did-not-speak-out/)

[Martin Niemoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-niemoller/)

> [The trade-unionist has the same limitation imposed upon him as the capitalist. He cannot advance his interests at the expense of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macdonald/the-trade-unionist-has-the-same-limitation-imposed-upon-him-as-the/)

[Ramsay MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macdonald/)

> [I'm a passionate trade unionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attenborough/i-m-a-passionate-trade-unionist/)

[Richard Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attenborough/)

> [A trade unionist - of course I am. First, last, and all the time. How else to strike at the roots of the evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-younger/a-trade-unionist-of-course-i-am-first-last-and-all-the-time-how-else/)

Maud Younger

> [The most conservative man in this world is the British trade unionist when you want to change him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-bevin/the-most-conservative-man-in-this-world-is-the-british-trade-unionist/)

[Ernest Bevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-bevin/)

> [There is only one thing I want to say about Ohio that has a political tinge, and that is that I think a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/there-is-only-one-thing-i-want-to-say-about-ohio-that-has-a-political/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [The world is not going to be saved by legislation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-world-is-not-going-to-be-saved-by-legislation/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [What I am anxious to do is to secure my legislation… What I want to do is to get through that, and if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/what-i-am-anxious-to-do-is-to-secure-my-legislation-what-i-want-to-do/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [Regarding homophobia in general, the good news is that there is a lot less of it than there used to be. The bad news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/regarding-homophobia-in-general-the-good-news-is-that-there-is-a-lot/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [“America operates under the notion of equality before the law. Basic fairness is an article of faith. We may not agree on everything all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/america-operates-under-the-notion-of-equality-before-the-law-basic/)

[Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/)

> [In the end no segregationist scheme has withstood the force of a simple idea: equality under law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/in-the-end-no-segregationist-scheme-has-withstood-the-force-of-a/)

[Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/)

> [The poor have to labour in the face of the majestic equality of the law, which forbids the rich as well as the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-poor-have-to-labour-in-the-face-of-the-majestic-equality-of-the/)

[Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/)

> [It is of the essence of the demand for equality before the law that people should be treated alike in spite of the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-of-the-essence-of-the-demand-for-equality-before-the-law-that/)

[Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/)

## More by William Howard Taft

> [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [What I am anxious to do is to get the best bill possible with the least amount of friction… I wish to avoid \[splitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/what-i-am-anxious-to-do-is-to-get-the-best-bill-possible-with-the/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [“A National Government cannot create good times. It cannot make the rain to fall, the sun to shine, or the crops to grow, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/a-national-government-cannot-create-good-times-it-cannot-make-the/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [The true Mason is the Tiler of the Temple of the Heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-true-mason-is-the-tiler-of-the-temple-of-the-heart/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [What I am anxious to do is to secure my legislation… What I want to do is to get through that, and if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/what-i-am-anxious-to-do-is-to-secure-my-legislation-what-i-want-to-do/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [Lawyers are necessary in a community. Some of you...take a different view; but as I am a member of that legal profession, or was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/lawyers-are-necessary-in-a-community-some-of-you-take-a-different/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [I prefer an income tax, but the truth is I am afraid of the discussion which will follow and the criticism which will ensue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/i-prefer-an-income-tax-but-the-truth-is-i-am-afraid-of-the-discussion/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [I look forward with hope to increasing the already good feeling between the South andthe other sections of the country. My chief purpose is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/i-look-forward-with-hope-to-increasing-the-already-good-feeling/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [Substantial progress toward better things can rarely be taken without developing new evils requiring new remedies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/substantial-progress-toward-better-things-can-rarely-be-taken-without/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [The precepts of the Gospel were universally the obligations of Masonry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-precepts-of-the-gospel-were-universally-the-obligations-of-masonry/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [We live in a stage of politics, where legislators seem to regard the passage of laws as much more important than the results of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/we-live-in-a-stage-of-politics-where-legislators-seem-to-regard-the/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [Politics make me sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/politics-make-me-sick/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [I have an intense personal interest in making the use of American capital in the development of China an instrument for the promotion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/i-have-an-intense-personal-interest-in-making-the-use-of-american/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [The true Mason takes full responsibility for the condition of his character and ever strives for its perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-true-mason-takes-full-responsibility-for-the-condition-of-his/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

> [The real secrets of Masonry are never told, not even from mouth to ear. For the real secret of Masonry is spoken to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-real-secrets-of-masonry-are-never-told-not-even-from-mouth-to-ear/)

[William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

[Explore all 142 William Howard Taft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/)

## More Asks quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/)

[Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/)

> [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/)

[Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/)

> [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

> [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/)

[Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/)

> [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/)

[Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/)

Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand him, asks only equality before the law. Class legislation and unequal privilege, though expressly in his favor, will in the end work no benefit to him or to society.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Howard Taft"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist-if-i-understand-him-asks-only/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Asks"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist-if-i-understand-him-asks-only/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/william-howard-taft-3006_asks_the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist_1664432.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The laboring man and the trade-unionist, if I understand him, asks only equality before the law. Class…” — William Howard Taft",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William Howard Taft",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The laboring man and the trade-unionist,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist-if-i-understand-him-asks-only/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-laboring-man-and-the-trade-unionist-if-i-understand-him-asks-only/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
