Government itself is founded upon the great doctrine of the consent of the governed, and has its cornerstone in the memorable principle that men are endowed with inalienable rights. – Leland Stanford
The right of each individual in any relation to secure to himself the full benefits of his intelligence, his capacity, his industry and skill are among the inalienable inheritances of humanity. – Leland Stanford
The employer class is less indispensable in the modern organization of industries because the laboring men themselves possess sufficient intelligence to organize into co-operative relation and enjoy the entire benefits of their own labor. – Leland Stanford
Many writers upon the science of political economy have declared that it is the duty of a nation first to encourage the creation of wealth and second, to direct and control its distribution. All such theories are delusive. – Leland Stanford