How we cite our quotes: (Sentence)
Quote #1
The material problems that face us today are not such as they were in Washington's time, but the underlying facts of human nature are the same now as they were then. Under altered external form we war with the same tendencies toward evil that were evident in Washington's time, and are helped by the same tendencies for good. (5)
This line implies that morality ultimately doesn't change over the years, which is a bit of a contentious point. For example, many things that we consider right today were incredibly taboo decades ago.
Quote #2
The fool who has not sense to discriminate between what is good and what is bad is well nigh as dangerous as the man who does discriminate and yet chooses the bad. (41)
TR's saying that America needs a lesson in morality; that the character of Joe Q. Public needs a boost.
Quote #3
If the whole picture is painted black there remains no hue whereby to single out the rascals for distinction from their fellows. Such painting finally induces a kind of moral color blindness; and people affected by it come to the conclusion that no man is really black, and no man really white, but they are all gray. (35-36)
This quote piggybacks on his older statement that lies about a class of people prevents good people from wanting to enter that class, but also hammers home that TR sees morality in absolutes. Shades of gray are not allowed in Teddyland—fifty or otherwise.