“Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax”

Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958), president of the General Motors Research Corporation, was cited in 1938:
   
“Thinking is one thing in the world upon which no one has ever been able to put a tax or tariff.”
 
The quote has been frequently cited, usually as, “Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.”
 
   
Wikipedia: Charles F. Kettering
Charles Franklin Kettering (August 29, 1876 – November 24 or 25, 1958) was an American inventor, engineer, businessman, and the holder of 186 patents. He was a founder of Delco, and was head of research at General Motors from 1920 to 1947. Among his most widely used automotive developments were the electrical starting motor and leaded gasoline. In association with the DuPont Chemical Company, he was also responsible for the invention of Freon refrigerant for refrigeration and air conditioning systems. At DuPont he also was responsible for the development of Duco lacquers and enamels, the first practical colored paints for mass-produced automobiles. While working with the Dayton-Wright Company he developed the “Bug” aerial torpedo, considered the world’s first aerial missile. He led the advancement of practical, lightweight two-stroke diesel engines, revolutionizing the locomotive and heavy equipment industries. In 1927, he founded the Kettering Foundation, a non-partisan research foundation.
     
25 January 1938, The Evening Journal (Washington, IA), pg. 4, col. 1:
Thinking is one thing in the world upon which no one has ever been able to put a tax or tariff. -—Charles F. Kettering.
 
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
19 May 1938, Portville (NY) Review, pg. 4, col. 1:
“Thinking is one thing in the world no one has ever been able to tax or put a tariff on.”—Charles F. Kettering, Research Director, General Motors Corp. But Mr. kettering might have added that the legislative tendency is to tax the results of “thinking” to a point where productive “thinking” is discouraged or destroyed.
 
14 August 1951, Trenton (NJ) Evening Times, “Quotable Quotes,” pg. 12, col. 5:
“Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.”—C. F. Kettering.
 
25 November 1953, Morning World-Herald (Omaha, NE), pg. 42, col. 3:
Safe
Charles F. Kettering
Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.
 
Google News Archive
21 November 1957, Arlington (WA) Times, pg. 6, col. 5:
“Thinking is the one thing that no one has ever been able to tax.”—Charles F. Kettering.
 
Google Groups: alt.newbies
FTPing
David King
1/7/94
(...)
Thinking is the one thing that no one has been able to tax.
- Charles Kettering
   
Google Groups: Quote for the day
Quote for the day
Debjit Basu
7/22/10
Quote for the day:
“Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.”
—Charles Kettering
 
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Quoteners
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#Quotes “Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.” - Charles Kettering
12:51 AM - 15 Nov 2015