Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-11-20
WHY MOTTO VAS
TAKEN orr COINS
Roosevelt Writes Letter of
Explanation.

In explanation of the order to
leave off future coinage the words
In God We Trust" Roosevelt has
written the following letter:
when the question of the new
coinage came up we looked into the
law and found there was no warrant
therein for putting In God We
Trust on coins. AS the custom, al
though without legal warrant, had
grown up, might have felt at liberty
to keep the inscription had ! APP
proved of its being on the coinage,
But as | did not approve of it, | did
not direct that it should again be put
on.
"Of course, the matter of the law
is absolutely in the hands Of Con-
gress Any direction by Congress in
the matter will be Immediately obey
ed. At present as | have said, there
is no warrant in the law for the in
scription.
My own feelings in the matter is
due to my firm conviction that to put
such a motto or coins, or to use it
in any kindred matter, not only does
no good, but does positive harm, and
is in effect irreyerence, which comes
dangerously close to sacrilege
"A beautiful and solemn SEN
tence such as the one in question
should be treated and uttered only
with that fine reverence which nee
essarily implies a certain eXaltation
Of spirit Amy , use which tends to
cheaper it, and, above all, any use
which tends to secure it being treat
ed in a spirit Of leyity, is from every
standpoint profoundly to be regret
ted
1t is a motto which it is indeed
well to have inscribed on our great
national monuments, in our temples
Of justice, in our legislative halls and
in buildings such as those at West
Point and Annapolis short,
wherever it will trend to arouse and
inspire a lofty emotion in those who
look thereon But it seems to be
eminently unwise to cheaper such a
motto by use on coins, just as it
would be to cheaper it by use on
postage stamps or in advertisement
AS regards its use on the coinage,
we have actual experience by which
W 81. III iii LILY ne L nave never
heard any human being speak rever-
emily of this motto on the coins or
show any signs Of it having appealed
to any high emotion in him But |
have literally hundreds OF times
heard it used as an occasion of and
incitement to the sneering ridicule
which it is, above all things, undesir-
able that so beautiful and exalted a
phrase should excite.
For example, throughout the long
contest extending over several de-
cades, on the free coinage question.
the existence of this motto on coins
was a constant source of lest and
ridicule. And this was unavoidable
Every one must remember the innum-
cradle cartoons and articles based on
phrases like, In God We Trust for
the Eight Cents; In God We Trust
for the 81 Cents We Do Not Pay and
SO forth and so forth
Surely | am we'll within bounds
when | say that a use of the phrase
which invites constant levity of this
type is most undesirable.
IF Congress alters the law and di-
reefs me to replace on coins the
sentence in question, the direction
will be Immediately put into effect.
But | earnestly trust that the relig-
ious sentiment Of the country, the
spirit of reverence in the country,
will prevent any such action being
taken.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT n"