The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-12-04
ROOSEVELT TOOK
MOTTO Off CUAS
President Makes Public a Letter
Explaining His Action.
aIRREVERENCE," HE DECLARES
SIN God We Trust" Cheapened-Used
as "Incitement to Snecring Ridi-
cuIe"-If Congress Orders Him
to He Will Put 1t Back.

Washington, D. C.-In answer to
one of the numerous protests which
have been received at the White
House against the new gold coins
which have been coined without the
words I'm God We Trust" President
Roosevelt has written a letter which
he made public. The letter follows:
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 the coins. AS the custom, al
though without legal warrant, had
grown up however, I might have felt
at liberty to keep the inscription a
I approved of its being on the COIN
age. 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
Congress, and any direction Of Con-
gress in the matter will be immedi-
ately obeyed. At present, as have
said, there is no warrant in law Tor
the inscription.
my own feeling in the matter is
due to my very firm conviction that
to put such a motto on coins, or to
use it in any kindred manner, not
only does no good but does positive
harm, and is in effect irreverence,
which comes dangerously close to sac
rilege. A beautiful and solemn SEN
tence such as the one in question
should be treated and uttered only
with that fine reverence which neces-
sarily implies a certain exaltation OF
spirit.
Amy use which tends to cheaper
it, and, above all, any use which tends
to secure it's being treated in a spirit
of levity, is from every standpoint
profoundly to be regretted. 1t Is a
motto which it is indeed we'll to have
inscribed on our great national monu-
ments, in our temples of justice, IN
our legislative halls. and in buildings
such as those at West Point and An
napolis-in short, wherever 1T WIN
tend to arouse and inspire a lofty
emotion in those who look thereon.
But 1t seems to me eminently un-
wise to cheaper such a motto by use
on coins, just as it would be to
cheaper it by use on postage stamps
or in advertisements.
LAS regards its use on the coinage,
we have actual experience by which
to 60. In all my life l have never
heard any human being speak ever
emily of this motto on the coins or
show any signs of it's having appealed
to any high emotion in him, but /
have literally, hundreds Of times,
heard it used as an occasion Of and
Indictment to the sneering ridicule
which is above all things undesirable
that so beautiful and exalted a phrase
should excite.
For example, throughout the long
contest extending over several
decades on the free coinage question.
the existence Of this motto on the
coins was a constant source OF jest
and ridicule; and this was unavoida'
Bile. Every one must remember the
innumerable cartoons and articles
based on phrases like In God we
trust for the eight cents In God we
trust for the short weight In God
we trust for the thirty-seven cents we
do not pay and so forth and so on.
Surely 1 am we'll within bounds
when I say that a use of the phrase
which invites constant levity of this
type is most undesirable. If Congress
alters the law and directs me to re.
place on the coins the sentence in
question the direction will be tmme'
diately put into effect; but I very
earnestly trust that the religious SEN
timent of the country. the spirit OF
reverence in the country. will prevent
any such action being taken"