The Carlisle independent., 1907-11-21
OMIT "GOD" ON COIN
PRESIDENT EXPLAINS REASONS
 FOR MAKING CHANGE.
SAYS IT IS CLOSE TO SACRILEGE
Declares It Inspires RidcuIe, Pointing
 to Anti-Bryan Cartoons as ~ an Example.

Washington, D. C.-In answer to one of the numerous protests winch have been received at the White House against the new gold coins which have been coined without the words ''In God We Trust" President Roosevelt has written a letter which he Wednesday made public. The let ter follows:
 When the question of the new coin age came up we looked into the law and found there was no warrant there in for putting Tn God We Trust on the coin. As the custom, although without legal warrant, had grown up, however, I might have felt at liberty to keep the inscription had I approved of it's being on the coinage. But as I 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 congress in the matter will be immediately obeyed. At present, as I have said, there is no warrant in law for 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 fact irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege. A beautiful and solemn sentence such as the one in question should be treat ed and uttered only with that fine reverence which necessarily implies a certain exaltation of spirit. Any use which tends to cheapen it, and above all, any use which tends to secure it's being treated in spirit of levity, is from every standpoint profoundly to be regretted.
 Good Motto for Monuments.
 Tt is a motto which it is indeed we'll to have inscribed on our great national monuments, in our temples of justice, our legislative halls, and in buildings such as those at West Point and Annapolis-in short, wher- = ever it will tend to arouse and inspire lofty emotion in those who look thereon.
 But it seems to me eminently un- wise to cheapen such a motto by use on coins, just as it would be to cheap en it by use on postage stamps, or in advertisements As regards its use on the coinage, we have actual expe- rience by which to go. In all my life, I have never heard any human being speak reverently of this motto on coins, or show any signs of it's having appealed to any high emotion, but I have literally, hundreds of times, heard it used in 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 dec ades on the free coinage question, the existence of this motto on the coins was a constant source of jest and rid icule, and this was unavoidable. Ev- eryone must remember the innumer- able cartoons and articles based on phrases like Tn God we trust for the eight cents;;' Tn God we trust for the short weight Tn God we trust for the 37 cents we don't pay and so forth and so forth.
 Surely I am well 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 directs me to re- place on the coins the sentence in question, the direction will be imme- diately put into effect; but l 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.
 sanIrIn0nnDE R0OS IrNICI ,,