The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-11-16
MOTTO Off COINS
President Answers Protests
About I'm God We Trust"
CHEAPENS SACRED PHRASE
No Warrant In Law For Putting II
On, and MIR. Roosevelt Says Such
Use Of Deity's Name Borders On
Sacrilege.

OdCTllcJSs
Washington. Nov. 14.-In answer to
one OF the numerous protests which
have been received at the White
House against the new gold coins
which have been struck without the
words In God We Trust" President
Roosevelt has written. letter which
he made public. The letter follows;
when the question of the new coin
age came up We looked into the law
and found there was To warrant there
n for putting In God We Trust on
the coins. AS the custom. although
without legal warrant, had grown up,
however. | might have felt at liberty
to keep tie inscription had | approved
Of its being On the coinage. But as |
did not approve OF 1t, did not direct
that It should be put on. or course
the matter OF the law Is absolutely in
the hands of congress. and any direc-
ton Of congress in the matter will be
Immediately obeyed. At present, as |
have said, there is no warrant in law
FOR the inscription.
NY own feeling in the matter Is
due to my very firm conviction that TO
put such a motion on coins. or to use
il I'm any kindred manner not only
does no good. but does positive harm,
ard II Is in effect irreverence. which
comes dangerously close to sacr'lege.
A beautiful and solemn sentence such
as the one in question should be
treated and uttered only with that fine
reverence which necessarily implies a
certain exaltation of spirit. Any use
which tends to cheaper It. and, above
all. any use which tends to secure its
being treated in a spirit Of levity Is
from every standpoint profoundly TO
be regretted. II Is a motto which 1t Is
indeed well 10 have inscribed on our
great national monuments. in our tenn
pies of Justice, in our legislative halls,
and In buildings such as those at West
Point and Annapolls-in short. wher-
ever Il will tend TO arouse and inspire
lofty emotion in those who look
thereon. But it seems to me eminentiy
unwise TO cheaper such n motto by
use on coins, just as 1t would be to
cheaper It by use on postage stamps
or In advertisements.
"As regar IS its use on the coinage
we have ac'ual experience by which
to go In all ny life have never heard
any human being speak reverently OF
this motto on the coins, or show any
signs OF its having appealed to any
high emotion in him, but have liter
ally hundreds Of times heard 1t used
as an occasion Of. and incitement to
the sneering ridicule which 1t Is above
all things undesirable that so beauti-
full and exalted a phrase should excite
For example. throughout the long con-
test extending over several decades on
the free coinage question, the exist
encc of this motto on the coins was
constant source Of jest and ridicule;
and this was unavoidable Every one
must remember the innumerable car
toons and articles based on phrases
Ike 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 forth.
Surely I 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 directs me to re-
place on the coins the sentence In
question. the direction will be imme-
diately put. into effect; but 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.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"