New-York tribune., 1907-11-14
UPHELD BY PRESIDENT
WRITES ON COIN CHANGE.
Calls Use on Money of I'm God We
Trust" Cheapening of Motto.

Washington, Nov. 13.-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 In
God We Trust" President Roosevelt has written
a letter whicn he made public to-day. The let
ter 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, although
without legal warrant had grown up, however.
l i0isht have felt at liberty to keep the inscrip-
ton had approved of its being on the coinag &c.
Blt as did not approve of it did not direct
mat II should again be put on. OF course, the
matter of the law is absolutely i'm the hands If
congress, ana any direction Of Congress in tire
matter will be Immediately 0beyed. At present.
as have said, there is warrant in law ror
thC inscription.
Ny 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 sacriiege. y beautiful and solemn SEN
tenCa such as the one in question should be
treated and uttered only with that fine reverence
which necessarily implies certain eXaltation
OF spirit Any use which tends to cheaper il;
ana above all any use which tends TO secure its
being treated in spirit of levity is from every
point of view profoundly TO be regretted.
II is a motto which 1t is indeed we'll 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
to arouse and inspire lofty emotion in those
who look thereon. But it seems to me emnenty
unwise to cheaper such motto by use on coins
just it would be to cheaper IL by on
postage stamps or in advertisements.
As regards it's the coinage we have
actual experience by which to go. In all my
life l have never heard any human being speak
reverently of this motto the coins or show
any signs of its having appealed to any high
emotion in him. but l have literally hundreds
OF times heard it used occasion of and
incitement to the sneering ridicule which 1t is
above all things undesirable that so beautiful
and exalted a phrase should excite.
For example. throughout the long contest, ex-
tending over several decades, on the free coin
age question the existence OF this motto on the
coins was constant source of jest and ridicule,
and this was unavoidable. Every must re-
member the innumerable cartoons and articles
based on phrases like I'm God trust for
the eight cents" " In God trust for the short
weight" I'm God we trust for the thirty-seven
cents do not pay" etc.
Surely I am well within bounds when I say
that use OF the phrase which invites constant
levity of this type is most undesirable. If Con-
gress alters the law and directs to replace
on the coins the sentence in question the direc-
ton will be Immediately put into effect but
very earnestly trust that the religious sentiment
Of the country, the spirit of reverence in the
country, Will prevent any such action being
taken. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.