The Colorado statesman., 1907-11-16
PRESIDENT TELLS WHY 1T WAS
OMITTED FROM THE NEW
GOLD COINS.
CAUSED IRREVERENcE
WAS FOR MANY YEARS THE OccA-
SION OF JEST AND RID
ICULE.

Washington.-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
letter which he has made public. The
letter follows:
When the question of the new coin
age came up we looked into the law
and found there was no warrant therein
for putting In God we trust" on the
coins. AS was the custom, although
without legal warrant, had grown up,
however, l might have felt at liberty
to keep the inscription had l approved
of its being on the coins. But as | did
not approve of it, did not direct that
1t should again be put on. OF course
the matter of the law is absolutely in
the hands of Congress, and any direc-
tion in that direction will be immedi-
ately obeyed. At present 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
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 sacrilege. A beautiful and SOL
emn sentence such as the one in ques-
tion should be treated and uttered only
with that fine reverence which neces-
sarily 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 spirit
of levity, is from every standpoint pro-
foundly to be regretted.
ut is motto which is indeed we'll
to have inscribed on our great national
monuments, in our temples of justice,
in our executive halls and in buildings
as those at West Point and Annapolis,
in short, wherever it will tend to
arouse and inspire lofty emotion in
those who look thereupon. But it
seems to me eminently unwise to
cheaper motto by use on coins, just
as it would be to cheaper 1t by use on
postage stamps, or in advertisements.
AS regards its use on the coinage, we
have actual experience by which to go.
In all my life have never heard any
human being speak reverently of this
motto on the coins, but | have literally
hundreds of times heard it used as an
occasion of, and Indictment to the
sneering ridicule which, 1t is above all
things, undesirable that SO beautiful
example, throughout the long contest
extending over several decades on the
free coinage question, the existence Of
this motto on the coins was a con-
slant source of jest and ridicule; and
this was unavoidable Everyone 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 81 cents we do
not pay etc., etc. Surely l am well
within the bounds when l say that
use of the phrase which invites con-
slant levity of this character is undesir-
able. If Congress alters the laws and
directs me to replace on the coins the
sentence in question, it will be immedi-
ately put into effect; but l very ear
nestly trust that the religious senti-
ment of the country, the spirit of rev.
erence in the country, will prevent any
such action being taken.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"