Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-13
MOTTO ON COINS
HELD |RR[V[R[N|
President Roosevelt Explains
Why I'm God We Trust" Was
Left Off New Coinage
DOES HARM INSTEAD OF GOOD
President Addresses Long Letter Ex-
planning His Attitude and Reason for
the order-Motto As Used Never Re-
ferred to Except in Levity, He De-
eIarss-M axes Good Argument.

washington, Nov. 13.-In answer to
one OF the numerous protests received
at the White House against the new
Iold coin which has been coined With
cut the words, I'm God we trust,
President Roosevelt has written a let
ter which today was made public. The
letter in part is as follows:
"When the question of new coinage
came up we looked into the law and
found there was no warrant therein
for putting In God we trust on the
ceins. AS the custom, altho without
legal warrant, had grown up, however,
might have felt at liberty to keep
the inscription had approved of Its
being on the coinoge. But as did not
approve it, l did not direct it should
again be put on.
My own feeling In the matter is due
to my very firm conviction that to put
such a motto on the coins, or to use
it in any kindred manner, not only
does no good, but does positive harm,
and is in effect an irreverence, which
comes dangerously close to sacreliglon.
* beautiful solumn sentence such as
the one in question should be treated
end uttered only with fine reverence
which necessarily implies certain eX-
citation of spirit. Any use which tends
to cheaper it, and above all, any use
which tends to secure its being treat
go in spirit of levity, is from every
standpoint profoundly to be regretted.
1t is motto which it is indeed we'll
to have inscribed on our great national
monuments, in our temples OF justice,
our legislative halls, in buildings such
us those at West Point and Annapolis
in short, wherever it will tend 70
arouse and inspire a lofty emotion in
those who look thereon. But it seems
to me eminently unwise to cheaper
such motto by use on coins, just as
1T would be to cheaper it by use on
postage stamps or advertisements. AS
actual experience by which to- go. and
in all my life 1 have never heard any
human being speak reyerently OF this
motto on the coins, or to show any
signs of it's having appealed to any
high emotion to him. But have lit
orally hundreds of times heard it used
as an occasion Of and incitment to
.sneering ridicule, which it is above all
things undesirable that SO beautiful
and exalted phrase should excite. For
example, thruout the long contest ex-
tending over several decades on the
free coinage question, the existence of
this motto on the coins was a con-
stant source Of jest and ridicule. And
this was unavoidable. Every one must
remember innumerable cartoons and
articles based on phrases like, In God
We Trust for eight cents, In God We
Trust for short weight In God we
trust for thirty-seven cents we do not
pay and so forth. Surely / am well
within the bounds when I say that the
Use of the phrase which invites con-
stant levity Of this type is most unde-
sirable. If congress alters the law and
directs me to replace on the
coins the sentence, the direction will
he Immediately put into effect, but I
very earnestly trust the religious SEN
timent Of the country and the spirit
Of reverence in the country, will pre-
vent any such action being taken.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"