The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-13
NO LAW FOR II.
President Roosevelt Tells Why
''In God We Trust
Was Omitted From the Gold
Coins Recently Minted.
HE WAS FREE TO ACT.
And Dispensed With 1t Because
He Did Not Like 1t.
Regards Its Presence There as
HE WAS FREE TO ACT.
Regards Its Presence There as
Bordering ON Sacrilege.

Washington, Nov. 13.-In answer to
one of the numerous protests which
have been received at the White
House against the new gold coin
which has been coined without the
words 'In God we trust, President
Roosevelt has written letter which
he today made public. The letter fol-
lows:
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, 1 might have felt at liberty
to keep the inscription had 1 APP
proved of its being on the coinage. But
as I did not approve of it I did not
direct that it should again be put on.
OF course the matter of the law is abb
Solutely In the hands of congress and
any direction of congress in the mat
ter will be Immediately obeyed. At
present, as 1 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 effect irreverence, which comes
dangerously close to sacrilege. A
beautiful and solemn sentence such as
the one in question should be treated
and uttered only with that fine rever-
ence which necessarily implies a GER
tain 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.
Good for Monuments.
''It is a motto which it 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 and Annapolis, in short wher-
ever it will tend to arouse and inspire
a lofty emotion in those who look
thereon. But it seems to me eminent
ly unwise to cheaper such a motto by
use on coins, just as it would be to
cheaper it 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 I have never heard
this motto on the coins, but I have
literally hundreds of times heard 1t
used as an occasion of and Indictment
to the sneering rFdicule which it is
above all things undesirable that SO
beautiful and exalted q phrase should
excite. For example throughout the
long contest extending over several
decades on the free coinage question
the existence of this motto on the coins
was a constant source of ject and ridi-
Guile and this was unavoidable. Every
one must remember the innumerable
cartoons and article 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
cents we do not pay and
so forth, and so forth. Surely I am
we'll within bounds when I say that a
use of the phrase which invites con-
slant levity of this character is unde-
sirable. If congress alters the law
and directs me to replace on the coins
the sentence in question, it will be i'm
medfately put in effect; but I very
earnestly 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"