The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1907-11-22
|OMIT god" ONCOIN
PRESIDENT EXPLAINS REASONS
FOR MAKING CHANGE.
SAYS IT IS CLOSE TO sAcRILEGE
Declares II Inspires RidicuIe, Pointing
to Anti-Bryan Cartoons as
an Example.

Washington, D. C.-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 Wednesday made public. The let
ter follows:
when the question of the new coin
age came up we looked into the law
and found there was no warrant there
in for putting In God We Trust on
the coin. AS the custom, although
without legal warrant, had grown up,
however, l might have felt at liberty
to keep the inscription had I approved
of it's being on the coinage. But as
I 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 direction of congress in the
matter will be Immediately obeyed.
At present, as I 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
and is, in fact, irreverence, which
comes dangerously close to sacrilege.
A beautiful and solemn sentence such
as the one in question should be treat
ed 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 spirit of levity, is
from every standpoint profoundly to
be regretted.
Good Motto for Monuments.
"It is a motto which it is indeed
well to have inscribed on our great
national monuments, in our temples
of justice, 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 eminently I'M
wise to cheaper such a motto by use
on coins, just as it would be to cheap
en- it by use On postage stamps, or
in advertisements. AS regards its use
on the coinage, we have actual expe-
rience by which to go. In all my life,
/ have never heard any human being
speak reverently of this motto on
coins, or show any signs of its having
appealed to any high emotion, but
have literally, hundreds of times,
heard it used in sneering ridicule,
which it is above all things undes.r-
able that so beautiful and exalted a
phrase should excite.
For example, throughout the long
contest extending over several dec
AIDES on the free coinage question, the
existence of this motto on the coins
was constant source of jest and rid
icule,, and this was unavoidable. Ev-
Sl Out llIuSI ISHIculDci tll6
able 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 don't pay and so
forth and so forth.
"Surely I am well within bounds
when | say that 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 l very
earnestly trust that the religious SEN
timent of the country, the spirit of
reverence III the country, will prevent
any such action being taken.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"