The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
I'm God We Trust. :,

denS gold coin designs was economical
the coin would not stack. and the bank
ers mad their way IN the change The
second outcry was patriotic-against the
proposed stamp Of the profile. OF an alien
subject, and the patriotic Order Of Inde-
pendent Americans protested. and the
alien subject profile was left of No
more publicity Of coin design intentions
was given-the people were ignored. until
the ciink and Jingle OF The precious things
{ Il on the ear and their beauty dazzled
/ the sight. And then II was found that
the old motto. In God we trust" was
gone. Then arose the third-the national
outcry. But too late FOR mending-the
thing was done A custom had been
wiped out. A desecration. against which.
If. In the proposed doing. il had been
known, the people would have arisen. and
have prevented The nation viii live
whether or not the coin bears In God
We trust" for We can trust in God al
ways. Many reasons have been given
why the motto should not have been
stricken on our coin. None OF them in
particular, appeals 10 me. The one rea-
son, and only one. why IL should not have
been taken Of. is That il was not the will
OF the people Their act had put II on.
'ey custom and law they had become used
to II, and none but the people should
have removed il. Custom is deep
rooted thing, and should not be lightly
assaulted one or two persons cannot in
considerably change the customs of
S00,0oO without grave danger. COmpar-
atiye politics give many lessons therein
= Oh ebn he
greatest would do Wen 10 heed When
Congress left the coin designing to "a few.
IL did not dream of such drastic action
as the oblteratiOn Of a long sactiCned
custom. Congress j. 10 blame IN not
planting checks. Congress should not
have been so lavish in delegating dele
gated p0wers-the peoples prerogative.
Congress should mend as soon as II con-
venes As their representatives. il is due
10 the people. The country demands f.
Our institutions are founded on the
majority principle. To have published the
intention 10 leave of the motto and wipe
out custom would have suffered de-
feat in the majority rule II was wrong.
unstatesmanlike. and without diplomacy
not TO raise the question for the people
% hear and decide. II was not good
politics. even. Mr.. ROosevelts reasons
for striking the old landmark from the
coin OF the nation may seem good 10
many, but the majority viii not hear
though they may silently bear-awhile
His reasons FOR baniShing the symbol
In God We Trust. from the nations
coin would as well apply 10 the tearing
down of the crosses from the churches
Some people sCOff al the cross az well
as the motto. and. for that. the religion
for which they stand. His saying that
IN all his life he never heard any human
being speak reverenuy OF the motto on
the coins does not speak well for the
company he has kept. nor marks mar
Brdom for his belief. Tor In God We trust
IL the epitome OF belief The motto IS
an object lesson 10 the young. In God
We Trust" has its greatest good in the
formative period Of youth as Now ]
lay me down 20 sleep" Who can esti-
mate its moral growth-value on the
youthful mind2 And as the child is 50
the man. The lessons OF youth have the
deepest root and most lasting power. In
God We Trust or the nations coin
marks an epoch In our national life-the
thank-offering 20 God Almighty in the
salvation Of the nation. II was the rub
lie glory giving to the God OF all wars
for the ending Of the four years civil
strife's rending the ration in twain. de-
biSt4hb bAe PUBIC u edSerN. OVerWhelm-
ms the people with debt, with naught
but nat money 10 cancel H. In these
times OF suffering prop and a stay were
longed for. and all hearts turned to the
God Of nations. and the motto was born.
Its Punishment is after the chasm OF
brotherly hate has been b-idged fat
money displaced. the public treasury
overlooking 8ith gold, and tie most pros
porous era eXisting-materialis ramp
ant The conditions OF the birth and OF
the destruction OF the use or that motto
on the coin OF the nation are sharply IN
contrast but no more so than In the
methods Of each; then. an humble bowed
down nations act-nOw. a one-Inan act
undoing II all, and wiping out a custom
without the peoples knowing. And in
this latter act Of the drama is the sum
total Of the offense 10 the nation
A. J. GREEN
November a. 1907