Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-10
President Roosevelt Says us His
Successors Private Concern.
lot 4 IlTlER FOB DISCUSSION
In Letter Answering Various Cues.
tons, President Goes After Every.
body Who Has Sought to Bring Re-
lieious Question Into Politics.
(By Associated Press.)

iNhS''oo ioA'h -
purely his own private concern and
not matter for general discussion
, and political discrimination says
President Roosevelt in letter he
made public tonight in which he
answers numerous correspondents.
The President says he deferred the
! publication Of the letter until now TO
avoid any agitation likely TO in
fuence the election. The letter fol-
lows:
November 6, 1908.
My deer Sir:
have received you letter running
in part as follows:
While it is claimed almost univer-
sally that religion should not enter in
to politics, yet there is no denying
that ii does. and the mass of the vot-
erS that are not Catholic will not sup
port a man for any office, especially
for President CT the United States,
who is Roman Catholic.
Since Taft has been nominated
for President by the Republican party.
it is being circulated and is constant
" urged as reason for not voting
for Taft that he is an infidel tUnitar-
ian} and his wife and brother Roman
Catholics. = II his feelings are
in sympathy with the Roman Catholic
church On account of his wife and
b-other being Catholics. that would lie
Objectionable to a sufficient number OF
voters TO defeat him. On the other
hand If he is an infdel, that would
be sure 10 mean defeat :. | am
writing this letter for the sole pur-
pose of giving Mr.. Taft an opportunity
to let the world know what his reiis-
ious belief is
received many such letters as
yours during the campaign, expressing
dissatisfaction with Mr.. Taft on re-
lgious grounds: some Of them on the
ground that he was a Unitarian. and
others on the ground that he was
suspected to be in sympathy with
Catholics. did not answer any of
these letters during Inc campaign be-
cause l regarded it as an outrage
even to agitate such question as a
mans religious convictions. with the
purpose of influencing political eiec-
ton. But now that the campaign Is
over, when there is opportunity FOR
men calmly to consider whittier such
propositions as those you make in
your letter would lead, wish to invite
them to consider them. and I have Sc
lected your letter to answer because
you advance both the objections
commonly urged against Mr.. Taft,
namely: that he is Unitarian and
also that he is suspected Of sympathy
with the Cathoncs.
You ask that L.r. Taft shall "let
the world know what his religious be-
lief is This is purely his own pri-
vate concern; and it is a matter be-
tween him and his Maker. a matter
for his own conscience; and 10 re-
quire it to be made public under pen
atty of political discrimination is to
negative the first principles of cur gov
eminent, which guarantees complete
religious liberty, and the right to each
man to act in religious affairs as his
own conscience Dictates Mr.. Taft
never asked my advice in the matter,
but if he had asked it, / should have
emphatically advised him against thus
stating publicity his religious belief.
The demand for a statement Of a can
didate's religious belief can have no
meaning except that there may be dis
elimination for or against him be-
cause of that belief Discrimination
against the holder Of one faith means
retaliatory discrimination against men
of other faiths The inevitable result
of entering upon such a practice would
be an abadonmeGt Of our real free
dom of conscience and reversion to-
the dreadful conditions Of religious,
dissension which in so many lands
have proved fatal to true liberty, to
true religion. and to all advance in
civilization.
To discrimination against a
thoroughly upright citizen be-
cause he belongs to some
particular church, or because,
like Abraham Lincoln, he has not
avowed his allegiance to any church,
is an outrage against that liberty OF
conscience which Is one Of the founda-
tons Of American life. You are en-
titled to know whether Q man seektag
your suffrage Is q man Of clean ana
upright life, honorable in all his deal
ings with his fellows, and 1T by quail
fication and purpose TO do we'll in the
great once for which he Is q candi-
date; but. you are NO. entitled toI
xnow matters which lie purely be-
tween himself and his Maker. II u
is proper or legitimate to oppose 81
man for being Q Unitarian. As was
John Quincy Adams, for insisce, as
is the Rev. Edward Everett Hale. At
the present moment Chaplain Of the
Senate. and an American Of whose
life all good Americans are proud
then Il would be equally proper to]
support or oppose q man because of
his views on Justification by faith. or
the method OF administering the
scaramept. or the gospel Of salvation
BY works. II you once enter on such