The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-11-12

Washington, Specia.. 20 Secretary
Taft's religious faith is purely his
own private concern and not matter
for general discussion and political
discrimination, says President
Roosevelt in letter he made public
in which he answers numerous cor
respondents. The President says he
deferred the publication of the letter
until now to avoid any agitation
likely to influence the election. The
letter follows:
November 6, 1908.
Ny Dear Sir: 1 have received your
letter running in part as follows:
'eWhile it is claimed almost uni
versally that religion should not enter
into politics, yet there is no denying
that it does, and the mass of the
voters that are not Catholics will not
support man for any office, es-
pecially for President of the United
States, who is a Roman Catholic.
"Since Taft has been nominated
for President by the Republican par
ty, it is being circulated and is con-
stantly urged as reason for not vot-
ing for Taft that he is an infdel Gun
itarian) and wife and brother Roman
Catholics. If his feelings
are in sympathy with the Roman
Catholic Church on account of his
wife and brother being Catholics,
that would be Objectionable to suffi-
cient number of voters to defeat him.
On the other hand, if he is an infidel,
that would be sure to mean defeat.
=" / am writing this letter
for the sole purpose of giving Mr..
Taft all opportunity to let the world
know what his religious belief is.'
I received many such letters as
yours during the campaign, express
ing dissatisfaction with Mr.. Taft on
religious 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. I did not answer any Of
these letters during the campaign
because I regarded it as an outrage
even to agitate such a question as a
mans religious convictions, with the
purpose of influencing a political
election. 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, I wish to in
vite them to consider them, and I
have selected your letter to answer
because you advance both the OBJ
jections commonly urged against Mr..
Taft, namely: that he is Unitarian
and also that he is suspected of SYM
pathy with the Catholics.
You ask that Mr.. Taft shall Fflet
the world know what his religious
belief is.'' This is purely his own
private concern, and it is matter be-
tween him and his Maker, matter
for his own conscience; and to re-
lquire it to be made public under pen
atty of political discrimination is to
Negative the first principles of our
government, which guarantee COM
lplete 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. ]
4 SIlOuIQ nave cI1kiidGlCdIIJ duV1Scu
, him against thus stating publicly his
; religious belief. The demand for a
statement Of a candidates religious
belief can have no meaning except
hat there may be discrimination Cor
: Or against him because of that be-
!, lief. Discrimination against the
holder of one faith means retaliatory
! dissemination against men of other
faiths. The inevitable result of en-
tering upon such practice would be
= an abandonment of our real freedom
3 of conscience and a reversion to the
; dreadful conditions of religious dis
t sensions which in so many lands have
. proved fatal, to true liberty. to true
$ religion and to all advanced in civil
alton.
To DISCRIMINATE against thorough
~ upright citizen because he belongs
to some particular Church. or be.
cause, like Abraham Lincoln, he has
| not avowed his allegiance to 'any
Church, is an outrage against thai
liberty of conscience which is one
of the foundations of American life
} You are entitled to know whether {
1 man seeking your suffrage is mar
! Of clean and upright life. honorable
!. in all his dealings with his fellows
and fit by qualification and purpos'
4 to do we'll in the great Office fol
which he is candidate; but you arr
s not entitled to know matters which
s lie purely between himself and hi'
E Maker. If it is proper or Legitimate
: to oppose a man for being Uni
9 tartan, as was John Quincy Adams
: for instance, as is the Reverend Ed
, ward Everett Hale, at the presen
u moment chaplain of the Senate, ant
an American Of whose life all gooC
e Americans are proud-then it woulc
u be ennally proper to support or ON