The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-11-12

be equally proper to support or op-
pose a man because of his views on
Justification by faith, Or the method
OF administering the sacrament, or
the gospel of salvation by works. If
you once enter on such a career there
is absolutely no limit at which you
can legitimately stop.
SO much for your objections to Mr..
Taft because be is a Unitarian. Now
for your objections to him because
you think his wife and brother to be
Roman Catholics. AS it happens,
they are not; but if they we're, or if he
we're a Roman Catholic himself, it
ought not affect in the slightest degree
any mans supporting him for the
position of president. You say that
1.-THE mass of the voters that are not
Catholics will not support a man for
any Office. especially for president of
the United States, who is Roman
Catholic" I believe that when you
say this you foully SANDER your fell
low countrymen.
I do not for one moment believe that
Fthe mass of our fellow citizens, or that
any considerable number of our fellow
citizens, can be influenced by such mar
row bigotry as to refuse to vote for
any thoroughly upright and fit man
because he happens to have particu-
lar religious creed. Such consider
alton should never be treated as a
reason for either supporting or oppos-
ing a candidate for a political Office.
Are you aware that there are several
states in this union where the majority
OF the people are now Catholics? I
should reprobate in the severest terms
the Catholics who in those states Tor
in any other states) refused to vote
for the most fit man because he hap
pened to be Protestant: and my con-
demnatiOn would be exactly as severe
for PrOtestants who, under reversed
circumstances, refused to vote for a
Catholic.
In public life I am happy to say
that I have known many men who
we're elected and constantly reelected
to Office in districts where the great
majority of their constituents we're OF
different religious belief I know
Catholics who have for many years
represented constituencies mainly
Protestant and Protestants who have
for many years represented constitu-
encies mainly Catholic; and among
the congressman whom1 know partic-
ularly we'll was one man of Jewish
faith who represented a district in
which there we're hardly any Jews at
all. All of these men by them very
existence in political life refute the
SANDER you have uttered against your
fellow Americans.
I believe that this republic will en-
dure for many centuries. If so there
will doubtless be among US presidents
Professionals and Catholics, and very
probably at some time, Jews. Ihave
consistently tried while president to
act in relation to my fellow Americans
of Catholic faith as I hope that any
future president who happens to be a
Catholic will act towards his fellow
Americans of Protestant faith. Had I
followed any other course I should
have felt that I was unfit to represent
the American people.
In my cabinet at the present moment
there sit side by side Catholic and
Protestant, Christian and Jew, each
man chosen because in my belief he is
peculiarly fit to exercise on behalf OF
all our people the duties of the Office
to which I have appointed him. In no
case does the mans religious belief in
any way influence his discharge of his
Duties, save as it makes him more
eager to act justly and uprightly in
his relations to all men. The same
principles that have obtained in ap.
pointing the members of my cabinet,
the highest officials under me, the
officials to whom is entrusted the work
of carrying out all the important
policies of my administration, are the
principles upon which all good Ameri-
cans should act in choosing whether
by election or appointment, the men
to fill any Office from the highest to
the lowest in the land.
Yours truly,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. -
MIR. J. c. MARTIN, Dayton, Ohio.
At SOUTHWESTERN HOSPITAL.
Robert Norman was operated upon