Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-11-09

tary Taft's religious faith is purely
his own private concern, and not
matter for general discussion and
political discrimination, says Presi-
dent Roosevelt in letter he made
public last night, in which he an
swers numerous correspondents. The
president says he deferred the publ
cation of the letter until now to
avoid any agitation likely to in
fuence the election.
The Presidents Letter.
The letter follows:
November 6, 19OS-My Dear Sir:
l have received your letter running
in part as follows:
While it is claimed almost uni
versally that religion should not en-
ter into politics, yet there is no deny
ing that it does, and the mass of the
voters that are not Catholics will not
support a man for any Office, es-
pecially for president of the United
States, who is Roman Catholic.
Since Taft has been nominated
for president by the republican party
it is being circulated, and is con-
stantly urged as reason for not vot-
ing for him, that he is an infidel
(Unitarian) and his wife and broth
er are Roman Catholics.
If his feelings are in sympathy
with the Roman Catholic church on
account of his wife and brother be-
ing Catholics, that would be objec-
tionable to a sufficient number of
voters to defeat him. On the other
hand, if he is an infidel, that would
be sure to mean defeat. l am writ
ing this letter for the sole purpose
of giving MIR. Taft an opportunity
to let the world know what his re-
ligious belief is.
An Outrageous Agitation.
81 received several 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. / did not answer
any of these letters during the cam
paign because I regarded it as al
outrage even to agitate such a ques
ton as a mans religious convictions
with the purpose of influencing {
presidential election, but now tina
the campaign is over, when there II
opportunity for men calmly to con
slider whether such propositions a
those you make in your letter would
lead, I wish to invite them to con
slider them and | have selected you
letter to answer because you ad
vance both the objections commonl,
urged against Taft, namely: Tha
he is Unitarian, and also that h
is suspected of sympathy with tn
Catholics.
Taft's Own Private Concern.
You ask that Mr.. Taft Shout
let the world know what his relig
ious belief is This is his own pr
vate concern, and it is a matter be
tween him and his Maker, a matte
for his own conscience, and to re
quire it to be made public under pei
atty of political discrimination is
negative the first principles of on
government, which guarantees con
plete religious liberty, and tn
right to each man to act in religion
affairs as his own conscience dicti
ties. Mr.. Taft never asked my az
wise in the matter, but if he had asl
ed it should have emphaticall
advised him against thus stain
publicly his religious belief.
The demand for a statement OF
candidate religious belief can ha'
no meaning except that there ma
be discrimination for or against hi
because Of that belief. The ine'
table result of entering upon sueh
practice would be an abandonme
of our real freedom of eonscien
and a reversion to the dreadful co
ditiOns Of religious dissension Whi
in SO many lands have proven rat
to true liberty and true religion al
fatal to advance in civilization.
Clean and Upright Life Counts
TO discriminate against q inc
oughly upright citizen because ne
longs to some particular church
because, like Abraham Lincoln
has not ayowed mis- allegiance