The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-09
1t Is Made the Subject of a
Letter by Roosevelt.
He Says 1t Is Nobody's Concern
But the President-Elect's.
ALL SHADES OF FAITH
Are Represented i'm His Own
Cabinet Now.
Does Not Believe the People
Care About a Mans Belief.

Washington, Nov. 9.-"Secretary' S
Taft's religious faith is purely his own
private concern and not a matter for
general discussion and political dis
elimination" says President Roosevelt
in letter made public in which he an
swers numerous correspondents. The
president says he deferred the publi-
cation of the letter until now to avoid
agitation likely to influence the cleo
ton.
The letter follows:
November 6, 1908.
MY Dear Sir:-I have received your
letter, running in part as follows:
While it is claimed almost uniVer-
sally 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 a
man for any office, especially for pres
ident of the United States who is a
Catholic.
Since Taft has been nominated for
president by the Republican party, 1t
is being circulated and is constantly
Taft that he is an infidel Unitarian
and his wife and brother Roman Cath
oHcs.
IF his feelings are in sympathy
count of his wife and brother being
Catholics, that would be Objectionable
to a sufficient number of voters to de-
feat him. On the other hand if he is
an fnhdel, that would be sure to mean
defeat. 1 am writing this letter for the
sole purpose of giving Mr.. Taft an OPP
portunity to let the world know what
his religious belief is "
L received many such letters as yours
during the campaign expressing dissat-
1sfaction with Mr.. Taft on religious
grounds; some of them on the ground
that he was a Unitarian. and others
IN a he n
be in sympathy with Catholics. L did
not answer any of these letter during
the campaign because 1 regarded it as
an outrage even to agitate such
question as a mans religious convic-
tions, with the purpose of influencing a
political election, but now the cam
paign is over, when there is opportuni-
ty for men calmly to consider with
er such propositions as those you make
in your letter would lead. I wish to
invite them to consider them and 1
have selected your letter to answer,
because you advance both the objec-
lions commonly urged against Mr.. Taft,
namely:
That he is a Unitarian and also that
he is suspected of sympathy with the
Catholics. You ask that Mr.. Taft shall
let the world know what his religious
belief is
A Private Matter.
This is purely his own private con-
Germ; and it is a matter between him |
and his maker. matter for his own
conscience; and to require it to be made |
public under penalty OF political dis |
elimination is to negative the first |
principles of our government which |
guarantee complete religious liberty |
and the right to each man to act in /
religious affairs s his own conscience |
dictates. Mr.. Taft never asked my t
advice in the matter, but if he had |
asked it. 1 should have emphatically :,
advised him against thus stating pub
licly his religious belief The demand |
for statement of a candidates re-
1igious belief can have no meaning ex-