Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-11-12
WOULD UNDERMINE LIBERTY

rage against that liberty of conscience
which is one of the foundations OF
/ American life. Iou are entitled t.
I know whether a man seeking your suf-
irages is man of clean and upright life.
! honora bic in all his dealings with his
fellows, and tit by qualification and pur-
pose to do we'll in the great office for
winch he is Il candidate; but you are not
entitled to know matters which lie pure
~ between himself and his maker.
IF 1t is proper or legitimate to oppose
man for being a Unitarian, as was
John Quincy Adams, for instance, as is
| the Rev. Edward Everett Hale, at the
present moment chaplain of the senate.
and an American of whose life all GOOD
citizens are proud-then it would be
equally proper TO support or oppose a
man because of his view 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 legitlmateiy stop.
DENoUNCES BOYCOTT OF CATHOLICS
so much for your objections 10 Mr.
Taft because he is Unitarian New.
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 were, or if he were Roman
Catholic himself, it ought not to affect
in the slightest degree any mans sup
porting him for the position Of president
You say that the mass of the voters
that are not Catholics will not support a
man for any office, especially for presi-
dent of the United States, W ho is u Ro-
man Catholic.
Il believe that when You say this YOU
foully slander your fellow countrymen.
| do not for one moment believe that
the mass OF our fellow citizens, or that
any considerable number of our fellow
citizens, can be influenced by such mar
row 0lgotry as to refuse TO vote for any
thoroughly upright and fit man because
he happens to have Il particular religious
creed. Such consideration should
never be treated as reason for either
supporting or opposing 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: | should reprobate in
the severest terms the Catholics who in
those states (or in any other States) who
refused to vote for the most fit man be-
cause he happened to be "a Protestant.
and my condemnal ion would be exactly
as severe for Protestants who, under re.
Versed circumstances. ref&se to vote
for Il Catholic.
INSTANCES To REFUTE sLANDER
In public life am happy to say that
| have known many men who were
elected, and constantly reelected. to Of
fee in districts where the great majority
of their constituents were of different
have for many years represented consti-
tuencies mainly Protestant and Protes-
tants who have fer many years repre-
sented constituencies mainly Catholic
and among the congressman whom |
know particularly we'll was one man of
Jewish faith who represented ii district
in a. al H. IL 1
all. All Of these men by their very
existence in political life refute the
SANDER you have uttered against your
fellow Americans.
PLENTY OF ROOM FOR ALI.
II believe that this republic will en-
dure for many centuries. If So. there
will doubtless be among its presidents
ProtestantS and Catholics. and very
probably at some time Jews.
Il have consistently tried while presi-
dent to act IN relation to my fellow
Anne ricans of Catho ic faith as hope
that any future president who happens
to be a Catho ic will act towards his fell
low Amer cans of Protestant faith
Had | followed any other cours e should
ildNC iCil 1lldt WdS uDlib 10 represent
the American people.
ALL FAITHS IN CABINET
I'm my cabinet at the present moment
there sit side by side Cath c!ic and
Protestant, Christian and jew, each
man chosen because IN my bel eff he is
particularly fit to exercise on behalf of
all onr people the duties of the Office to
which | have appointed him. In no
case does the mans religious belief in
any way influence the discharge Of his
duties, save as it makes him more eager
TO act justly and uprightly in his rela-
tions TO all men. The same principles
that have obtained in appointing the
members of nv cabinet. the highest
! officials under me, the offic ais to whom
is entrusted the work of carrying out all
! the important policies of my admins
tration, are the principles upon which
al! good Americans should act in choos-
ing, whether by election or appointments,
the men to fill any Office from the high
est to the lowest in the land
Yours truly,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
'Mr. }. G. Mastin, Dayton, o.