The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-12-11
ROOSEVELT OPPOSED
I'm GOD We TRUST"
ON AMERICAN COINS
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
NEW YORK. Dec. TIA new and
Interesting explanation Of Colonel
Roosevelt's objection to the use of the
phrase I'm God We Trust on United
States coins. Is afforded In an article
in the December Scribner's by Joseph
Bucklin Bishop. the former Presidents
biographer.
A letter written by Mrs. Roosevelt on
Nov. II. 1907, to a clergyman who had
differed with him about placing the
motto on the coins read:
: When the question of the new coin
age came up we looked into the law
and found there was no warrant there
in for putting In God We Trust on
out legal warrant, had grown up, how
keep the inscription had I approved
I did not approve of 1t, did not direct
that 1t should again be put on. OF
course the matter Of the law is abso-
1utely in the hands Of congress, and
any direction Of congress in the mat
ter will be Immediately obeyed. At
present, as have said, there Is no
warrant in law for the inscription.
my own feeling in the matter is due
to my very firm conviction that to put
such q motto on coins, or to use It
IN any kindred manner. not only does
no good but does positive harm, and
10 IN effect lrreverence which comes
dangerously close to sacr1lege.
"A beant1ful and solemn sentence
such % the one In question should be
treated and uttered only with that fine
reverence which necessarily implies a
certain exaltation of spirit. Any use
which tends to cheaper 1t, and above
al, any use which tends to secure its
being treated In a spirit Of levity, is
from every standpoint profoundly to
be regretted.
Would Cheaper Motto.
II II q motto which it is indeed we'll
to have inscribed on our great national
monuments, In our temples of Justice.
IN our Legislative halls, and in build
fngs such as those at West Point and
Annapolis short, wherever 1t will
tend to arouse and inspire a lofty
emotion IN those who look thereon.
But It seems to me eminently unwise
to cheaper such q motto by use on
coins, Just - It would be to cheaper
It by use ON postage stamps, or IN
advertfsements.~
Among the $50, 900 letters written by
Colonel Roosevelt during his public
career, Mr.. Bishop said he found a
number from Rudyard Npling, writ
ten in that famous authors character
istlc way, that is. in the tiniest ch1ro-
graphy.
In a letter written in 1908 the Col
onel said: Great Heart" is my favor
tie character in allegory, just AS
Pilgr1m's Progress is to my mind one
of the greatest books hiatt was ever
written: and / think that Abraham
Lincoln is the ideal 'Great-Heart OF
public life" He returned to this idea
about Lincoln from time to time. a
fact which explains the origin OF Kip
ling's memorial poem entitled Great
Heart" written when the Colonel
died:
Colonel Roosevelts admiration for
the Great Emancipator was also shown
in a letter which he wrote on March 9,
1905, a few days after his inauguration,
to Sir George Trevelyan. the English
historian and nephew Of Macaulay IN
which the Colonel said:
1T has been peculiarly pleasant to
me to find that my supporters are to
be found among the Overwhelming
majority whom Abraham Lincoln
called the plain people, AS suppose
you know, Lincoln is my hero. He
was a man Of the people who always
felt with and for the people, but who
had not the slightest touch of the
demaRogue in him"