The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-22
PRESIDENT CAN'T
VISIT RICHMOND
Writes Governor That Opening
of Congress Prevents His
Coming.
WAS TO DISCUSS CREDITS
Virginia Executive Invited to
Lunch at White House
December 7.

On account OF the fact that Deem
Der 3 is the opening DAY Of Congress-
President William Howard Taft has
been forced to decline the invitation
of Governor Mann to attend the confer
ence of Governors to begin in Rich-
mond on that date. A letter expressing
his regrets at being unable to come
and assigning the reasons. was writ
ten to the Governor OF Virginia yester-
day by President Taft. In detail, the
President explained that because OF his
annual message being read to Con-
gress on the day the Governors con-
ference convenes, II would be practi-
cally impossible for him to get away
on that day.
In this letter President Taft invites
Governor Mann to come to Washing
ton on Saturday. December !. when IT
Is expected several of the Governors
attending the conference will be in
the Capitol. TO take lunch at the White
House. The Governor has not yet
announced whether it will be possible
for him to accept the Presidents invi-
tation or not. but unless pressing bust
ness forbids. II Is likely that the Vir-
ginia Executive will be present at the
Mite House conference.
Believing that the gathering OF SO
many State Executives in Richmond
on December 5 would give President
Tai, an admirable opportunity to eA-
pound his plan for the extension OF
rural credits, and confident that the
Governors would be happy to have the
President meet with them. Governor
Mann wrote President Taft an invita-
ton to attend the conference last
Monday Tho President was absent
from Washington at the time, return
ing only Wednesday morning, SO that
his reply TO the invitation was tardy
in reaching Richmond.
To Discuss Credits.
In the hope of furtherinS his plan
for extending to the farmer the sys-
tenn Of credit enjoyed by the cities and
OF placing the rural population OF the
country on a more comfortable COM
mercial basis. President Taft has writ
ten many Of the Governors. asking
them to stop over in Washington to
discuss this matter with him while
in this section of the country. The
President realizes that the question OF
banking facilities for the farmer is
more or less of a State issue. and for
that reason is doubly anxious to have
the cooperation and understanding OF
the Governors
AS many as could arrange 1t have
accepted the Presidents Invitation to
call upon him In Washington. SO that
there will be quite an aftermath OF
the Governors conference in the White
House on Saturday. The President ex-
pressed a real regret at being unable to
attend the conference OF the Governors
and present In person this plan which
is so near his heart
The refusal of both the President and
the Preside intellect to attend the gath
ering here now clears the way OF
everything but real business when the
Governors arrive.
Governor Mann is still having his
troubles with the program Of the con-
ference, and is unable to give 1t out
for publication. The roll OF Governors
who have announced their intention OF
being present remains as IL was pub
lished last in The Times-Dispatch-