The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-09
MORE LITERATURE
ON WILSON VISIT
Latest Dope Says President
Finds 1t Impossible to
Come to Fair.
HOPE SPROUTS AND DIES
Letter to Roscoe M. White
Causes Spirits to Undergo
Revision Downward.
HOPE SPROUTS AND DIES

The literature dealing with Rich
rnond's effort to secure President Will
sons attendance 0.aon the State Fair
next month Is assuming unexpected
proportions. 1t began with the pub
LEGATION of the news that the City
Council had appointed Il special com
inittce to go to Washington and ex-
tend the invitation. and grew steadily
as the committee perfected plans for
the trip.
An alarming chapter was contrib
utcd By w. G. Smith. Of Highland
Park. who forestalled the committee
by addressing q communication to the
President. requesting him to make it
a condition OF his coming that liquor
be barred from the Fair Grounds. Mr..
Tumulty replied that the President
had decided TO decline all invitations
OF this nature during the first year
of his administration. and that he
would not therefore. be able TO come.
Hope Sprouts aud Dies.
An optimistic instalmcnt was added
last week by the Council committee,
which journcyed to Washington and
succeeded in getting President Wilson
to say that he would take the matter
under consideration and would come
IL he could. The reception of the com
rnittec WAS so warm and genial that
the members returned In the convic-
ton that the President would come.
The hope thus aroused in the breast
OF every good Virginian undergoes a
decided revision downward. as Oscar
W. Underwood would say. with the an
nouncement that on September 3--the
day before the invitation committee
journcyed to Washington-Mr. Tumul-
" wrote 10 Roscoe ". White. secre-
tary OF the Body of Methodist Preach
crs, of this city. that the President
finds It impossible TO attend the State
Fair TO be held in Richmond this fall.
Letter to Wilson.
To the literature on the subject
must now be added n letter written TO
the President on September by Mr..
White. representing twenty eight
Methodist preachers in Richmond.
South Richmond. and vicinity. The
letter follows:
President Woodrow Wilson, Washing
ton. d. c.:
Sir,-As secretary of the Body OF
Methodist Preachers, of this city, am
Instructed TO write you with reference
TO the invitation to be extended TO
YOU by n special committee from this
city, To attend the State Fair here this
fall. We have made repeated efforts
to prevent the sale OF liquor on the
Fair Grounds. feeling that such
course would be for the best interests
of all those in attendance upon the
fair. Scenes OF debauchery on the Fair
Grounds, in past years, have but in
creased the zeal of our efforts, and
now like appeals are coming up from
different parts OF the state. Thus far.
however. the directors OF the State
Fair Association have spurned all re-
quests Of this nature. Believing that
YOU stand for the moral uplft of the
people. and are always read TO lend
your influence in that direction. we re-
specially request. IL consistent with
your good judgment. that you condi-
ton Your acceptance of the invitation
above referred to on the absolute pro-
hibition OF all alcoholic liquors on the
grounds.
Most respectfully yours.
(Signcd) ROSCOE NJ WHITE.
Presidents Reply.
Mr.. White received the following
reply:
The White House, Washington,
September 3. 1918.
My Dear DR. White:
Permit me to acknowledge the re-
ceipt OF your letter of September LIST,
and to say that the President finds it
Impossible to attend the state Fair. to
be held at Richmond this fail.
]. p. TUMULTY.
Secretary TO the President.
DR.. Il. NJ. White.
900 Decatur street.
Richmond, Va.