The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-13
BUSINESS ENV0Y
D|SPLAYSLETTER,
c. Ferguson Discloses Famous
White House "To-Whom-It
May-Concern" Document.
DESCRIBES HIS DUTIES
Special Agent for Department of
Commerce. He Now Is Taking
Vacation.

| New York. March 12-Charlcs F'ersu-
son, the bearer Of President Wilson's
| TOW HON Tina concern letter of in
PRODUCTION. today admitted that he had
been visiting financiers armed with the
now famous letter.
| Here is copy OF the White House let
ter. Its authenticity co be accepted inn
plicitly, since it was furnished nv Mr.
Ferguson personally:
The White House.
washington, October 8, 1914
To whom il may concern: The bearer
Of this letter. Mr. Charles Ferguson, is a
friend of mine in whose character and
gifts l have peculiar confidence He is
acting as the representative of the De-
partment Of Commerce OF. the United
States. His duties involve the impor-
tant function of bringing the business
communities of the country into closn
and intelligent touch with the plans of
the department and the operation OF
commerce throughout the world. I be-
speak for him the most cordial consid-
Grafton.
Sincerely.
''CSigncdp. WOODROW WILSON"
Describes His Mission.
Mr.. Ferguson today described his
mission thus:
My business has been to remind peo-
pie of the natural limitations of gov
ernmental power, to point out specific
ways i'll which the Department of Com
MERGE can be made more useful, and
to suggest and illustrate tho demo-
cratic truth that the commerce and
organization of modern society ought
to be self-Governing and can become
so by first becoming more scientific and
more human.
If You have found three clerks or
secretaries in Washington who think
have exceeded my authority you have
found three reticent persons who do
not say such things over their names.
And il you have found three bank
crs in Wall Street who nudge each
other and chortle when they hear finan
cial questions preached in vernacular
speech. YOU have found three whose
mysteries are about to he exposed.
Happily there are other bankers OF a
different kind
Mr.. Ferguson added:
Taking Vacation.
Il am now enjoying a vacation. 7
am for the moment quite disengaged
a nd free from every restraint OF off, !
cial responsibility. At my leisure dur |
ing the next ten weeks ! mean to write |
an unvarnished tale about my observs-
lions during the last two years In !
and New York" I
In confederation Of the Presidential
proposal that sort OF
business cabinet lee formed to advise
the government and governmental
bodies. Mr.. Ferguson, in response TO
for i statement. said:
When business is crooked il can. in
deed, be Strengthened from the outside
by force of law-but there is always an
immense loss Of productive vitality, n
slowing of the wheels of industry,
sla ckening of the tide of prosperity.
"There can be no continued prosperity
until the heavy external pressure of
aw upon body of business ceases to be
necessary. Il
This pressure will cease to be neces-
;ary only when the leaders of the bust
ness world become their own censors,
,ospellers. and social prophets. Ii
The business men themselves must in
;ist upon rcctificaton of the business
system.
They must develop within the body OF {
he business organization new organs OF
elf control. such as the proposed stand s
ng committee OF business men to CO. ,
perate with the new Federal trade COM I
mission.
After the business organization has
hus been made social and scientific.
can stand out in the open and get its
ull enfranchisement as predominant =
ublic and political power