The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-16
He Declares Business Looks
SO Good He Is About to
Spend Million
Confidence In
Administration
AT Loss to Understand How
Recent Statement Could Be
Construed as Reflection on
Presidents Policy

Washington. Apr0 President
wilson has received an interesting lel-
ter from President T. T.. Thomas,
or the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
panN, correcting what ne asserts is
a misrepresentation Of an interview
Mi Thomas had given recently on
business conditions The president
Of the Lehigh Valley denies that his
statement IN the interview was in
any sense "a criticism of the admins
/ tratiou. The letter is optimistic and
Mr., Thomas states that his company
. soon 10 award contracts that Will
Involve an expenditure Of close to $ =
100000. made necessary by improved
business conditions lie says other
expenditures will follow. and he ex
presses great confidence In the bust
ness situation. The letter is as fol-
lows
Text of Letter.
'S!T It pom by return from the
south recently l was very much EN-
barrassed 10 find that one para era ph
from! a statement given out by me was
being used in some quarters as re-
HeCtioO OF Your administration
II enclose herewith copy of the
complete statement rs il appeared in
New York morning paper Ny
en- hArrassnent IL due To the fact that
[ appreciated TO the utmost the courte-
Gus tr@atmen: I received from you
upon the oceas3on Of my call ~ the
whit" House iu February In fact
placed myself on record by express
sing TO number " prominent hasi-
ness men. bankers. and Others largely
interested m This property. the great
satisfaction | derived from nay inter-
view with you
MOI intended r., Criticism
y fee! that Il is due you that /
state without qualification that the
paragraph in question was not In
tended as a criticism Of your admin
istration. and WAS not egarded as such
by anyone having tho slightest knowi-
edge Of peculiar conditions which
confront the so-called anthracite rail
WAYS at his time. Permit me TO call
your attention 10 the fact that / re-
ferred u this snle subject in some
what greater detail or page four Of
the memorandum which ! left with
you.
My FIRST Impulse upon Tearing that
political capital was being made out
of au ISOLATED paragraph in my state
neHt was 40 ignore tho matter. /
fully appreciate the fact that YOU
are epgraased with affairs Of state
af vital importance 70 the welfare OF
tho country. and l am sure that the
same manner In which you have safe
guarded the interests Of the country
inspires the confidence and admiration
Of every American citizen
since It appears. howeVeT THAT
a wholly erroneous Interpretation is
being placed on that portion Of my
statement which has been made the
subject OF editorial comment, | now
feel il my duty 10 call the matter to
NOuT attention.
Quotes His Previous Expression.
1T seems to me that a careful read
ing of the entire statement cannot
leave an impression OF criticism OF
your administration, / saiG. among
other things. that business men should
face the future with confidence; that
The Adjournment of Con gress enabled
You To keep your promise that bus
mess was TO have a rest: that the
manner in which the country had
solved the financial problems forced
upon MS were due IN large measure,
CONTINUED on Second pageD