Mr. Dabney to Mr. Olney.
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., May 21, 1896.
Sir: I am in receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, inclosing copy of a resolution of the House of Representatives, dated the 8th instant asking for information as to what, if anything, has been done by the State Department to carry out certain provisions of the act of Congress making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the year 1896. You inquire whether this Department has carried on any correspondence in regard to the subject which in my opinion ought to be communicated to the House of Representatives in response to the resolution. This Department has conducted no correspondence on the subject mentioned, except with the Department of State. There have been representations made from time to time by this Department running through a number of years, which I understand have been used by your Department in its diplomatic negotiations with the Government of Great Britain. The provision you refer to was also enacted in the act of Congress making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the year ending June 30, 1895. As this Department had in its correspondence with your Department placed the information in its possession, it was not considered necessary to draft any special correspondence under the provision mentioned.
I have, etc.,
Acting Secretary.