Mr. Bryan to Mr. Hay.
Petropolis, Brazil, June 1, 1900.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a communication1 * * * requesting my cooperation in protesting against the Brazilian law enacted last November forbidding the importation of manufactures that carry labels, prescriptions, or trade-marks in Portuguese or in part in that language. When last February my attention was called to this enactment on my return from a leave of absence, with the hope of inducing the Government to ask for the repeal of this statute, I requested a delay of the enforcement of the law, which I was informed would cause serious loss to importers of American proprietary medicines. I subsequently learned that the German minister, and the British chargé d’affaires had independently taken like action. The 1st of July having been named as the date for putting the law into effect, I am now seeking further delay in order to give the commercial and other associations, who are protesting against the law, an opportunity to make their influence felt with the Government and through it with Congressmen, among some of whom I have already found a disposition to favor our interests in this regard.
I have, etc.,
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