The Italian Chargé to the Secretary of State.
Washington, April 24, 1906.
Mr. Secretary of State: I appeal to your excellency’s tried courtesy to the end that you may be pleased to transmit to his excellency the Secretary of Agriculture the inclosed petition addressed to him by some importers of Italian paste in New York. At the same time I would be very thankful if you would point out to your most excellent colleague the special object of the request made of him. The Italian importers want nothing more than a short postponement of the enforcement of the new regulations so as to enable the paste manufacturers to comply with its requirements.
If their request were denied, they would be subjected to serious loss, which this embassy would be glad to spare them. I permit myself to commend this matter in a special way, finding encouragement to do so in the fact, admitted by the proper federal authorities themselves, that the Italian products generally are among those that infringe the law less frequently.
Expressing my thanks in advance for all that your excellency and the Department of Agriculture may possibly do to gratify the wish here presented,
I embrace, etc.,