The Italian Chargé to the Secretary of State.
Washington, D. C., December 30, 1905.
Mr. Secretary of State:
I have received from His Majesty’s Government, which has it greatly at heart not to delay too long the actual organization of the International Agricultural Institute, main object of the conference that was held at Rome between the end of May and beginning of June of this year, further earnest and urgent instructions which impel me again to have recourse to your excellency’s well-known courtesy to the end that you may be pleased to obtain for me the cooperation of the Government of the United States in that part of the execution of the declared purpose which immediately concerns it.
Although I have already had the honor to lay this matter before your excellency orally at the last two weekly visits made to the department on the 21st and 28th instant, I beg you to pardon my complying with my instructions by asking to state in precise terms [Page 943] the exact desire of the Royal Government and by so doing in the present communication written for that purpose.
While begging your excellency kindly to take into consideration the note No. 2101 addressed to you under date of August 9 last by Baron Mayor des Planches, I venture to observe that it was not a binding convention that was signed at the conference of Rome, but merely a “final act” embodying a draft of convention, to which the signature of plenipotentiaries appointed by the respective governments is now requested. The said powers can subsequently call upon the organs designated by the Constitution of each one of the high contracting parties to ratify the said convention.
By your note No. 299, of the 23rd of August,a and your letter of the 24th of November last, your excellency was so good as to inform the royal ambassador and repeat to me that your most excellent colleague of the Agricultural Department had, after examination of the question, decided to call it to the attention of the proper committees of Congress upon the reconvening of that body in the current month of December. This part of the legislative procedure requisite for the ratification of the convention, and in respect of which I again most earnestly entreat your excellency will, through your good offices and favorable advice, bring about such a result as that achieved by His Majesty’s Government, does not stand in the way or dispose of that part of administrative action which consists in merely affixing a signature to the convention in the name of the Federal Government as a signatory to the act itself. I, therefore, voice the wishes of my Government in coming to your excellency with a request that you will, in the meanwhile, and with such promptness as you may think my request merits, take steps toward the designation of the plenipotentiary whom the Federal Government will entrust with the duty of signing the convention of June 7th.
I shall be greatly obliged to your excellency for such answer as you may be pleased to return, and embrace the opportunity to renew, etc.
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