THE SOLICITOR. 891 



spent in the endeavor to maintain it in that condition. While the 

 present force is sufficient to handle the business of the Office, it is 

 evident that there will be imperative need for additional assistance 

 in the near future. 



GENERAL AND SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRI- 

 CULTURE ISSUED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 1910. 



Department of Agriculture, 

 Office of the Secretary, 



Washington, D. C, July 9, 1909. 

 Special Order. 



To the Chiefs of Bureaus, Divisions, and Offices: 



As the general supply committee has prepared contracts for miscellaneous supplies 

 for the Executive Departments, and this Department has supplemented such action 

 by preparing separate contracts for all technical supplies required, it is hereby ordered 

 that in the purchase of supplies for this Department items enumerated in these con- 

 tracts be selected and used whenever practicable. The law requires competition in 

 the purchase of supplies, and because an article which is personally preferred by an 

 employee differs elighiiy from articles of the same class under contract is not a suffi- 

 cient reason why a purchase should not be made under contract rather than in open 

 market. Open market purchases should be made only when necessary to prevent the 

 work of the Department from being crippled or for the purpose of continumg systems 

 of book cases, filing cases, or other furniture already installed in an office. 



With the view of securing the greatest possible economy in all expenditures, in 

 compliance with the express order of the President, no furniture or apparatus should 

 be purchased except such as may be absolutely necessary to replace unserviceable 

 articles of similar character or to equip new offices. 



James Wilson, 



Secretary. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, D. C, November £9, 1909. 

 Circular Letter. 



To all Chiefs of Bureaus, Offices, Divisions, and Services and to all their subordinates in 

 the Department of Agriculture: 



The President of the United States has issued an order, of which the following is a 

 copy: 



executive order. 



"It is hereby ordered that no bureau, office, or division chief, or subordinate in any 

 department of the Government, and no officer of the army or navy or marine corps 

 etationed in Washington, shall apply to either House of Congress, or to any committee 

 of either House of Congress, or to any member of Congress, for legislation, or for appro- 

 priations, or for congressional action of any kind, except with the consent and knowl- 

 edge of the head of the department; nor shall any such person respond to any request 

 for information from either House of Congress, or any committee of either House of 

 Congress, or any member of Congress, except through, or as authorized by, the head 

 of his department. 



"Wm. H. Taft. 

 •'The White House, 

 "November 26, 1909. 



' (No. Ili2.)" 



Your close attention to and strict observance of the al)ove executive order is hereby 

 enjoined upon each and every one in the Department of Agriculture. 



James Wilson, 

 Secretary of Agriculture. 



