TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



17 



tion of plans, that Mr. Hyde promised does not require an eternity to effect. If any newspaper 

 agitation is required to make manifest the popular desire in this matter, I can soon start it, as 

 my fellow-eommitteemen, Mr. E. F. Adams, of the San Francisco "Chronicle," Emory E. Smith, 

 and myself are all tolerably versed in journalism. I should like to use my pen to tell what your 

 department has done for California, especially as I was one of the " mugwumps" who voted for 

 McKinley. 



Requesting acknowledgment of this at an early date, I am, dear sir, 

 Yours truly, 



(Signed:) EDWARD BERWICK. 

 I then got back this letter after writing that one. It is from Mr. Wilson himself : 



Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, D. C, November 18, 1899. 



Mr. Edward Berwick, Monterey, CaL: 



Dear Sir: 1 have your letter of November 6th, in which you charge us with want of business 

 courtesy. The same letter, however, intimates that I have answered one communication from 

 you and Mr. Hyde another. We make every effort to answer all letters received at this depart- 

 ment, but the previous communication to which you refer failed to reach us, and for that 

 sufficient reason was not attended to. 



If I remember rightly you wanted telegraphic reports from our consuls abroad regarding the 

 condition of crops. Permit me to say that this could be done, but it would require Congressional 

 legislation and a heavy appropriation. Neither the State Department nor this Department has 

 a dollar with which this telegraphing could be done. If it should please Congress to give us the 

 money for that purpose, there will be no difficulty whatever about getting the desired reports by 

 cable. If consular reports by mail are what you desire, probably this Department could arrange 

 with the State Department to have such reports furnished. 



I am informed by Mr. Hyde that he wrote you last spring that it was then too late to take action 

 to be of any use in this crop year, but that the subject would be considered this winter. If you 

 will now submit a brief statement of just what your plan is, I will give it careful consideration 

 and personal attention and advise you of my decision in the matter. 

 Respectfully, 



(Signed:) JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary. 



Mr. Wilson says he will give this his personal attention if you, gentlemen, will formu- 

 late in some concise shape just wmat you want done, and will then authorize a committee 

 to continue its correspondence and try to obtain the information desired. As to the 

 details he asks for, we sent full details as to what we wanted. We named the countries, 

 specified the fruits, and detailed the times when the information was required by letter 

 and when it was required by wire — those matters were all detailed to them. But as to 

 how this matter was to be disseminated, Mr. Bighter suggested handing the informa- 

 tion to the Associated Press, and I believe that would be a good plan. 



The committee would recommend that a committee be appointed to carry on this 

 work, and send the details to Mr. Wilson again. It would also recommend that bodies 

 such as the Fresno Raisin-Growers' Association, and any other fruit exchanges, also 

 send their desires in this matter, urging that the work be done. Your committee also 

 recommends that your Congressmen and Senators be requested to secure the appro- 

 priation necessary to remunerate the foreign consuls and to pay for the use of the cable 

 when required. 



Mr. BIGHTER. I move that the report be received and the com- 

 mittee continued. 

 Motion carried. 



Nicaragua Canal. 



Mr. BERWICK. I also happen to be the chairman of the Committee 

 on the Nicaragua Canal, and will make the report on behalf of that 

 committee: 



We have not had a very successful year as a canal committee. Mr. 

 Gordon of Fresno and Mr. Sprague of Los Angeles are the other mem- 

 2— BH 



