Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1905

The Secretary of State to Chargé Jay.

Department of State,
Washington, January 3, 1905.

No. 745.]

Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch, No. 953, of the 13th ultimo, reporting an interview which you had on that date with the grand vizier on the subject of recent interference with the colportage of Bibles by native agents of the American Bible Society in Turkey.

The Department approves your course in the matter. You should hold to the position that you took at the interview, namely, that it is not sufficient that the colportage of Bibles should be permitted in the streets of cities and towns, but that there must be a return to the status quo ante, by which their sale took place unhampered throughout the country districts.

I am, etc.,

John Hay.