The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-24

OSelcSb DIplOmHCys
The Committee on Appropriations Of the
House of Representatives propose TO cut
down the diplomatic and consular ex-
penses, and the Secretary of State resists
the reduction. In this he is supported by
members of the Foreign A fairs Committee,
who, though calling themselves Democrats,
have always served MS an echo for MIR
FIsH's policy, whether in crushing the
Cuban patriots, submitting TO British die
tation, or ndulging in official extrava-
gancc OF expenditure.
As It is now organized, the diplomatic
service is collection of conspicuous
blunders favoritism, and ignorance re-
speeding the wants of our own coun-
try. and its political and commercial
relations with the rest of the world.
The act of 1856 upon which the present
law was grated, was concoctcd by MEM
Der of Congress who, after n run through
Europe, thought himself fully qualified to
reconstruct the whole diplomatic and
consular system ana to fix the pay and
cmoluments of each place. That stood for
nearly twenty years, until Mr.. FISH un-
dertook to revise it, and TO erect upon that
This Is the law now in force and it is no
less absurd and anomalous than its prede-
Cessor.
When England, France. Germany. or any
other enlightened country, desires TO
change an existing service, whether il be
civil or military, the first step taken il 10
appoint commission of experts, in order
10 examine its operations thoroughly, to
discover the weak points, and TO expose
the abuses. The information thus collected
furnishes n basis for legislation or for adj
ministration, and hence there is n system
rs the result. Here, we do things different
ly. Investigation is discarded. knowledge
Is not esteemed necessary, aud the heads
of departments are allowed to prepare the
very laws which it is their business TO exc
cute. In Europe diplomacy is II recognized
career In the United States IT Is held MS n
reward for political service and the APP
pointments are therefore generally bad,
and, as at present, too often disgraceful
The stock Of ministers is not only too
large, but entirely too costly. and the con-
sulatcs are paid without reference TO COM
mercial interests. Ii is next to absurd TO
maintain ministers in Greece, the Hawaiian
Islands, Liberia, llayti, aud many of the
Central and South American States. SOme
of these countries do not reciprocatc this
recognition, and this il a good reason for
dropping them and substituting Consuls
at one-fourth the expense. Belgium
ana Holland could be united in
single mission, which then would have
nothing To do but to ofiiciate ut ceremonies.
and Portugal. Italy is mere pleasure
ground, aud ought to be combined with
Austria. Consuls are kept in the Barbary
States ut Tuuis, Tripoli, and Tangicr, with
$1,000 year each, whose fees do not pay
Office rent. A Consul-General is established
at Rome with full Minister for his next
door ncighbor. But while many of these
examples are patent, and the abuse Of
keeping up mere pension places is mani
fest, there ought 10 be u searching inquiry
by competent committee so rs TO insure
reform.
The ocean telegraph has materially
affected the diplomatic relations of the
world. Ministers have become little more
than n higher order of messengers AT all
the capitals since the Minister of Foreign
4Nh"ii' INV WI '''' hii lilll''i lhhi i'-'l IL
tons from his own Office. while the Min
ister AT any given court merely delivers
the order he has received by telegraph.
1t is easy to save hundreds of thousands
Of dollars from the usual appropriations,
and improve the diplomatic and consular
standard nj the same time. The Depart
mcnt Of state. too, needs overhauling.
Mr.. FISH has modelled il after the English
Foreign ONCE. He has three assistant seq
rctarios and six bureaus and other divis-
ions, wholly unknown to the service be-
| fore he invented them. Mr. SEWARD did
the work of the war with half the present
force. These eXcroscenccs should be abol-
ished, and the service simpincd.