The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-18
Anomalies OF the Present Diplomatic
Service.

Anomalies of the Present Diplomatic
Service.
Thcoccan telegraph has radically changed
the character 81 tie diplomatic service all
over the world. Ministers are no longer
necessary in any representative sense, hc-
cause the chief business of all countries is
now transacted directly through their
Foreign Offices. Thus diplomatic agents IL
every degree are only the relies OF "a system
which may bc said To have passed away,
and Is now maintained in Europe chiefly To
provide places for the younger sons OF the
nobility or of important political person.
ages whom il is desirable to propitatc.
cur diplomacy i-a sort Of piuchhcck inita-
ton Of the genuine foreign article, without
either necessity or reason To- justify It,
when rcf0rmcrs In Congress got towork
they take the trade returns of any country,
and upon that hnsi- decide whether mis-
sion Is TO be maintained. raised, or reduced;
though ia point Of fact and practice the Min
stcr has In his relations g. the Government
t. which hc may he accredited. mo- ourncc-
tion whatever with trade. The operations
of business are carried ON exclusively
through Con-ul-; and unir-s In som" cu-e of
controversy. the Minister is entirely
stranger to them, his function being cNclu-
tivo,y diplomatic.
This whole body II highly paid aud orna-
ucntal official. could %" abolished ina lump
without raising a ripple on the surface Of
our foreign intercourse. or disturbing in
any degree our commercial relations abroad.
II questions should arise requiring diplo-
matte arrangements. it would lc easy 10
appoint special agents, whose missions
would terminate with the occasions that
called them into existence. The early trea-
ties were negotiated i'm this way. and the
most important OF recent date was concluded
by special Commissioners at Washington,
wholly ignoring the Minister at London.
Certain ideas are recognized in the APP
pointmcnt of Minister'S where there are no
tics OF kindred between tho Governments
appointing and receiving, and no peculiar
political ailinitios to bind them closely to-
gethor. As neither Of these conditions trOu-
blcs the United States, II a diplomatic SER
vice is to be- maintained at all 1t should at
least be- regulated by some principle Of con-
sistcncy and intelligence, instead IL being
miserable muddle and laughing stock.
The Diplomatic ill for next year, as 1t
passed the House, gives tine Ministers at
London. Paris. Berlin, and ~. Petersburg
fifteen thousand dollars each. and allows
them secretary and assistant secretary To
do the routine work. Certainly this pay IS
more than sufficient for any service they
can render Spain Austria, Italy. Brazil,
Mexico Japan, and China arc allowed ten
thousand dollars each. while NJ half ui them
there is literally and absolutely nothing
e do.
Chill and Peru are graded at eight thou
sand each, though neither of them has now 4
representative at Washington. Under any
circumstances Con-ul-Gcnerjl. it the TAN
Of General must Ice stuck ON, ns we are
in the habit Of doing, would tee abundant
with onc-thfd Of this salary. The Argen-
tine Republic, Paraguay. and Uruguay, are
Jumped at eight thousand dollars, when a
Consul at three thousand would do every
thing needed.
Ministers Resident, with salaries 81 seven
thousand five hundred each, are authorized
for Sweden and Norway, Turkey, Venezuela.
the Hawaiian Islands and the United States
uf Colombia Why Norway and Sweden, Of
all the secondary European States should
he ahlnc selected for resident mission is
incomprehensible. There il nothing in our
relations to justify this partially either by
importance or by Interest Portugal is relc-
gated to G,U0( dAGdres, though of more
consequence To- the United States than all
the other lesser powers combined.
To keep n Minister at Honolulu and a Con-
sui also, ON a footing with those at Canton,
Callao, IIayro Matanzas, and BuenOs Ayrcs,
IS the very height Of absurdity, imposing a
tax Of eleven thousand dollars year ON the
Treasury. The recent treaty admitting the
sugars Of the Sandwich Islands free OF
duty draws from u9 million Of dollars an
nually for the benefit Of n monopoly OF
Foreigners who own the plantations, includ-
ing perhaps n few patriots m New England
who have am interest in this job.
Minister Resident at Venezuela stands
out rdlculously when more important
States are struck or the list Of representa-
ton, or diminished in rank to an infcriority
which IL Insulting, if the farce Of diplomacy
Is to be played at all.
70 IIayt1, at our own door and with
hardly any Intercourse at all, Minister
Resident aud Cousul-Gcncral is authorized al
five thousand year, while far of Liberia
gets tine same grade Of representative Will
hut two thousand five hundred dollars pay
These anomalies run all through the bill
though it was made mp with good intentions
20 rctrench the expenditures. They only
serve to show want Of knowledge on the
subject, and the necessity for either q
thorough revision Of tho service, or better
.tlll, its abolition root and branch.
Ridiculous Inconsistency.
Mr. HENRY G. IlUSrTING H. Superintendent