The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-27
Why We Should Retrench Our Diplo-
matte Expenses.

niggardly notions of economy. The saw
ing to the Treasury would not be large if
all the missions were swept away. 1t APP
pears from the report of the Secretary OF
the Treasury, at the beginning of this ses-
sion, that the diplomatic salaries paid
in the last fiscal year amounted to
S35372l. This. though not very con-
siderable, is too large sum to be
wasted. The country would not grudge
that sum if it were getting the worth OF
its money; but, in point of fact, the greater
part of what we pay for diplomatic service
is worse than wasted Most of the missions
being quite useless all that is spent on them
would be simply wasted if the men who fill
them were an honor to the country and
ornaments of the diplomatic profession.
But it is worse than more waste to spend
money for maintaining in foreign countries
various asylums for the politically blind
and halt and manned who reflect discredit
on the country by their untitness. The
few missions which it is expedient to retain
would be more respectable if regarded as
mere posts of honor to be filed by
citizens OF standing and culture who
might be willing to accept the honor as
their chief compensation. On this system
the great missions would never want incum-
bents any more than there are vacant seats
in the British Parliament, whose members
receive no pay, and sometimes spend many
thousand pounds in election expenses.
Among those who inherit or acquire large
estates the chief use made Of wealth is in
gaining or maintaining social distinction,
and first class foreign mission brings
greater social advantages than almost any
other position under the government when
founded on culture, on great services or on
high consideration at home. The true rule
Cor the great missions should be similar
to that which Washington prescribed to
himself in his long career in. the service of
his country, which cannot be better de-
first inaugural address :-''When I was first
honored with call into the service of my
country, then on the eve of an arduous
struggle for its liberties, the light in which
l contemplated my duty required that I
should renounce every pecuniary compen-
saticn. From this resolution l have in no
instance departed ; and, being still under
the same impressions which produced it,
must decline, as inapplicable to myself any
share in the personal emoluments which
may be indispensably included in a per-
manent provision for the executive depart
ment, and must accordingly pray that the
pecuniary estimates for the position in
which am placed may, during my continu-
ance in it, be limited to such actual ex-
penditures as the public good may be
thought to require"
The adoption of this rule in our diplo-
matte service would of itself suppress oil
the useless minor missions, and it would
with citizens of high standing, great accom-
plishments, disinterested patriotism or emil
hence in letters, arms or the learned pro-
fessions-by filling them with men who,
having achieved the highest distinc-
ton in their respective walks at home,
would feel just pride in this
kind of recognition. The riff-raff of vul-
gar politicians, who seek foreign mis-
sions for the mere salaries, would be sifted
out, and our diplomatic service would no
longer be the reproach and scandal Of the
country. Economy is one reason for the
change, but it is only a minor reason, al
though economy is plain duty in every
branch of the public service where expendi-
ture brings no adequate return. All our
national expenses should be regulated with
view to the larges. advantages at the
smallest cost to the Treasury.
1t would be true economy to increase our
army and render our navy more efficient.
II we had had an army of thirty thousand
men in 1860 either the rebellion would
not have been attempted or it would
have been crushed in its incipient stages,
and the country would have been spared
the enormous expenditures, the appalling
loss of life, the arrangement of business,
imitation of the currency and gigantic pub
lie debt which have made the last eighteen
years a period Of business disturbance.
With the Indian problem on our hands we
need an army large enough to inspire terror
and hopelessness in the savages and to
carry out some steady policy without the
two or three bloody Indian wars per annum
which are rendered possible by the false
economy of keeping up too small
an army. We believe it would be
wise and enlightened economy to
maintain respectable navy. We offer no
apology for the misdirected expenditures
of the predecessors Of the present excellent
Secretary Of the Navy, and of which the
fruit is a set of wretchcd tubs and rotten
hulks. But we should be glad to see Sec
rotary Thompson, or successors like him,
intrusted with liberal sums for the con-
struction of a navy which would be an
honor to the country. If we should get in
volved in o war with any European Power
it would be fought out on the ocean, and