Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1879-04-12
it altogether very disagreeable for the set.
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
Tho Money that is Yearly Wasted
ON Foreign Missions.
Washington Post

Warrington POST
Minister Taylor is dead; Minister May
nard is visiting relations in Massachu-
sets; Minister Stoughton is travelling
somewhere in Europe for his health;
Minister Lowell has applied for and re-
ceived leave of absence, and will shortly
leave his post; Minister Welsh is dissatis-
fed with his salary, and about ready to re-
sign and come home; Minister Noyes is
bobbing around the continent, attending
Grant banquets and condoling with Min
lister Welsh; Minister Seward is on his
native heath, attending to pressing per
sonal matters; Minister Marsh is sick and
unable to attend to business, and Minister
Foster is making preparations to come
home on leave and assist in the occupancy
of the late Senator Morton's shoes, at pres
ent located in Indiana
Notwithstanding these varied diseases
of body, mind and will of the ministers
mentioned, our diplomatic relations with
Germany, Turkey, Russia, Spain, Great
Britain, France, China, Italy and Mexico
continue to be of the most friendly char
acter. There is not ripple on the inter
national surface, or the slightest prospect
of a disturbance, 50 far as we are con-
cerned, anywhere. What little business
we have at these foreign courts is tran
sacted carefully and expeditiously by the
under officers of legation as il would be if
the extraordinary ENJOYS and plenipoten-
tiary ministers, fguratively speaking,
should decide to remain away permanent
ly, and their places were kept vacant.
Each and every one of these gentlemen,
however, with the exception Of MIR. Tay-
lor, who is dead, draws his salary with a
punctuality which is only equaled by the
regularity of his absence from his post of
alleged duty. This is total cost to the
government of $1Os,OOO yearly The val
ue of the services performed by these min
listers is pretty we'll gauged by the fact
that the real work, if there be any such, of
the legation goes on as well if not better
when they are away from their stations as
it does when they are nominally present
In other words, in the real sense of the
word, they do absolutely nothing, for
which distinguished service they draw
large compensation. 81
The truth Of the matter is summed up in
the simple factsthat there exists no earthly
necessity for the presence Of these minis
ters or anyof their costly subordinates at
the seat of government of any of these
countries, with the possible exception of
Mexico. Our relations with the nations
mentioned are purely commercial, and
therefore are entirely in the hands of our
consular representatives abroad, of whom
we already have many and might with
sreat propriety have more. 1t has been
our national policy since the days of Wgsh-
ington and Madison to have nothing what
ever to do with European International af-
fairs and complications. This policy, if
we are wise, will not be deviated from.
Consequently the occupation, properly So
called, of our foreign ministers, has never
commenced, and so long as the Madi-
sonian theory obtains never will. There
fore, what need of them?
Our true policy weuld be to withdraw
these foreign nonentities and apply the
money squandered on them to the devel-
opnent of our foreign commercial inter-
ests through the appointment of additional
consular agents. This is what the Demo-
cratic party, when it comes into power in
1880, should Immediately proceed to do.