New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-26


mercial Office. He Is recalled in order to enable
the President to cancel his indebtedness to the
recreant Republican journal that aided in bring
ing the Democratic party into power.
Mr., Alden is versatile journalist who is en-
titled to the respect of the profession. We do
not desire to do him any injustice, but cannot
avoid saying that experience in the composition
of serio- comic articles does not qualify him for
the discharge of the commercial functions vi
the office to which he has been appointed. A
capable business man, who IL familiar with
tariff questions and practical questions of trade
and has special knowledge Of qualities and
values of articles exported from Italy to the
United States, is the official needed at the
United States Consulate in Rome. Literary
qualities, intellectual pleasantries and even a
smattering Of Italian can be dispensed with.
Practical business ability, experience In trade
and special information respecting Italian ex-
ports are Indispensable We have no quarrel
with Mr.. Alden who is reputed among his
friends to be an amiable and bright companion.
But it goes without saying that the removal OF
Colonel Byers, who'possesses peculiar qualifica-
tons for the office. in order to create vacancy
for member of The Times's staff in return for
sop to secure its support in this years State
canvass, is not q step in the direction OF civil
Service reform.
The Consular service under Republican adj
ministraton had been steadily improving for
years when Mr.. Evarts became Secretary OF
State, He paid special attention to it, intro
duced system of promotions based on
efficiency and success, made it a rule to appoint
men Of practical business capacity as .Consuls,
directed them to send frequent communications
on commercial topics to the State Department
for publication, and promoted in many ways the
efficiency of the service President Arthur
made few changes in Consular appointments,
and the service, when a Democratic President
was .inaugurated, had been recruited largely
from the commercial classes and was remark
ably efficient President Cleveland at once
began to draw upon the Consulships in liquida-
ton of his political debts. He has removed the
Consul Generals at Montreal, London and
Rome, who have made their diplomatic posts
the best business. offices in the service; and he
has turned out Consuls by the score on the
Himsy pretext of offensive partlsanshp.
Officials who have been anywhere from eight to
fifteen years in the service are removed to make
former knows that it was the success OF the sys-
tenn of promotions in the Consular and Diplo-
matte service of Great Britain that led to the
adoption of the same principle in general in the
home departments of the British servce. But
this fact does not deter the Democratic Admin
istration from doing its utmost to break up
Consular service that has been greatly i'm
proved By the careful selection of recruits from
the commercial ciassesian by a system of pro-
motions within its own ranks. Political debts
ale to be paid and needy politicians granted
vacations in Europe. Renegade newspapers
are to be rewarded for their treachery and I'M
portuned by timely sops for continued political
support. Civil Service reform is left to shift
for itself The Administration, while making
the dishonest prctence of conducting the busi-
mes, of the Government on strict business
principles, turns out busness-like and ex-
perienccd Consus and replaces them with
creatures of its own. who have contrived to
make themselves useful in one way or another
to the Democratic party.