National Republican., 1886-04-03
. = a R - - = =
B A z A r
indeed deserve the reputation for the ''best

indeed deserve the reputation for the "best
In the world"
Apart from the injustice of appointing
foreigners TO these posts instead OF Ameri-
can citizens, is 1t wise to trust the secrets
of the consulates In the hands Of people
who are bound to the interests Of the gov
eminent they serve by no consideration
whateverp They have nothing to lose, and
experience has taught how much they have
TO win in divulging these secrets.
Thep, too, how many Americans arc en-
ployed in the same capacity at foreign con-
sulates In American Are we not giving
the world teStimOnium pd,pertatis OF our
intelligence In employing foreign help in
such important placesp Surely, from the
large number Of applicants for appoint
ment there ought to be young men willing
and intelligent enough to accept these
positions, and the government can rest as
sured that with the appearance Of these
young men, properly trained and schooled,
much of the crude, the incompetent, and
dishonest, which has caused the department
so much annoyance, and the treasury the
loss Of so much money, would forever dis
appear, and with this element the disre-
spect for our people and their government,
and the interest in their dealings which
many Of our consuls OF late years have
done so much to foster.
Another Improvement In our consular
service would be in the direction Of our
consular reports. There is no doubt that
our consuls In reporting home the social
and industrial condition of the districts In
which they live do the best they can, and
that best is, on the whole, Of good quality.
But coming among people whose Ian
guage in majority OF cases they do not
understand, they are entirely dependent
upon their vice consuls, or some other ma
tive for their Information, unless, OF course,
the consul is vain and fOolhardy enough to
rely upon his own intelligence and powers
Of observation, in which case he treats
the American public to information which
would he highly diverting IL the object were
not so serious. On the other hand, 1t is not
to he expected that foreigner should give
information tending to reflect unfavorably
upon the government or the condition OF
the people of his native land; and when
ever such information has been given by
foreigners II has generally proved to be
misleading, to Bay the least. 1t is right
here that q properly trained American vice
consul or consular agent would be OF inestl-
mable value by reason Of his long residence,
and the honest desire to serve his govern
ment, and the reports would then be worth
reading, because they would be regarded
as being reliable, a characteristic In which
many Of them are now sadly deficient, how
ever admirably they may be written.
AS these reports are at present gotten
up, they are more for show than use; they
read well, and at distance look plausible
too, but when compared with the true state
| OF things they frequently develop such
discrepancies that II is hard to conceive
how their authors expect to be taken serl-
ously unless II be that they were new at
their posts, and believe what they said
themselves. The undersigned has fire.
| quently seen such reports that fairly "ran
overn with the confidence, not to say as
/ s.I, .aI IN I'm
| written-as II their authors had learned In
the first four or six months all that was to
be learned, and now had but one object In
| life, TO impress the department with their
intelligence and efficiency in all things and
at all times. This may be very pardonable
and no doubt is-iti Is certainly very Jealous.
But the advice they give our people Mt
home is none the less dangerous Tor being
well meant.
No, sir, Mr.. Editor; let the government
by all means increase the salary OF our
consular officers instead of decreasing II.
| II will tend TO keep many well-meaning
consul out OF mischief. Let 1t make few
changes In the direction above indicated.
1t will tend to keep our consuls from engag-
ing in practice which is as hurtful to their
| good name us to the reputation of their
government; and, finally, 1t will find that
II is at once the most economical, the most
satisfactory, and the most desirable i'm
provement yet undertaken in our consular
service.
And, while defending the interests of the
most estimable body, the NATIONAL RE
PUBLICAN will do them all an act of great
friendship by giving them an occasional
hint Of the kind just touched upon, aud the
undersigned is convinced that In doing sc
II will earn the gratitude OF every consul
knowing, as they all do, that the advice
comes from their most sincere friend, thu
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,.
Begging your pardon for | ntruding upol