St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-28
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
A Defense of our diplomatic Corps

A Defense of Our Diplomatic Corps.
To the Eiitor OF the GLOBE:
An editorial In the GLOBE of this morning
under the head A Diplomatic Reform, has
the following: There is growing feeling
among Americans that our policy OF keeping
up a diplomatic corps is a humbug- The av-
erage American citizen fails to sec any wis
dom In keeping a corps OF high-Salaried Off
Gals hanging around the courts or the vari-
Gus mOnarchies OF earth with ostensibly no
higher mission than 10 ape foreign manners
for three or four years and then 10 come back
home TO breed discomfort among the people
b cause Of our plain democratic customs So
strong is this feeling growing that unless
there is a change in the methods OF ii. the
whole diplomatic system Will be wiped out
within q few years, and what duties now at
tach 10 that almost sinecure feature OF our
government viii be devOlved exclusively on
the state department III Washington. II has
been so common for good part OF the
AMERICAN PRESS
10 treat our diplomatic service IN a dispsrag-
ing manner. that i am not very much sur
prlsed THAI a journal as intelligent as the
GLOBE should express similar views. think.
however, thar the GLOBES estimate Of our
diplomatic service is erroneous.
One OF the earliest OF American diplomatic
representatives was Dr.Franklin. vino secured
the alliance and aid OF France in the struggle
for Independence. Who can estimate the
value OF the service OF Or. Rush who as the
diplomatic representative of the United States
al London. secured. in 1917, the permanent
disarmament OF the Northern lakes. l am
sure the American people have only very
slight conception OF the value OF the serv-
ices OF Charles Francis Adams as the diplo-
matte representative OF the United states at
London in the early part of our civil war.
But for his influence IL is not so improbable
that the COnfederates would have received
very much more aid than they did from En-
gland. During the siege OF Paris the only
diplomatic representative who remained
there was the one from the United States,
MR.. wAsHBURN,
who. as is well known, by his many good acts
for the Germans won the admiration of the
German nation, even without FORGETTING the
respect Of Frenchmen.
William L.Marcy. the able secretary of state
under President Pierce. defined the work OF
our diplomatic representatives as follows:
The object OF diplomatic missions Is to adj
Just differences and conduct affairs between
governments in regard TO their pOliti-
cal and commercial relations, and TO
furnish the government at home with
information touching the country TO which
the mission is acc redited more fun and ae-
cuia ate than might be obta ned through the
ordinary channels. or more promptly than
the same information might otherwise be re-
ceiyed."
The greater part of the work done by our
Il
the department of state. There are various
matters which in almost every country re-
| quire investigation and work by our diplo-
| matte agents and OF which the public hears
but little. OF course there may be some who
are indoent, but the majority have as rule
| been usefully employed and they have as
sisted in maintaining the peaceful relations
which for long time have subsIsted between
/ the United States and all foreign countries
| When our
CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION
| was TO take place our diplomatic representa-
/ tives were very efficient 10 getting the gov
| ernmeuts to which they were accredited To
| take part in the same: aud there we're some
| instances where, through such efforts, foreign
| countries had appropriated money for the eX-
hibitiOn and had their agents on the ground
while yet some leading journals in New York
! were ridiculing the idea of having an exhibit
! uon. Only a few years ago single letter post
age was as high Us 20 cents to some OF the
| countries whence we have received many
! thousands OF our most valuable Immigrants.
The reduction of postage and the adoption OF
UNIFORM rate OF cents To every foreign
| country were owing not a little 10 the labOrs
| OF some OF our diplomatic officers. Treaties
for the protection of naturalized citizens. for
the protection OF trade marks and the inn
provement OF commerce are among the sub
jects which in late years have occupied con-
| siderable of the time of our missions abroad
One object In keeping diplomatic represent
alive in a foreign country is TO have an agent
there in q position to be OF service TO his
government in case of an emergency. Al
emergency may not arise, but all govern
ments deem IL best 20 be prepared for one.
While Gideon Wells was secretary OF the
navy our government had to send an expedi
ton to Paraguay which, as Mr.. Wells said
cost
SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS.
But venture TO say that If we had suS
tanned a diplomatic representative in thai
country, in a way such as diplo
matte representative of a country ike our
should be sustained, such an expedi
ton and such an enormous expenditure neve
would have been required. Our American
shipping is not what it once was nor what I
should be; and vet there are several foreign
countries whose ports are now annually Wis
tied by thousands of American seamen.
fully believe that these seamen and tina
American travellers abroad are surer of hav
ing their rights respected from the fact tina
an American diplomatic representative is II
the country able 10 protect them.
There is a tendency 10 abolish national dis
unctions. For many purposes the world j
becoming one country. Hence there is mOr'
and more reason for the United States TO con
unue rather than to cease sending diplomatic
agents abroad. a few now missions have fl
ate years been established. L doubt II an
will very soon be abolished.
The pay OF our diplomatic officers Is TIT
same as fixed during the administration o
President Pierce in 1856. Ii is smaller thar
what other leading countries pay; is out o
proportion TO the dignity, expense and fin
Dortance of the Offices filed and ought to b
increased. G. Q. ANDREWS.
/ .. Do,,I Il, o. 1ooe