National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-13
A Few Errors Corrected.


The New York Graphic recently took up
the Belmont consular reorganization bill
for discussion and succeeded in crowding
more errors into the smallest newspaper
space than has been accomplished since the
President Of the republic condescended to
observe that the newspapers are terribly
given to lying.
The Graphic asserts that sat present our
consuls and agents in foreign countries
make more money by far than the minis
ters."
If that sentence had been printed before
the President uttered his philippe against
the press II would have justified his state
ment in q great measure SO far as his
picture-plated organ is concerned, for it
perverts the truth to such a sad extent that
1t passes the bounds Of the ridiculous and
becomes especially foolish.
There are 400 consular officers employed
in the service Of the United States. One
hundred and fifty of them receive from s.
to 81 600 per annum 40 receive from 81
900 to $1,000 in salaries and fees; 40 receive
from $4,000 to SO, 600; 22 receive from 5000
to $1,000, and receive from 5000 to ST.
500. OF these 500 officers there are abou
so who retain unofficial fees amounting to
over $500 per annum.
These are facts which any intelligent por-
son may verify by examining the records at
the State Department, but, when truth is
easy Of acquisition, 1t is usually left undis-
turbed, for the average man lsvery prone to
say what he thinks rather than what he
knows, because to think is an easy task,
but to have knowledge Of things often re-
quires labor, study, and care,
The Graphic, without knowing anything
about 1t, but thinking great deal, declares
that "some of the consular officers have a
| very large business For instance, the con-
sui generals fees at Paris during last year
aggregated SOL, JIG, whlle'he is allowed a
salary Of $1,000 and clerk and other ex-
penses. The consul general at London col
lected over $4,000 in fees last year, and is
allowed $4,000 salary, clerks, &c. The
Havana officer collected over $4,000 last
year, and he, too, has large salary. The
consul at Belfast collected $4,000 during
the last year. The consul at Bradford,
10000; at Chemnitz, 81, 900; Glasgow, SILL
7l2; Hong Kong, 81 ,160; Manchester, Si7,-
40; Lyons, Sl2,56T; Liverpool, $4,000;
Prague, $780, sc.
This statement is so worded as to mislead
the general reader with the belief that these
amounts were retained by the consuls. But
II the Graphic had asked any one familiar
with the details Of the consular service, 1t
would have discovered that every cent OF
the above enumerated fees was promptly
turned into the treasury as the law re-
quires, In fact, the very recOrd--the an.
nual report OF the fifth auditor-from which
the amounts We're obtained proves the
truth Of our assertion.
Right in the wake of this statement comes
the Temarkableavow that "the position OF
consul, take the whole list through, will
average from six 10 eight thousand dollars
each.n This declaration lacks even the all
Of responsibility to those acquainted with
the truth. The incomes, including retain
able fees, Of the four hundred consular
officers now employed inthe service, do not
average more than sixteen hundred dollars
year. The Graphic's deliberately putting
the aver" mt at from six to eighi
: Collars can only be accounted
the iact lnhL SUCCESSFUL Dlenulnt
ignorance and carelessness has been ac-
,omplished.
1t is not much praise to the government
when We say that our consuls receive owe
sixty per cent. less pecuniary reward TO
their valuable services than is granted Il
the consular officers Of all of the other frs
and some Of the second rate powers, no
does 1t reflect much credit upon the United
States when II can be stated with absolute
truth that II stands to-day indebted to
great many consuls for amounts which the,
expended for contingent expenses nearly
year ago, and that some OF these officer
have been removed andare waiting and ma,
have to wait long time before they recev
that which is Justly their due, II tn
Graphic win think less and learn more |
win discover that the United States gov
eminent is fast creditor and loos
debtor in small things, and that instead o
the consular corps owing any especial graf
itude to the treasury Of the people th