St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-13
NEW DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.

Congressman MCADOo, OF New JerS-
ey. is in harmony with the spirit of the
times when he proposes to reconstruct
the diplomatic SeTyit e so as to eliminate
the hifaiutin feature of it and reduce
the service to a strictly business basis.
The people Of this country ale disguised
with the unrepublican style of our mod
eTn diplomacy, and are nauseated with
the affectatOnS OF aristOcracy that some
Of our diplomats assume. 1t has come to
a pass that none but the richest men
who are willing to pay extrayagant
prices for shOrt-lived honor can fill di-
plomatic stations. Then, too, the gov
ernment is wasting large sums every
year in payment OF diplomatic salaries.
and expenses for which We get no re-
turn. 1t is to strike at these evils Repre-
sentative MCADOO- has prepared bill.
and which be viii press upon congress
abOlishing the Office of envoy eXtraor-
binary and minister pienipotentiary,
minister and minister resident from
the United States to any foreign
court, and does away with all the sub
Ordindtes attached to those offices now.
The MCADOO bill proposes to reOrganize
the service by providing that the United
States shall be represented at every
foreign capital and at the chief COM
mercial centeIs of all foreign countries
by consuls and commercial agents. The
highest rank shall be consul general,
and the Office shall exist abroad only
at the cities OF London, Paris. Berlin,
Rome, Vienna, ST. Petersburg, Pekin,
Toxic and at the capitals Of the repub-
lies of South America. The other re D.
resentatiyes in foreign cities or seaports
shall be consuls and commercial agents.
The bill also proposes TO bring the dip
Iomatic service under the operation of
the civil service law. To this end it
provides for the appointment of a board
consisting Of four members to be known
as inspectors of consular offices, who
shall be interchahgeably assigned
only to such countries and divisions
as the secretary Of state shall designate.
In addition TO making regular examina-
items and reporting to the secretary of
state the conditions of the various con-
Sular offices and the fitness Of the in
cumbeutS, the inspectors will DO re-
quired TO fill appointments in the lower
grades, and TO recommend promotions
on merit where there are vacancies in
the higher grades Of the consular ser
vice. 1t furthermore provides that not
more than One-half Of the appointments
shall be of persons belonging to one pol
itical party. The author of the bill
claims to have made careful study of
all the best consular and diplomatic
systems eXtant, and the result Of his
studies is embodied in the bill.
II goes without saying that the eoun-
try will be satisfied with any departure
from the Wasteful and inefficient dipIo-
matte system now in vogue. Mr..
MCADoo's scheme has the appearance
of beng a business-hke proposi-
ton. and will unquestionably commend
itself to the American people. And vet
we have grave apprehensions about the
chances for enacting it into a law, es-
pecially with this congress. it is di-
rect blow at the SpOils system, and the
spoilSmen are too plentiful in the Fifty
first congress to encourage the hope
that the measure can be passed. We
are gratified, however, that the bull is
to be introduced and to be pressed upon
the attention of congress. a discussion