The herald., 1893-01-20


MAJ. Especial Cor.oapondencel
NEW YoEK, Dec. 1o.-The cry now being
saised In favor Of the abolition Of the
Legations of the United States government
IN foreign capitals is, 1 am informed,
merely one OF the ordinary features con-
q sequent upon change of administration
at Washington. But inasmuch as the
demand has been indorsed by several Of
ohe feadsng newspapers, both Republican
, and Democratic, Of New York, and has,
moreover, received similar support by n
large number OF the most influential
press organs throughout the country, it is
evident that the question has become ono
OF unusual Importance. AS such it may
possibly interest your readers to hear the
views of enc who has spent some fifteen
years in the diplomatic service of Il
European power, and who has enjoyed a
considerable amount of intercourse with
the diplomatic representatives of the
United States government in various por
tions of the globe.
have had the opportunity Of seeing and
essociating with American diplomatists in
Paris, Vienna, Berlin, ST. Petersburg Toxic,
Lisbon, Copenhagen, Rome and London,
have heard the criticisms to which they were
subjected and have been placed in a posi-
tion to form an opinion of my own upon
the subject. experience, such as it is,
convinces me that it is not the abolition of
the United States diplomatic service, but
Its reconstruction upon an entirely differ.
ent basis, that is desirable A properly
and carefully organized and well paid
diplomatic service would prove of vast
benefit both politically and commercially
to this the richest government in the
wcrld, whereas with matters as they are
now perfectly agree with the New York
Herald and it's contemporaries that your
foreign legations are q useless expense
and injurioua to the dignity and interest
OF this great nation.
For some extraordinary reason or another
pcorlo here seem to consider that diplo-
macy is the one profession which requires
no apprenticeship, no special training and
no preparatory experience of the work.
This is an altogether erroneous assymp-
tion. Diplomacy is q trade which needs
to be learned, and learned with much care,
before one can attain proficiency therein.
1t does not consist of merely knowing how
to lie cleverly, as some of your ccntem-
porarics appear to imagine, Indeed lying
in diplomacy is just us dishonorable as in
private life, and the envoy who is forced to
l ANoSAO w oAtCu COuISC l4icbEtUS 10 acultV6
temporary success is but sorry diplomat.
Diplomacy consists in obtaining by per-
suasion advantages for ones government
and ones country which would not other
wise be conceded. Personal charm and
influence carry far more weight in such
questions as these than most people would
be willing to believe or to admit, and fre-
quently rise superior to considerations of
logic, reason, interest and even right In
every point at issue there is always one of
the two contending parties that secures
the advantage, and the one which wins is
generally that whose negotintors arc pos
sessed of the greatest powers of persua-
sion.
Another feature of diplomacy is to OBJ
tain III advance information of events that
are about to happen, SO that the govern
ment which one represents may be always
fully prepared and warned beforehand of
everything that is likely to happen. Dip.
lonats are likewise expected to attend to
the protection of the interests of those OF
their fellow citizens who may happen to be
residing in or visiting the country to which
they are accredited. There is no doubt
that foreigners who have q popular and in,
fluential diplomatic agent at court enjoy
better treatment and consideration from
the local authorities than those who are
less fortunately represented, and premier
or cabinet minister will be more inclined
to take trouble to grant redress for wrongs
when that redress is asked for by an envoy
whom he esteems, admires and personally
likes than when the demand is made by q
diplomat who possesses neither his respect
nor hiH consideration.
People are very fond of arguing that
i H.. \
importance since the introduction of tele-
graphs, which no longer renders it neces-
sary for ENJOYS to take important steps
upon their responsibility without await
ing instructions from home. This is true
In measure. But what diplomacy has
lost in Importance by the introduction of
telcgrsphs has been more than counter
balanced by the ever increasing disposition
Of governments to settle their differences
with one another by means of negotiation
and arbitration instead Of by fighting. In
order, however, to be in position to nego-
tiate or arbitrate with advantage to tho
interest of ones country, it is indispensa-
Bile that one should possess the requisite
amount of diplomatic manners and expert
spce, and the more experienced the nego.
Mator the better are his chances of carry.
lag of the victory.
Indeed so important is the role of diplo-
Matist as the aohiever of friendly settle
rlents of all international difficulties that
tne Marquis of Dufferin, the British en-
bassador in Paris, humorously suggested
e the course of a public speech the other
Gay taat on the outbreak Of war between
awo ncighboring countries gibbets should
Be ERECTED on Che frontiers and the diplo-
Ehetio representatives whose efforts to
kainDaip peace had failed sheuld be strung
Npon them.
y These are only few of the reasons why
+. a. should be impolitic in the extreme for
Me United States government to attempt
10 dispense with a diplomatic representa-
Eon. There are many others besides, and
every one of them points like those just
Enumerated above, to the necessity Of hav-
fAg your government represented in for
6ign lands by men of tried experience,
Proper training and social eminence.
In many of the capitals where l haze
hnen stationed the American minister has
I Constituted the butt of official, court and
dscial circles, and the subject Of no end of
@Aecdouss, very amusing to foreigners, but
Gstremtly mortifying to his countrymen
1t Is especially at the smaller courts of
3 Europe that this is the case-suoh as, for
instancd, those Of Sweden and Denmark.
With regard to the former, King Oscar
who is great admircr of the United States
and extremely simple and democratic in
his wayn, shuts his eyes to any breach of
etiquetts and good form on the part of the
American minister for the time being or
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