The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-05-10
AMBASSADORS AND THEIR PAY.

The difficulty under which our impor'
lant foreign ministers have always labored,
unless they happened to have independent
means, lis Strengthened circumstances. Their
salaries haye uot been sufficient to meet
the demands made upon them. The an
swer 10 this that is frequently made is
that the ministers of the United States
should be of sterner stuff than to yield to
social and fashionable demands. This IS
all very well, but human nature is such
that when a man, or woman either, hnds
himself or herself in certain conditions of
life, surrounded by people living in GER
tain way, the temptation to live up to the
common standard is almost irresistible
Moreover, there is patriotic sentiment
which induces those who represent the
country TO try at least to make as good an
appearance as their neighbors of the dip
lomatic corps, And, as matter OF FACT
no one is more likely to criticise the Pc
nurous spirit of the minister who at
tempts to live on his salary than the man
who objects to increasing it.
The leading missions of Europe must
now be filled by men who possess incomes
beyond their salaries. Recent American
ministers to Paris have had command Of
large fortunes and have lived in princcly
fashion, but the time is not long gone by
when an American representative TO France
poor man. who had served the country
gallantly IN the war, was obliged 10 live
in humble lodgings over a grocery store.
II IS often said that foreign minister can
transact his business as well whether he Is
social factor or not, but this is very lar
from being true. A diplomat out OF So
ciety is at a great disadvantage, for the
simple reason that he docs not learn the
secrets of his craft.
How pincbed our diplomatic agents are
was we'll illustrated In Mr.. Lowell's time.
A rich American, proud Of his country,
and wishing TO leave a monument TO his
liberality aud patriotism, decided to pur.
chase a fitting legation-house in London
for the American minister, but Mr.. Lowell
begged him not to carry out his generous
Intention during his term Of Office, for the
cost Of maintaining such house would
have been nearly three times his salary.
Mr.. Lincoln has lived becomingly but mod
estly during his tenure Of the English mis-
sion, but he recently stated to friend
that his annual expenditure had been
$4,000, or just double his salary.
What the expenditure of an ambassy
will be depends on the means OF the am
bassador, but II our ambassador to London
or 10 Paris were to be paid salary equal
to that of the president, he would moi be
able 10 do more than return the official
courtesles Of the country 10 which he
was accredited, and of his fellow-mem.
bers of the corps.
All this means that an American ambas-
sador who has no private fortune will be
unhappy, and unhappy men cannot sue
cessfully transact business. II present
pay is inadequate for ministers, 1t is alb
surd for ambassadors, and yet congress is
not likely to increase salaries. II has
sanctioned title authorized by the consti-
tutlon, but is unwilling TO pay for what
the title calls. For several years the fact
has been recognized that only rich men,
or men with something beyond their pay
could afford 10 accept the London, Paris,
or Berlin mission, Mr.. Lowell and Mr..
Phelps being exceptions. The raising oil
the grade to an ambsssadorship makes
the obstacles TO poor men all the greater.
An impecunious ambassador would be re-
diculous, and as the increased rank Is
practically of no benefit to the country,
the sooner we return to the old rank the
better. The country will be better repres
ented by self.respecting minister than
by an ambassador who is the object OF uni.
yersal conmiseration because his meager
salary compels him to live in lodgings.
-Harpers Weekly.