Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-10-06

house rent Of &-=ss
( minister who as Hl'--~
pired to occupy his
proper social sta JAMES j. VAN ALIEN.
tion there. 1t is well known that every
American who goes to London, Paris, Ber-
lin, Vienna or Rome to represent this gov
eminent in the capacity of ambassador or
minister must be willing to devote to the
service not only his time, but large ex
penditure beyond the sum which he receives
from the government.
In Regal style.
| For instance, when Mr. Whitelaw Reid
/ was our minister at Paris, with salary of
| $1,000, he paid 500, 600 per year for the
| rental of his hotel, as every large mansion
| within the Notifications is called in Paris.
Mr.. Reid's establishment was not lavish
nor nearly so expensive as the establish
ments maintained by the ministers repre-
senting other countries at the French cap
ital. Yet the whole expenses of his estab
/ lshnent were not less than 600 a year,
and the difference between $4,000 and
ST. 500 came out of his private purse.
The same thing is true to a greater or
less extent in the other European capitals
/ The American minister finds it impossible
to live there in a manner creditable to him
self or to the nation which sent him with
out spending more than his official income
Some people argue that our representatives
abroad should live as simply as possible, in
modest houses, with one or two servants,
and if necessary dispense with the enjoy
ment of a private stable These people
argue that simplicity is the cornerstone of
our official institutions, and that there is
no reason why our ministers abroad should
be anything but plain, unassuming gentle
men whose private establishments are COM
monpace and cheap.
But it is safe to say that the people who
indulge in these arguments have never
been in Europe. They do not understand
the absolute necessity that exists there for
maintenance on the part of our ministers
of that degree of style, dignity and hos
pitality which is expected of the represent
atives of a great nation. 1t is impossible
for IA minister to live cheaply, to deciinein-
vitations as he must do if he is also to
eschew the giving of entertainments at his
own house, and at the same time to main
tain creditable status. To appear before
the society of the capital to which he is
sent either as a poor or a parsimOnious
man is to lose caste, standing and influence.
For Rich Men Only.
If it should occur some time or other that
we had as minister in London or in Paris a
man who was determined to live within
his official income, and, by his failure to as
sumo the position and influence which
other ministers or ambassadors enjoy, our
government We're to suffer in some impor-
tant diplomatic negotiation or our national
pride were to be in some manner hurt or
humbled, a great cutlery would go up
against this man, and he would be driven
: ANONYMOUSLY from public life.
The representative of this government at
a foreign capital has an important duty to
perform toward his fellow citizens Thou
sands upon thousands of Americans travel
: every summer in Europe. Many of them
are people of high standing and of great
2 importance at home, and while abroad they
e have the right to expect some hospitality
at the hands of their representatives Those
of them who are not invited to the table Of
the minister, or who are not shown by hin
many of those little courtesies which the
accomplished diplomat knows so well how
TO show, expect, at least, when they call al
;. the legation of their government, they vii
find it worthy Of their country, and moi
t some mean, cheap and dingy little office o.
l house in an questionable and undesirabl,
quarter of the city.
1t would be foolish for any American t.
d accept one of the first class diplomatic post
y and expect to live upon his salary 1t il
d impossible so to do. The result is that poo
o men or men in moderate circumstances ar
absolutely barred from these fields in which
great distinction may be won and wher
great services may be rendered to one
:. country. These posts have, in fact, becom
/ prizes for rich men only. l do not believ
n any considerable number of American pee
= pie will admit that this is right. In OF
v country, happily, the poor man has nearl,
q rs good a chance to win the highest ofticia
"a honors as the rich man, and it is easier TO
a poor man than for a rich man to reach tn
N highest of all official stations, the presi
n dency of the United States There is not al
n Office in our government that poor maj
n cannot aspire to, nope except these frs
=, class foreign missions from which he is de
n barred by the smallness of the salary pai'
II and the enormous demand made upon tn
purse of the incumbent.
4 The time will never come, hope, whel
n we shall have in this country officeholdin
only for the rich. These conditions do pre-
vail in some European countries, and Will
travelling in Europe few weeks ago me
nnumber of Americans or so called Amer
~ leans who insisted that one of the great II
&c forms needed in the political system of GU
- country was the wiping away of salarie
n for senators, representatives and member
~ of the cabinet These nominal American
"a were of stripe who every year visit En-
Ia rope They are so much in love with Euro
nc pean customs, manners and modes of livln
/, that they see very little that is good G
u praiseworthy in their own country. The
are sorry they are Americans and do nc