New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-16
AMBASSADORS.
IL.
THE FIRST APPOINTMENTS-THE SCALE OF
DIPLOMATIC SALARIES. AMERICAN
AND ENGLISH.

show that the supposed race. il one may use
such word, for priority in the appointment OF
ambassadors between France and England ana dol
occur. The action Of England Was IN auNa"cc
of the French Foreign Office, and 1t is pcimissl'e
10 think it well that England should III SUCH q
case be first at was doubtless chance, OBJ
serves THE Times but TO EneliShmen, ana. we
believe. TO most Americans it must seem happy
chance that We anticipated the action OF ON
neighbours Then The Times" adds
America as State owes much to France, but
the bonds which link her TO this country are
stronger and more enduring than any which ponti
cal services however valuable. can knit We
critcise each other with the freedom of near rea-
tivcs in d way which at times must give our
diplomatic representatives plenty of employment,
but we can never forget that, after all. we are
related as no other peoples are upon the globe
and we can never quite come TO consider each
other DIS foreigners"
That is in the thoroughly friendly spirit which
permanently underes the whole current of English
thought and opinion and feeling about English
relations with America.
The New-Yor< telegram TO The Standard
mentions a rumor that Sir Julian Pauncefote has
stimulated the English Foreign Office, with
view to securing the coveted post OF "doyen OF
the Diplomatic Body. There is no Foundation for
that rumOr which does injustice botk to SIT
Julian and 70 the Foreign Minister. The latter
acted on his own initiative and at the earliest
possible moment. Nobody who knows Lord Rose
bery or his needs 10 be told that the spirit
which actuated him was one OF sincere good Will
10 America lie saw an opportunity to show it,
an opportunity to emphasize the real friendship
existing between the two nations. and he seized
it, That is the secret of his being first.
We may count it another piece Of good fortune
that Sir Julian Pauncefote should he the first
British Ambassador to the United States. lie
needs no euloey from this side upon his great
abilities. or on his quality as diplonatist. or on
his answering friendship TO America. All these
things are known in Washington. and ! hope
much more widely than in Washington They are
of good omen for the continuance OF good rcla-
lions between Washington and London. between
England and the United States. The dplomatist
and perhaps others. will he interested in hcaIing
that the new ambassador is not accredited to the
President His credentials are addressed TO So Our
good friends the United States Of America"
II is provided by the act authorizing the APP
pointment of ambassadors that they shall have no
increase of salary. At the end Of another twenty
years or so, we may be able TO convince ourselves
of the impolicy Of starving the diplomatic service
Logically the increase of rank womb involve an
increase of pay, but there is not much place for
logic in politics, and politics have much to do with
matters which, in their nature and their merits
are outside politics SO let us. as before. take IA
practical view of the question. and once more have
recourse to the greatest practical authority,
Prince Bismarck and then see how our English
friends treat their diplomatic agents.
In the speech from which have already quoted,
delivered Nov l6, 1871 in the Rechstag, and to
be found in the collected Discourscs OF Prince Bis
marck. he had a point 10 carry. IL was his way
to carry one thing at time. lie wanted the
rank conferred and to get the rank was willing.
as Senator Hoar and his friends were willing. to
waive for the time the question Of raising the pay
He said AN ambassador does not deserve a
higher salary by reason Of his title He deserves
il on other grounds il is on other grounds that
it is expedient to give it to him. The Prince goes
on TO say that if you like to be shabby YOU need
not allow more than from 900 10 5000 thaers
extra for ambassadorial rank The extra Is for
entertaining sovereigns for other great cere-
monies This proceeds on the theory that his pay
as Minister Plenipotentiary has been ample. and
the sum which. in Prince Bsmarck's opinion.
might suffice for Minister is from 10000 TO 4O.-
900 thalers year say from $4,000 to $4,000.
The smaller OF these two sums much exceeds
Flenipotentiary. The Ministers to Great Britain
and to France receive each Sl7,50o year To
the intelligent representative OF Nebraska or
Arkansas this seems, no doubt, ample, One hears
Of the opinion prevalent in those remoer parts OF
the Great Republic. Such salary is there re.
parded az wealth beyond the dreams Of avarlce.
1t is believed that an American Minister TO the
Court OF st. James 10 Paris lives in either
capital in luxury and splendor during four years,
and retires with savings which make comfortable
provision for his old age. Hence the competition
for these diplomatic posts
Far otherwise are the facts. The facts are that
no American Minister in either capital. does live,
or can live. his salary. lie may come to
Europe with the most Jefersonan notions Of re-
publican simplicity and frugaty. He frds on
his arrival a certain scale Of living in the world
among which he is thrown, and among his col
leagues in the diplomatic service. He has TO ce-
eide whether he will conform TO the standard OF
the society in which he is to spend four years or
whether he will sink below il n he does the
latter he renounces his social position. accepts a
position OF inferiority with respect 70 his col.
leagues and TO society in general. deoars t.Tsel'
from most OF the advantages and opportunities
which his diplomatic rank confers. foreGoes many
OF the best occasions Of diplomatic usefulness AID
in the opinion Of the people OF the country 70
which he is accredited. sacrifices the dignity oil
his own country
II. on the other hand he resolves 90 do his full
duty 70 his government and his country. 10 put
himself on level, socially speaking. with bis
fellow Atinisters-l don't say Ambassadors-and 70
take the place he ought 70 take as the repre-
sentative OF the United States he must put ms
hand in his own pocket. He must be prepared to
spend the whole Of his salary and about as much
more out Of his private means lie may spend
little more or little less. according 10 his
means and his tastes and his hospitality. ~ will
be little less if he is content To accept hospital
ties and never to return them Bot 70 put "
plainly in figures no American Minister In Lon
don, who has cared to be a Minister other than IN
name has managed to live on much less than
$4,000 a year Some Of them have spcn' "1n
sideraby more than that And 1t may .'lSrn
"a aaE4a,n that IL q salary Of Gi rau