Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14

G0RHSx0 clal robes Will be adCeo
!: ::
MA TA, 70 the brilliant picture
DXl TTAi which the assembled
YI i'm Il HMM diplomats compose on
| hI k411l state occasions. After
h wv all, these foreign gen.
w tlemen are here largely
fer ornamental pur-
poses. The British minister, Sir Julian Paunce-
fote. for example, resides at the legation on
the corner Of Connecticut avenue and n street
principally to act as means Of communica-
ton between this capital and London. There
is no reason, except tradition, why Secretary of
State Foster and Lord Rosebery should not
| transact all busine So between the two nations
directly. Before the days OF the telegraphic
cables and quick mails diplomacy was a science
requiring great ability, but now the RESPONSE
bility resting upon an agent Of government
abroad has been reduced to almost nothing.
The latter has no latitude for individual action,
and he never does anything Of importance
his own responsibility. He simply transmits
messages to and fro.
40 ExACrINo WORK
So far as work is concerned the position Of q
foreign minister pleripotentiary at Washing
ton is not at all exacting. He sends dis
patches now and then to his home govern
ment and from time to time addresses
communications to our own Secretary Of State.
Such communications are called notes" Sope-
times they are on official business while occa-
slonally they are requests for permis sion to
land certain wines or other dutiable merchan-
disc free of duty for the diplomats private
use. The Secretary Of State refers the matter
to the Secretary Of the Treasury, and the
favor is always granted. This prv-
than once, one secretary of legation
having been accused of being in partnership
with wine merchant. The minister could not
ask the Secretary of the Treasury directly 70
such a courtesy. He has no right to communi-
cate officially with any officer of the govern
ment except the Secretary of State. That Off
cial takes him to call the President when he
first arrives. 1t would be grave breach of
propriety for the minister to visit the President
or write direct to him on any interna tional
business.
SOCIAL DCTIEs.
The duties of foreign minister in Washing
ton are largely Of a social nature. Naturally his
most intimate relations in that wav are with
the Secretary of State and high officers of that
department. He calls other officials and is
called on by them in accordance with certain
unwritten rules which make up the code of
diplomatic etiquette. He pays the first visit to
each of the members Of the cabinet while Sem
ators take the initiative in calling on him.
Members of the House are not exactly in his SET
would hardly invite ordinary Representatives to
his entertainments. Among the exceptions to
this rule are always the gentlemen who make
up the House committee on foreign affairs,
with which he Is anxious to keep on the best of
terms, for obvious reasons. However, any resi-
dent of this city who calls at the legation gets
card in return According to established Gus
tom the British minister gives ball each year
on the night of the queens birthday. as well as
sundry diplomatic dinners. He finds it neces-
sary to keep his invitation list carefully weeded
on account of intrusive persons. who call in
platoons on reception days. Lady Pauncefote
soon found it desirable to abandon regular re-
ception days, because the house was fairly
stormed by the mob.
HOW THEY CLIMB THE LADDER
There are no such gay butterflies Of fashion
in Washington as the secretaries attached to
the various legations. They have so little to
do that they can devote themselves almost e1-
clusively to social enjoyment. At the British
ministry four Of them divide among themselves
the routine work, the whole of which is about
enough to occupy one spry typewriter. As
sisted by two clerks, they write and COPY the
minister's dispatches, &c. The young men
who occupy such positions are always well
born and usually well bred. They are in
training for higher places in the diplomatic
service. A third secretary of legation here
may be promoted in regular course to be second
secretary at Rio then first secretary at Quito
next charge d affaires at Bankok, subsequently
minister plenipotentiary to Hayti. and SO on
until, perhaps, he attains the dignityOf full
fedged ambassador at the court of a great Eu-
ropean power. The position of ambassador for
monarchy is the most dignified attainable by
any man who has to work his way up in the
world. He is a little king, being regarded
actually as an incarnation OF sovereignty and
treated in all respects as if he king resid-
ing in foreign country. An insult to him
means war.
1t is long road. however from a secretary
ship of legation to the pos. of ambassador. The
pay of these diplomatic small fry is very small,
IA is the case with ull subordinate places in the
diplomatic service of foreign nations. To get
along at all they must have private incomes.
As rule. they live modestly, not residing at
the house of the minister. They 60 much into
society. partly AZ n matter of expediency, de-
pending on the dinners of Others rather than on
those which they can buy for themselves An
exception to the rule above mentioned is the
Chinese legation, which has much larger staff
than any other in Washington. There are
twelve secretaries, and all of them live with the
minister at Stewart Castle, on Dupont circle.
OUR SECRETARIES ABROAD.
Secretaries OF legation for the United States
abroad much better paid, receiving from
81, 500 to S2,2i0. Their places are pretty Sc
cure. President Harrison has not changed
more than two or three of them. But with
them there is no prospect of promotion and no
career ahead, so that there is not much conten-
ton for the situations. Quite commonly a
military attache and naval attache are at
tached to each legation. Uncle Sam employs
such agents in London, Paris and elsewhere.
1t is their business to gather information re-
speeding army and navy matters for the benefit
Of the home government, in order that the latter
may be acquainted with everything that
is latest in offensive and defensive ma
chimes and methods. &c. Their dis
patches are addressed directly to the bureau
Of military information and the bureau OF naval
intelligence here, which digest all such material
They can adopt any means they choose for
getting hold of secrets, SO long as they are not
detected. That was the fatal mistake which
Capt. Borup made recently at Paris. Incl
dentally he discovered the truth Of the adage
that it Is better to be virtuous than to be
found out.
Foreign governments pay their diplomatic
representatives Of higher ranks much better
than Uncle Sam does. Sir Julian Pauncefote
gets ESQ 900, a superb mansion. rent free, in
Washington, and liberal allowance for enter
tanning. His place ranks first among the British
ministers pleniI Otentiary. Our ministers to
Great Britain, France, Germany and Russia re-