New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-13
OUR CONSULAR SERVICE.
HOW 1T ACCOMPLIsHEs IT'S WORK AND
WHERE 1T FAILS
THE SERVICE COULD BE IMPROVED BY DTvoRc-
ING 1T FROM POLITICS AND ORGANIZING

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In preparing review OF our present Con-
sular service | desire speaking from the point
OF who has himself served In the corps. to lay
stress at the outset upon fact That fact is
the absolute necessity OF divorcng political con-
siderations prejudices from any consideration
OF the service as It exists at present and from
any recommendations 10 the needs Of the ser
Vice
The Consular service must be regarded In
dependent public service. having fixed a chat
acter Of the Army Navy. II it s TO be considered
intelIgenty at all. The abuses which exist In the
service the fault OF neither the Democratic nor
the Republican party. They have existed under the
administration OF each. and the reforms which
might easily be brought about are equally desirable
under each.
In the first place. IT IL unfortunate that our peo-
pie do not generally appreciate the value OF the
Consular service Belng much less in evidence
than the Army and Navy. II Is little known. or II
known at all. Is simply considered as providing
pleasant berths for Administration favortes with
out any resulting benefit 10 the taxpayer. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Even In its pres
ent crude and disorRanzed form the service has
been Of incaculable benefit 10 American trade and
commerce. Could It be placed in condition to
carry out. with anything Ike completeness. the
design OF It's founders II would be OF tenfold more
value; Of greater benefit indeed. in positive way
than either the Army or Navy on which annually
such large sums expended with entire public
approval In theory the Consular service Is sup
posed To be for the development and protection OF
American trade and commerce and for the protec-
lion and preservation OF the rights Of Americans
residing or travelling abroad In practice the ser
vice has become for the part adjunct OF the
custom-house. and Of extremely doubtful utility
even In that direction.
II should be remembered that. quite contrary to
the popular idea. the Consular service has dipo-
matte character. Except In rare cases 1t has moth
- DO " ia
individuals AMI with their business to and from the
United states. II Il can bring about the develop
mcnt OF American trade In the way OF exports
whore such trade does not exist II It can foster
that trade whore Il does exist and IL It can pre-
serve % Americans abroad their rights and priv
neges under the several treaties then II funls its
reason of being OF course f. H. not intimated that
the service should not ut the same time do all In Its
power % prevent the intraction Of United States
custom ana other laws. That goes without saying
In practice. however the service Is devoted almost
exclusively to acting az the agent OF the Treasury
Department. This IL the manner OF It; Every snip
per OF goods TO America must 80 before the nearcs;
United States consul and swear 20 his Invoice. He
must make oath that he Is not Undertaking. the
goods. that he Is tho agent. shipper manu-
facturer ns the may be. and that IN" goods are
I'm every respect as represented This he must d.
whether the goods dutiable or not In three
fourths 81 'hc the shipments are no, dutiabe
AMI no good purpose Is subseryel even In theory.
except the collection for the Government ot a Zee
II g. on each invoice In the other fourth % the
cases good purpose is subseryed IN theory. bur not
In practice Ia tEeory. undervaua,ions are supposed
be prevented In practice. II f. absolutely mpos-
slhle for the consul % be an expert In the vaua-
ton ~ the thousands OF articles invoiccd BY con-
rc.n,l1us mort he may make himself an expert as
- the valuation OF few articles shipped from his
district but az the end Of few brief yenrs another
consul takes his place who may or may not be as
conscientious IN the performance or his duty. But
suppose the impossible. namely. that consul does
make himself expert upon the real value Of all
the articles shipped. nnl suppose further he notes
hiq opuinu upon the invoice His recomme ndations
are Of no avail. FOR the valuations pass under tho
eyes ~ the genera appraisers IN New York. who
constitute court OF final resort and who naturally
rely solely upon their own valuations. Thus the
consular verlncaiion OF invoices except in Isolated
CA ses ncc0nrshcs nothing except the collection OF
a fer. The time Of the consul. however. has been
completely taken up by ths work. and he mas no
opportunity left for the study or new avenues Tor
American trade or the development Of those already
Hut imperfect az the service Is. possibilities
Of usefulness would be vastly increased were the
present mode II appointment not In force. As It
l. now. consular appointments are male solely on
the score Of political Influence 1t IL Impossible
for the state Department or he President TO krsw
the pace h. seeks. They must take the word Of
the 'nhuence, f2r nat ana poitca! niiqrnc
be- his faults never So CARING. The consequence
ig m are often
not only ignorant Of the language nut whose iack
Of commercial knowledge Il Il positive deirim"nt to
American Interests. and whose social inexpericnce
in countries p,mcul!ous about such matters brings
their country into disrcpute. Every Administration
recalls conspicuous Instances OF this kind. some
good men. however are appointed men VINO, III
every sense Of the word are lifted 10 represent
their country. and who make most creditanie ON,
GERS. Such men not onIy enhance me respect III
which their country r. hold but are OF the utmost
value In advancing American interests ihey are
in the great minority no doubt Dut their eayen IS
felt throughout the entire service. But In nearly
case. should the Administration change; they
retire after three or four years and are replaced by
new appointees. who are either incompetent. or, II
competent. must learn the routine Of me service
dc noyo and thus waste much valuable time.
The result OF this mode OF appointment Is seen IN
cursory View Of the personnel OF the seryG wee
too few will be found men who possess every quail
ncaon good officer should nave, dney slk tne
the commerce OF their country possess culture and
refinement and not superannuated. In other
places the reverse is the case In these latter cases
il is obvious that the officer cannot be OF very great
officers possess the energy OF youth and the ability
that comes from experience. others overcome by
simply perform their easy routine duties and moth
ing more. The fault lies not go much with me
men or Win dd the aiih tSe sysem m'
Rut how shall this, condition OF affairs be rem
establish the service a permanent basis just as
the Army and Navy Isl require applicants, 70 pass
strate their fitness for the places they seek and
classify the service in snch manner nat regular
a salary In accordance with the Importance OF the
post and establish corps OF consular cadets from
which the clerks at the different consulates might
be drawn instead OF. as now. taking them. for the
most part rom citizens or subjects OF the country
in which the consulate happens 10 be located. These
cadets would form the future consular corps and
when called upon to take charge Of II consular
office would be competent
The problem of dealing with the officers already in
the service might be solved by allowing oflice-hod-
crs NJ any given time serve for the time during
which the Administration lasts and then they might
be permitted to retain their Offices II they desired
Man is susceptible OF good deal OF change and
,nndIdcation but something the same lines would
achieve the end do sired.
Then too. by "A change ln the requirement OF
oorfyne invoices OF non-dutiablc goods the neces-
sitv Tor a great many OF the smaller consuates
would be done away with and great saving
a"rectad IA IL u.s. the service ls almost self-sup-
porting from the fees received. 20 that in view q
the resulting benefits the g9vernmeht coud Wen
onnsula,es 10 induce young men OF ability. energy