The morning times., 1895-12-04

? earnestly and vigorously enforced by ever!
means within our power.
THwARTED BY THE TURKS.
, Iregret, however, that an attempt on oul
part to obtain better Information concern
Ing the true condition or affairs In the dis
{ turbed quarter of the Ottoman Empire bJ
sending thither the United States consul al
Slvas 10 make Investigation and report,
. was thwarted BY the objections OF the Turk.
ish government This smOvemcDt on our par,
was In no SENSE meant as a gratuitOus EN-
taugiement OF the United States in tile SO
ca .-d y. stern question por as an 9ri.. :, :
Deloug by treaty TO certain great European
powers. calling for their Intervention In
maiers affecting the gSod soysra
sutinau subjects OF the Sultan, but IL arose
! solely from our desire TO have an accurate
knowledge of the conditions IN our efforts
TO care for those eutitIed TO our protection.
The presence of our naval vessels which
are now in the vicinity III the disturbed
a measure OF familiarity with the ,s,nditior
OF affairs. and will enable us tu take suit
able steps for the protection of any inter
ests or our colnfrymen within reach OF ouI
ships that might be found imperiiled.
Inc Ottoman government has lately issued
an imperial Trade exenipting forever fruIn
| taxation an American csbllege for girls al
4 Scutari Repeated assurances have also
been Obtained by our envoy at CONSTANT
Hopie that simnar institutions ma inta ined
and administered by our cnuntrymea shall
be secured in the enjoyment "f all rights
| and that our citizens throughout the empire
The government, however. In view OF
existing facts, is far from relying upon such
ASSURANCES as the limit OF Its duty. Our
| minister has been ytg1lant and alert In
arfording all possible protection in indi-
| yidual eases where danger threatened or
safety was imperilled. We have sent ships
as far toward the points OF actual disturb
ance as it is possible for them to go. where
| they offer refuge Ia those obliged to flee.
and we have the promise Of other powers
hlr- Gt I'm. aItrttl tlprf ..f.d hnf
| our citizens, as well as theirs, will be re
reired aud protected on board those ships.
| been issued by the sultan that Turkish sol
| diers shall guard and escort to the coast
| american refugees.
These orders have been carried out. ana
our latest intel ligence gives assurance of
the present personal safety Of our citizens
aud missionaries. Though thus far no
ficed. there can be no dbubt that serious loss
and destruction uf mission property have
resulted from riutous conflicts and out
ragoous attacks.
CHRISTIAN WORLDS AGENT.
By treaty several OF the most powerful
European powers have secured q right and
have assumed a duty not only in behalf of
their OWN citizens and infurtherancc OF their
own interests. but as agents OF the Chris
tian world Their right is TO enforce such
conduct OF Turkish government as Will re-
striiIn 1anatical brutality. and IL this fails
their duty is to SO interfere as to insure
L
as have lately shocked ciyiiizatlon. The
powers declare tins rignt aud this duty to be
theirs alone, and IL is ca rnestiy hoped that
prompt ana effective action on their part
will not be delayed.
The new consuates at Erzeroum and
HarDoot. Tor winch appropriation was made
last session. have been professionally filled |
by trusted employees of the Depa rtmlent |
OF State. These appointccs, though now in |
Turkey. have not yet received their exeqla- |
turs- |
The arbitration OF the claim Of the Ven |
ezuela Steam Transportation Company un- !
der the treaty OF January 10. 1892. between |
the United States and YeDezue1a. resulted |
IN an award in favor OF the claimant.
The government has used its good offices |
toward composing the differences between |
venezuela on the one hand and France and |
Belgium on the other. growing out or the |
dismissal OF the representatives OF those |
powers on the ground OF publication I
deemed offensive to Venezuela. Although
tnat dismissal WAS couped with a CoEti.at
request that other more personally agrre-
able crroys he sent in their stead. a rupture
OF intercourse ensued. and still continues.
In View OF the grown or our inter
eSis iu foreign countries and the encour-
aging prospects for general expansion
OF our commerce, the question OF an i'm
provcmcnt in the consular service has in
creased in importance ana urgency. Though
consular officers are rendering valuable
services to the trade and Industries OF
The country, the need OF some plan or ap-
poinfmeDt and control which would tend
can not be denied
TIE CONSULAR SERVICE
The Importance Of the subject has led
the Executive to consider what steps l
might properly be taken without additional
legislation To answer the need of q better
system of consular appointments. The
matter having been committetf to the con-
sid,Tation of the Secretary of State, In
PURSUANCE OF his recommendation an ex-
ecutive order was issued on The goth of
..l.F.N
II is provided that after that date any va
caDcy in a consulate or commercial agency
with an annual salary or compensation
from official fees OF not morp than $500
or less than 81 900 should be filled either
by transfer or promotion from some ether {
position under the Department OF State
OF a character tending to qualify the in
cumbent for the position to be filled. or
by the appointment OF person not unde1
the Department OF State. but having pre-
yiously served Hereunder and shown his 6
capac city and fitness for consular duty, or | {
by the appointment of person who, hav-
ing been selected by the President and sent /.
20 board for examination, is found, upon !
such examination, 10 be qualified for the {
position. Posts which pay less than 81 900 9
being usually t1. on account S 9f Their small
dents of the locality, it was not deSShed 9
practicable to put them under the new
,ystcm-
The compensation of So 500 was adopted
sS the maximum limit in the claSsifica- i I;
lon far the reason that consular Officers \ !,
eGfiyiilg more tnou sum are pfteu 4
harged with functions and datieS scarcely |
lferior in dignity and Importance tn those | 0
{ diplomatic agents. and II was therefore | v
lought best to continue their selection | n
the discretion of the Executive without | a
Injecting them to examination before a | n
oard. Excluding seyenty-'ne places with a
Dmpensation at present less than 81 900. | a
nd tifty-three places above the maximum G
compensation. the number nf positions 4 a
amaining within the scope Of the order is | o
Sc. This number will undoubtedly be in g
reased by the inclusion of consular offi- h
prs whose remuneration In fees. now
SIS than 81 900, win be augmented with | 4
ie growth of our foreign commerce and | h
return to more favorable business eondi- V
ons. n
In execution of the executive order re- | b
rred to. the Secretary uf State has desig- | b
lted as n board-to conduct the prescribed
the Third Assistant Secretary | a
State, the SulicItor OF the Department | q
State and the chief OF the consular bu- | Il
au. and has specified the subjects to which | IL
lch examinations shall relate. c,
1t is not assumed that this system win | c,
-oye a full measure of consular reform | OF
is quite probable that actual experience | o.
i'll show particulars in which the order | IL
,strate that, for the best results, ap- | oi
opriate legislation by Congress is i'm D,
required. al
FOR CONSULAR INSPECTION fo
In any event these efforts to improve the ~
,nsular service ought to he Immediately 81
Ippiemerted by legislation providing for a,
,nsular inspection. This has frequently
zen subject of executive recommendation, p
nd again urge such action by Congress as - -
Ill permit the frequent and thorough in - ~
'ection OF consnlates by officers appointed -
n that purpose, or by persons already IN =.
e diplomatic or consular service. The ~
Ipense attending such q plan would be in 81 81
gnificant compared with its usefulness. " "
nd hope the legislation necessary to set a. a.
on foot will be speedily forth coming. W
lfrfnl hat