The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-12-05

miliarity with the condition of affairs and
will enable us to take suitable steps for
the protection of any interests of
our countrymen within reach of
imperiled. The Ottoman government
has lately issued an imperial edict
exempting forever from taxation an
American college for girls and schutari.
Repeated assurances have also been
made by our envoy at Constantinople
that similar institutions, maintained and
administered by our countrymen, shall
be secured in the enjoyment of all rights
and that our citizens throughout the
empire shall be protected. The govern
ment. however, in view of the existing
facts, is far from relying upon such
ahances. In the limits of his duties
our minister has been vigilant and alert
IN affording all possible protection in
individual cases where danger. threat
ened or safety was endangered. We
have sent ships as far toward the point
of actual disturbance as is possible for
them to go, where they offer refuge to
those Obliged to fee, and have the prom
ise of other powers which have ships in
that neighborhood that our citizens, as
well as their own, will be protected ON
board these ships on the demand of our
minist- RS. Orders have been issued by
The sultan that Turkish soldiers shall
Guarantee and escort to the coast Ameri
can refugees. These orders have been
carried out and our latest intelligence
lives assurance of the present personal
safety of our citizens and missionaries.
Though thus far no lives of American
citizens have been sacrificed, there can
he no doubt that serious loss and de-
struction of mission property have re-
suited from riotous conflicts and out
rageous attacks. By treaty, several of
The most powerful European powers have
secured q right and have assumed duty
not only in behalf of their own citizens
and in furtherance of their own inter-
ests, but as agents of the Christian
world. The right is to enforce such CON
duct upon the Turkish government as
will restrain fanatical brutality, and if
This fails, their duty is to interfere so
MS to insure against such dreadful Oc-
curences in Turkey as lately shocked
civilization. The powers declare this
right and this is to be theirs alone and
it is earnestly hoped that prompt and eff
fective action on their part will not be
delayed. The new consulates at
Ilrzroum and Harpoot, for which appro-
pirations were made last spring, have
been, Professionally filled by trusted en-
ployes of the department of state These
appointees, though now in Turkey, have
not yet received their exequaturs.
The arbitration of the claim of the
Yenezuela Steam Transportation COM
pany, under treaty of January 10, 1892
between the United States and Vene.
zuela, resulted in an award in favor of
the claimants. The government has
used it's good offices toward composing
The differences between Venezuela on the
one hand and France and Belgium on
The other, growing out of the dismissal
If the representatives of those powers on
rhe ground of a publication deemed of
L. 0I.. Inh hot
dismissal was coupled with cordial re-
quest that other more personally agree
lble ENJOYS be sent in their stead, a rup-
lure of intercourse ensued and still con-
tinues.
THE CONSULAR SERVICE.
In view of the growth of our inter-
asts in foreign territories and encourag-
ing prospects for a general expansion of
our commerce, the question of an i'm
provement in the consular service has in
creased in Importance. Though there is
no doubt that the great body of consular
officers are rendering service to the
trade and industries of the country, the
need of some plan of appointment and
control which would tend to secure a
higher average of efficiency cannot be
denied. The Importance of the subject
has led the executive to consider what
steps might properly be taken without ad
ditional legislation to answer the need
of a better system of consular appoint.
ments, the matter having been settled
by the consideration of the secretary OF
state. In the pursuance of this
recommendation an executive or,
September, 1895, by the terms of which
it is provided that after that date any
vacancy in consulate or commercial
agency with an annual salary or com
pensation from official fees of no more
than $4,000 or less than $1,000 should bC
filed either by transfer or promotion
from some other position under the state
department of a character tending t.
qualify the incumbent for the position t
be filled, or by the appointment of pre-
son not under the department OF state
but having previously served therein anc
shown his capacity for consular duty, OF
by the appointment of a person who hay
ing been selected by the president anC
sent to a boad for examination, is founC
upon such examination to be qualltled FOL
the position. Ports which pay less thar
$1,000 being usually ON account of theil
small compensation, filled by selection
from residents of the locality, it was moi
deemed practical to put them under tht
new system. The compensation of S25O(
was adopted as the maximum limit in the
classification for the reason that consular
officers receiving more than that sum are
often charged with functions and duties
scarcely inferior in dignity and import
ance to those of diplomatic agents and i
was therefore thought best to continue
their station in the direction of the eX
ecutiye without subjecting them to eX
animation before board. Excluding Il
places with compensation at present less
than $1,000, and SO places above the
maximum in compensation, the number Of
positions remaining within the scope o.
the orders are 1876. This number will
undoubtedly be increased by the inclusion
of consular officers whose remuneration
less then $1,000, will be augmented WITH
the growth of our foreign commerce and
return to more favorable business con
ditions. In execution of the executive
order referred to, the secretary OF state
has designated as a board to conduct the
prescribed examinations, the third assist
ant secretary of state, the solicitor OF the
department of state and the chief OF the
consular bureau, and has speclhed the
subjects to which such examinations snail
relate. 1t is not assumed that this sys'
TEN will prove a full measure OF con
sular reform as it is quite prop
able that actual experience VII
show particulars in which the order al
ready issued may be amended and demon
strate that for the best results. appro
pirate legislation by congress is imperae