The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-24
Made to Include All Our Consnis
Abroad Whose Compensation Ranges
from 81 900 to $1,000 n Year.
1T WAS oLNEY's SUGGESTION
AND THE ORDER MAY BE EXTENDED
FURTHER IN THE SAME LINE.
Text Of the Presidents Order-An-
Condition of the Treasury.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23.-The President.
by an executive order issued to-day. but
dated Sept. 90 has extended the civil ser
vice system in modified form TO all con-
sular officers whose compensation directly
and through fees ranges from $1,000 10 es>5oo.
This will include about one-half OF the total
consuls who receive more than $1,000. This
change has been gained by reviving In sub
stance an old order OF 1873. Vacancies In
the service Will be filled hereafter by trans
fer or promotion. by appointment OF quail
fed persons formerly in the employ or
the State Department and by appointment
by persons selected by the President after
passing a competitive examination. The
order reads:
1T being of great Importance that the
consuls and commercial agents OF the
United States shall possess the proper
qualifications for their respective positions,
to be ascertained either through satisfac-
tory record of previous actual service UNDER
the Department OF State or through an ap-
propriate examination, il is hereby ordered
that any vacancy In consulate or COM
the salary of which is not more than sz.500
nor less than $1,000, nor the compensation
elusive OF notarial and other unofficial re-
ceipts, do not exceed $500 nor fall below
81, 900, shall be filled ta) by transfer or
the Department of State of character
tending TO qualify the incumbent for the
position TO be filled; or tb) by appointment
State. but having previously served there
under to its satisfaction, in a capacity tend
ing to qualify him for the position TO be
filled or tc) by the appointment OF per-
son who, having furnished the customary
evidence OF character. responsibility and
capacity, and being thereupon selected by
the President for examination, is found
upon such examination to be qualified for
the position.
For the purpose OF this order notarial
and unofficial fees shall not be regarded.
but the compensation OF a consulate Or
commercial agency shall be ascertained. IL
the office is salaried. by reference to the
office is not salaried by reference 10 the
returns OF official fees for the last preced-
ing fiscal year. The examination herein
three persons designated by the Secretary
OF State, who shall also prescribe the SUBJ
jects 10 which such examination shall re-
late and the general mode OF conducting the
same by the board. A vacancy in consul
ate will be filled at discretion only, when a
suitable appointment cannot be made in any
of the modes indicated in the second para
graph Of this order,
The President made this order on the rec
ommendation- OF Secretary olney, who had
the matter under consideration for several
months. In. his report the Secretary re-
views the reports that have been frequent
in the press and In commercial circles Of
the incompetency of consuls and then holds,
that in view Of their great Importance to
commerce. consuls should. so far as practi-
cable. be chosen for his special fitness
| for the particular position in which he Is to
serve This contention is supported by the
experience OF Great Britain and other Eu-
ropean countries. The Secretary refers tc
bills introduced in the last Congress TO re-
| form the consular service. but intimates
| that the subject more closely concerns the
executive branch, and he finds power In the
unrepealed civil service act OF 1873 to make
his order and undertake the experiment. II
not sufficient, then ii may be that the elab-
crate machinery Of the Senate bill may be
necessary. In explanation OF the limitation
of nominations OF candidates he explains
that the President may protect the service
to some extent from the dangers sure to
follow absolute reliance upon purely academ-
ic tests. He intimates that IL satisfactory
| in its workings the system may be extended
bat never to include consuls OF such RINK
as to be scarcely inferior to ministers who
should be selected at the personal discretion
| of the President.