The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-04

sent to a board for examination, is
found. upon such examination, to be
qualified for the position Posts which
pay less than 81, 900 being usually on
account of their small compensation
filled by selection from residents OF the
locality, it was not deemed practicable
to put them under the new system.
The compensation of $500 was
adopted as a maximum limit in the
classification. for the reason that con-
sular officers receiving more than that
are often charged with functions and
duties scarcely inferior in dignity and
Importance to Those of diplomatic
agents, and it was therefore thought
best to continue their selection in the
discretion of the executive without
subjecting them to an examination be-
fore a board.
POSITIONS INCLUDED IN THE
ORDER.
Excluding seventy-one places with
compensation at present less than
$1,000 and fifty-three places above the
maximum in compensation, the num-
Der of positions remaining within the
scope of the order is 1856 The number
will undoubtedly be increased by the
inclusion of consular officers whose re-
enumeration in fees now less than 81 900
will be augmented with the growth of
our foreign commerce and a return to
more favorable business conditions.
THE BOARD OF EXAMINATION.
In the execution of the executive or
der referred to, the secretary of state
has designated as a board to conduct
the prescribed examinations the third
assistant secretary of state, the So
licitor of the department of state, the
| chief of the consular bureau, and has
specified the subjects to which such ex-
aminations shall relate. 1T is not as
sumed that this system will prove a
full measure of consular reform; ii is
quite probable that actual experience
will show particulars in which way the
order already issued may be amended,
and demonstrate that for the best re-
suits appropriate legislation by Con-
g,reSS is imperatively required. In amy
event, these efforts to improve the con-
sular service ought to be supplemented
by legislation providing for consular
inspection. This has frequently been a
subject of executive recommendation
and I again urge such action by Con-
gress as will permit the frequent and
thorough inspection of consulates by
officers appointed for that purpose or
by persons already in the diplomatic
or consular service. The expense at
tending such a plan would be insig-
nifcant compared with its usefulness,
and I hope the legislation necessary to
set it ON foot will he speedily forth
coming.
TO PROVIDE OFFICIAL RESI-
DENCES
I am thoroughly convinced that in
addition to their salaries our embassa-
doris and ministers at foreign courts
should be provided by the government
with official residences. The salaries
of these officers are comparatively
small and in most cases insufficient to
pay. with other necessary expenses, the
! cost of maintaining household estah-
| lishmepts in keeping with their i'm
portant and delicate functions. The
usefulness of nations diplomatic
representative und,aniably depends
much upon the appropriateness OF his
surroundings, and a country like ours,
while avoiding unnecessary glitter and
show, should be certain that it does
not suffer in its relations with foreign
nations through parsimony and shah
| biness in its diplomatic outfit.
These considerations and the other
advantages of having fixed and some
what permanent locations for embas-
sizes would abundantly justify the
moderate expenditure necessary to
carry out this suggestion.