The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-01-24

C1EI diplomatic service is
@IIs. not in a fourishing
N[/// t\N condition. Things
IWPG, SJtM have gone from bad
ENiL1rL,tsS to worse until now il
l.S~5-5y-y crisis has beer reach
NIiishRhti;ilIi ed in the affairs of
G------.sGS> the five ambassadors
&t,2,fYN9W + Hsss,,SS55ssl stationed IN Euro
t,A:' ~ JIi1T s~TItETNpean capitals by the
M..E1- lfGLS United States Gov
- $3.50 eminent. Secretary
- mi r1Iu - Gresham has inti-
S3S--- +tTTii1mated to the PreSi-
yTsSsm.- I"dcnt that the posi-
iNNTU!W NiE " ton of the ambassa-
l""rS is such as to warrant immediate
action 10y Congress. Should nc action he
taken hy that body it is almost certain
thai Clifton Il. breckenridge, our amhas-
.ador &C. Russia. and Theodore Runyon,
who holds the same post i'll Germany,
will resign. There has been circulated Il
ratrlncut 10 the effect that Mr.. Breckin-
ridge has already announced his intcn-
,ion Of abandoning his post. That state
menr. however. is premature.
The whole trouble is the result of the
UNDERSTANDING salary grievance. AS every
body knows. Il ambassadors receive a
VERY inadequate stipend. Their salary
is $l1,.1OO Il year each, but 10000 is
i|rouounccd barely sufficient to maintain
the diauity of the position. Mr.. Runyon
III Germany and Mr.. Eustis in France
have. even with the exercise of the closest
| economy. spent twice their respective
/ salaries and more in expenses connected
| with the posts they fill. These details
| will surprise no one. But it will be news
90 announce that the ambassadors have
held two conferences abroad. one in Lon
don and another in Paris. for the pur-
pose of making unanimous representa-
ton TO the State Department that their
/ usriulpcss is almost nominal. On his
way to St. Petersburg Mr.. Breckenridge
saw both Mr.. Runyon and Mr.. Eustis.
Mr.. Breckenridge had heard that his ex-
/ pcnses in Europe would be very heavy
/ far moro than his salary. AS he is a man
VI very moderate means he felt the ne
ccssity Of getting their advice. He eX-
pressed his feelings with candor when he
was Informed Of the humiliating straits
to which his fellow-diplomats were re-
luccd. Then it was that a premature
rumor of the resignation of the ambas-
| sador to Russia was circulated.
\ Plea for the Strikers.
Meanwhile. however, Thomas +. Bay
.rd, ambassador to the our of st. James,
had been in the United States, and one of
The cA,,rcss objects of his visits here was
to imlk ess upon the State Department
Tie manner in which u national dig
nifty is being compromised abroad. Mr..
ia ard had three conferences with the
SECRETARY Of State on the subject of am
| bassadoriai salaries. Mr.. Gresham, dur
lng these interviews, had opportunity to
read letters from Wayne MacVcagh, Mr..
EHStis and Mr.. Runyon. all setting forth
the fact that their positions were little
/ short OF ridiculous. Their own wish had
been 10 resign. but rs the demission. to
use a diplomatic term, of all our ambassa-
doris at once might create an unpleasant
Impression, it was deemed best that the
/ retirement should take place at intervals
Of Il few months.
IS an illustration of the position in
which our ambassadors are placed, the
following itcmizod statement of Mr.. Eus-
rs expenses is interesting:
House rent in Paris. per year.. $4,000
Ambassadors coach and livery. 5000
DIPLOMATIC dinners and entertain
luents 5000
On" bail per annum. ......... 1000
Entertaining American naval Off
GERS . 1000
attending state department func-
.''llN I.oVV
pilcial presentations 1000
Ao'al ,ooo
In reality. however, Mr.. Eustis has
spent Il good deal more than $4,000 a
year since he Ven to Paris. He is out
u pocket about $4,000 as a result Of be-
ing American ambassador to France. It
might be observed that Mr.. Eustis has
lAosen a rather expensive house. But
were he to 60 out of the expensive quar-
''E OF Paris his usefulness as a diplomat
would be gone. And house rent in fash
"nhl@ Paris is high. The ambassadorial
''atl Is also Il necessity, and the enter
'ainIh@ must be kept up or the diplomat
VIII lose caste. Were Mr.. Eustis, for ex-
ample, to decline an invitation to Il state
Junction or Il minister's entertainment it
you'd be deemed a grave breach of cti-
4lc't". Were the offenSe repeated the
"'lliSter would lind himself without lntiu'
,!!ce, and might even be reported TO
" aShlngton as persona non grata. lIav-
ing once accepted the courtesies, he is
"ouiid to reciprocate them.
Must Go the Royal Pace.
In the holiday and vacation season his
p1Sl Is even more trying. He must 20
where The powers 90. He is obliged 10
cease = chateau. or. nj the humbloSt. a
'lia. Their" are always American in
t'f.sts needing the support of IN ambas-
'"u'f 1T Il foreign power. Were the So
..d side Of diplomatic life neglected,
american interests would be deprived OF
M Protection. y conspicuous instance of
GINS II the manner in which American
r'rI ANA hams were allowed entry into
Germany for years in spite of domestic
agitation, solely owing to the personal
"!nllei'ce of III minister to Berlin.