The evening times., 1895-12-03

ties In the United States reside In Turkey
under the E0aranteeaf of law and usage and
I.cattoual and religious mission. No cforts
have been spared In their behalf, and their
protection in prrsnD ana property has been
earnestly and vigorously enforced by every
imeaus within OUR power. ,..a
/ THwARTED BY THE TURK s.
rregret, however, that an attempt On our
part 10 obtain better Information concern
ing the true condition pf affairs In the dts
turbed quarter Of the Ottoman Empire, by
sending thitier the Emitted States consul at
! Sivas 10 maze -l1vesl igatioh anu I.,.dt.
was thwarted by the obJcctionsof the Turk
1 ish government. TiIisinoveinent on our part
| was In no sense meant as a gratniton~ ell
tang lement OF the United states III the So
70 - =. stern question sor siS - ,'it -.
4 belong by treaty To certain great European
| powers. cai:iDg Tor their B'crNentlui III
1 political matiers affecting the good govern
ment and religious fyeoiom OF the noh-Ains--
| sulmau subjects OF ftle Sultan, but IL arose
solely from our desire9tO have an accurate
| knowledge OF the dundiiions IN our eIiorts
| to care for those etititied TO oIir protection
| The presence OF uur4 naval vessels which
are now in the vk'inHy .'f the nlstarDeu
localities affords opp0rtInities 10 acuniif
a IDeasIre OF familiarity with the t',ndition
| OF affairs, and W III enz be US t.' take suit-
| able steps for the ipruss-,tion OF any inter
ests OF oar count rynnn wltnin reacn oi our
| ships that light bd fo:iud impefiliet.
| Tue VltonIan governilJent mas Lately lssueu
| an imperial trade scxeniDtIDg forever from
| taxation an Americas. .c'ieege Tor glris AT
! Scltari. Repeated assurances nave aiso
| been obtained by se1r envoy at Cnostapti-
nop!e mat siruiiar lBstItGtr';s nilinia med
and administered by our count irydhsi shiIi
| be secured in the enjoyment nf al rights
and tbat our citizens throughout tiie empire
shall be protecteti.,
| The government, h,,wever. in view or
existing facts, is far from relying up''n siIeh1
ASSURANCES as the limit or lis duty. ouf
minister has been vigilant and aiert 10
arfording all IIr,ssibpcs protection IN lhul-
safety was inipeTiled. We have sent ships
as far toward the points OF actual disturb
ance as IL Is possible. for them To go, where
they offer reIugc la those Obliged to fiee-
and We have. the promise nf other powers
which have ships in the neishborhnod that
olr citizens, IS well as theirs, Will De re
ceived and protected on board those ships
On the dcnIand Of p1r minister orders nave
been issled by the sultan tnat turkish ,l sol.
American refugees.
These orders have been carried nut. and
oiir latest intel isenCc gives assurance III
the preseat personal safety uf our citizens
and missionaries. Though thus far no |
lives OF American citizens have been sacri- |
fi,cd, there can be no doubt that serious loss
and destruction ur mission property have
resulted from ri,,tous confiIcts and out |
rageous attacks
CHRISTIAN WORLDS AGENT.
By treaty several OF the most powerful |
European powers have secured right and |
have assumed a duty not only in bel.Sir OF !
their own citizens and in rurtherancc of their |
own interests. but as agents or the Chris
tian world. Their right Is to enforce such
conduct OF Turkish government as VIII re-
strain fanaticai brutality. ana If this fails
their duty is to SO Interfere as to insure
against such dreadful occurrences III Turkey
as have lately shocked civliLsttion- The
30 owers tlecllr. this ri-sht and this duty to be
theirs alone. and 1t is earnestly hoped that
prompt and effective action on their part
Will not he delayed.
The new consuiltes at Erzeroum and
Harpoot. for which approximation was made
last session. have been Professionally filled
by trusted employees of the Department
oil Stale. These appointees, though now in
Turkey, have not yet received their cxcqua-
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 Venezuela. Resulted
i'll 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 a publication
deemed offensive to Venezuela. Although
tnlt slsflI,ssJi Was coupi.d with "a cCrUi.iI
reluest tiiIt other mere personally :s.rsc
able envoys be sent in their stead, rupture
OF Intercourse ensued. and still continues.
In View OF the grown OF our lnler-
ests in foreign countries and the encour-
aging prospects for general expansion
OF our conirierce, The question OF an i'm
proyement in the consular service has in
creased diDimportancea and urgency Though
there is no doubt that the great body OF
consular officers are rendering valuable
services to the trade and industries Of
the country. the need OF some plan OF ap-
pointmsnt and control which would tend
to secure Il higher average OF efficiency
can not be denied. 80,
THE CoNSULARrsERvICE- az
The Importance ,cf ,hca sub Jet las led
the. Executive to1iconsider what steps |
might properly be takep without additional
lesislation L. easwer tie need Of 4 better
system of coDsuiaf appointments The
matter having been committed 10 the con-
si,irra,ion of the Secretary of State, in | ,
pursuance OF his recommendations, an ex- .
ecutive order was ISSUED on Tic goth OF
Sent eri,.ser, 1898, blythe terms of which d,
IL is proy lipd that after that date any va J
cancy in a consulate or commercial agency /
with an annual salary or compensation !
from official fees of not more than $500 I
or less than 81 COO should he filled either =
by transfer or promotion from some other :
position under the; Department or State
OF n character tending to quailiy the in !
cumbent for the position 10 be flied, or :
by the appointment nf a person not undeA I
the Department OF state, but having pre- 5
viorisly served Hereunder and shown his q
capacity and fitness for consular duty. or
by the appointment of person who. lav- y
ing been selected by The President and sent I
to beard for examination, is found, upon g
such examination, 10 be qualified for the d
position. Posts which pay less than 81 900 s
being usually, on account of their small II
filled by selection from res Il
dents of the locality, it was not deemed /
practicahlc to put them under the new :
system.
The compensation of 81 500 was adopted
IS the maximum limit in the classifica- il
ion for the reason that consular officers 4
eceiying morr than that SUN are often | a
harged with functions and duties scarcely | n
Inferior in dignity and Importance to those :.
I diplomatic agents, and ii was therefore | .
hought best Ia continue their selection II
. the discretion of the Executive without i
ub bjecting them to examination before a | II II
Oard. Excluding seyenty-one places with | d
at preseDt less than 81 900. | u
cd iirty-three places above the maximum =
D compensation, the number of positions u
SO. This number will undoubtedly be in =
reased by the inclusion of consular Off u
ers whose remuneration in fees. now !.
,ss than 81 900, will be augmented with -
he growth of our foreign commerce and !, IL
return to mure favorable business condi- y
ions. :.
In execution of the executive order re- u
erred to, the Secretary of State has desig-
ated as a board-to conduct the prescribed =,
xamina tons the Third Assistant Secretary y;
state and the chief of the consular bu- !, !,
pau nd has specified the sub jects to which i,
Ich examinations shall relate. y
1t Is not assumed that this system will y
rove 1ull ineas sure ~ consular rcfcrn. n
is quite probable that actual experience o.
ill show particulars in which the order !. II
lreatly issued may be amended, and dem y
that, for the best results, ap- y
ropriate Legislation by Congress is i'm -
required r.
FOR CONSULAR INSPECTION. 81
In any event these efforts to improve the RI
onsuiar service ought to be Immediately ST
by legislation providing for ID
onsuIar inspection. This has frequently O,
cen subject of executive Recommendation, | II
7 IN hv Cnf,o Il