Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-23


How much was done under this regulation
is not clear. and at all events it was soon
superseded by the executive order of March
Ii. 1919. This order made like that of
April 16, 1872, under the civil service act OF
March 3, 1871. and during the life of the
commission organized Under that statute,
Is as follows: Vacancies occurring in any
grade of consulates or clerkships in the de-
partment may be filled either by transfer
frcm some other grade or service, clerical,
consular or diplomatic under the Depart
ment of State, or by the appointment OF
sc me person who has previously served
under the Department of State to its sat
isfaction, or by the appointment of
some person who has made application to
the Secretary of State with proper certif-
Gates of character, responsibility and ca
pacity, in the manner provided for applica:
lions for consnlates Of which the annual
compensation is more than one thousand
dollars and less than three thousand dol
lars, and who has, on examination, been
found qualified for the position"
Former Examinations.
Under this order an examination board
was organized by the Secretary of State,
consisting of three officials serving In the
State Department at Washington. A gen.
eral regulation was also adopted, by which,
upon consulate becoming vacant, notice
in writing in form prescribed by the Sec
rotary of State was sent to applicants for
consulships.
This notice stated in substance that the
vacancy had occurred, that the applicant
was to attend for examination at the State
Department on day named; that IN addi-
ton to the usual subjects he would be ex-
amined upon the third and eleventh chap
ters of the first volume of kents Com
mentaries, and upon the Regulations for
the Consular Service of the United States;
that reasonable time would be given an APP
plicant to familiarize himself with such
regulations copies of which could be had
for eighty cents; and that before such ex-
10 will he
department a paper certifying to his hon
eSty, trUStWorthinesS good repute, steady
habits and capacity to perform the duties
of consul, and signed either by a person
personally known to the Secretary of State,
or by some person with means of informa-
ton vouched for by one personally known
to the Secretary of State. Conformably to
these regulations made under the executive
order of March IA, 1SI3 quite number Of
persons We're examined during the years
1873 and 1874. The examinations were con-
ducted through questions and answers in
writing, and the examination papers are
still on file in the department. The system
thus generally described is said to have
worked well in practice and to have both
improved the consular service and relieved
the department of much embarrassment.
1t was nevertheless sEort-lived, and though
the necessary connection between the two
things is not obvious, it seems to have been
given up simultaneously with the relin-
punishment of it's functions by the civil SER
vice commission of 1871, a REIMBURSEMENT
brought about by the refusal Of Congress
to make any appropriations for that branch
of the service.
The Present Civil Service Act.
1.-The civil service act of 1871 now in force
as section 1853 Of the Revised Statutes, au-
thorizes the President to prescribe such
regulations for the admission of persons
into the civil service of the United States as
may best promote the efficiency thereof,
and ascertain the fitness of each candidate
in respect to age, health, character, knowl-
edge and ability for the branch of service
into which he seeks to enter; and for this
purpose he may employ suitable persons to
conduct such inquiries, and may prescribe
their duties and establish regulations for
the conduct of persons who may receive ap-
pointments in the civil service 1t may be
that these statutory provisions cannot be so
utilized as to bring out that complete re-
form and improvement Of the consular serv-
ice which are universally conceded to be de-
sirable. 1t may be that costly and elabor-
ate machinery of the character provided by
the Senate bills already referred to will be
found necessary to that end But, even If
that be so, it is still to be remembered that
the provisions Of those bills have not yet
been enacted by Congress and may never
be, and that meanwhile it can do no harm
and may do much good, to make thorough
trial of the efficiency of such regulations as
are authorized by section 1853 of the Revised
Statutes. 1 therefore venture to recommend
the adoption Of an executive order in the
terms Of a paper which is hereto appended
1t differs in detail, rather than in principle,
from the other executive orders already re-
ferred to. 1t assumes that consuls may
properly be chosen from two classes Of
persons without examination. namely, from
persons already in the service of the State
Department, or from persons formerly In
it's service, and who in each case have not
only satisfactory records of service but Of
service tending to qualify them for the
duties of consul.
1T requires all other persons, being first
selected as eligible for examination upon
the ordinary proofs Of competency and
coed character, to submit themselves to an
examination designed to test their aptitude
and fiji ess for the special functions of the
consular office. Thus, on the one hand, the
appointing pow er is left at liberty to avail
itself of whatever special capacity and fit
ness for the consular office actual service
has demonstrated 20 exist. On the other
hard, by reserving to itself the designation
of the persons eligible for examination, the
appointing power protects itself to some