The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-04
OUR CONSULAR SERVICE.
now rr rs RENDERED INEFFH
CrEyr LtcK or TRAINING
A Consul should Hold ONCE hee"'
of Changes of Administrator"
American Business Interests
are Suffering From the
Present system.

To the Editor OF The Times: s,s-
Sfr--Whie the American people alc N' 81
cussfng the alleged iudiscretion OF or.
our foreign ambassadors II VIII be a n'''re
time to bring 20 their notice th" psrosn
cations OF our representatives, s,,nyer
md the unfayOrable coll.1ons 49,
which they frequently labor Inc Hi' ,rs
team citizen travelling IN Europe anu -
East, being brought into fricnaly OF nt
mess relations every where Win tTn,io5
ters and consuls has TINS Mater lV I,,,n'
on his attention in a way inat IN. w.
lie AZ home know nothing or the SUI
meme Importance OF me iofclSn s'lNlN,
and especially the consulate, 10 pIvn,.e,,o
a healthy and growing CONNIE go S go,
Ity between our country ana oln'. ta...'
- aonarant To- every intelligent touFi5''
and tho general inferiority OF our WI
sentativcs 20 those OF otntF i'it...s,s,'
owing 10 a lack or previous ~ ,tii.,'
The insupera5le difficulties they are "D"e
al m overcome, from their ignorance %.
the foreign languages. ther illr"l 49,
10 COMMIT nc ate directly WIN Wv, -,
the little cnCoufahfr t"t tlF,n a.. 80
come the difficulties. OWING % me ~
tisan policy which governs the CIV" H,'
vice. is also apparent nj, .,.e many
OF our cOnsuls. and We nave the slpiy
from their own lips Personally, 'Nss',-
ienf mon with more chan average aNi-
ifv men who have tne honof anu N'ui
mercial interests or ihtlr own cot..i,a es
heart, and for integrity eu- Dusih. -
@o11l,y where they live. yet they
enter their fields Of duties, as iNis' ..-
tcriv ignorant of the language or A.e
peopio and entirely az the mercy OF ma
live dravcniqn or interpreter. ffom Mhnn
they must learn by SLOW am. l"l.l
process. N every they 40 ithiIif .i' ~
habits. business tactics. ana otlti 'V"".
tions ~ the country. and when tneN 70 20
work diligently 10 learn. as many OF 'h'm
DO they have the moral certainty l"r..lS
them that they will be called nome the
first change of administfatph, Icy HtI
possess ever so much naiufai iri' ~, 80
over So faithfu and conscientious, Amer
iCun interests will inevitably t' NN,l-
looked and grievous plumbers mace DN'vr
such clrcun star rcs. ,.....,,
by suspicion or a transgresslcn or son.
conventional propriety, ana Deception iS
almost sure 10 be pracucei u t"c ..'s
means Of communication be h"lFo
This viii be obvious 10 any one who has
ever travelled especially In the East lI
carrot De right that men 80 poorly equiv
pei should be sent 10 nll such lnp'
ant positions. and II they are sent u
must be- a pricvous wrong 10 American
interests and honor, after they nave
l-borei 20 acquire the Language shu Wv, Wv,
derstand the people, 70 remove tno,
simply for political reasons and forfeit
tho benefit of an their work. IL Is III
consequence Of these THINKS that foreisn-
ers ridcule our representatives ana the
management Of our civil service.
The self interest OF our business n'n'
II American patriotism Is not sufficient,
should persuade them 70 put slop 10
this state OF things We met one hi"h
no lahOrcd over two years 20 ne9 u'i2
n speaking knowledge % very diliD ny
language. and who had reached tnt kolas
whore he was able 20 transact MS Du@l-
ness with the people in their own tOhe"p.
| Should partisan politics remove ruch a
man and puf another iu his place, 70 80
/ H..
| equal prospect OF being recalled I'D inc
near future2 Tn one place re-" years
ago the consul simply refused 10 STUDY
| the language or take any interest IN his
business beyond signing papers al the
| diCtati0n of his dragOman. no found
moro agreeable occupation IN the work OF
exploration. All this Is simply playing
| with American interests, and an inlus-
tcc 10 the good men We send abroad.
There Is no country with which for
| cign nations are Oh such friendly terms
| az America There is no barrier ui Jell-
ousy OF hostility between us. 1no peo-
! pie of Europe, ana especially the East.
| have the most exaggerated IDEAS OF ou-
| wealth and resources, and 10 Follows thtr
the nat ial conditions for the develop
| mcnt OF Our foreign commerce are most
| promising
1t is Il pity that We make such poor use
| OF them. What we need ln America -
TO follow the example OF other countries
| and keep body OF young men unuer
| pr per training FOR our foreign service.
| our schools and colleges might consider
| the Importance Of having native teachers
TO evo destruction in the modern lam
| gulfcs that they may have speaking
| as well as grammatical knowledge or
| them. I'm America we have the advan-
! tage Of having one spoken language. but
] there Is the disadvantage that when We
| come abroad. our ears not being accus-
| TONED TO foreign sounds we are wholly lno
| able 70 understand foreigners. eve =
! though We bc able 20 read their litoratur
/ with facility. IL takes several years {
! persistent study and speaking 10 be al .
| TO communicate easily with fOrcignt F..
| I'M their own tongue. The difficulty
| perccptlbly greater with us than with D.
| ropedns, who are made more or less
| miliar with the sounds of these langual
| from their childhood. Besides "a spec
! training, our service should be IN
| above the plane Of party politics. 4 20
| cc1sullr representative especially sho/
| have some assurance OF a prOtra,
| tenure or office, ana not be thIeatei
| win removal except for inefficient
! faithiess conduct. They should be
10 furnish their houses and settle doI
10 dilgcnt study OF the habits ana r,
| sources or the country ANA Il faltI 4
| discharge OF the business responsibnifV
imposed upon them.
In the Development Of our own resourg "a,
we want large place In the markets. .
! other lands the place is there tor n "a
| we will only give our representative ID
| fair chance. We need further rof0I
ton In our civil service. ard II Is or' "a
the most inporti nt subjects fer our
| PIE 10 consider. r.
A word also on the social qualte
| our rcprcse natives abroad. WHO are ..rr
! s.dered. and properly 20, 10 repre- sr-
| cur best American manhood. QUA .Ii-
| baqsadOrs especially should be pickle. ...rf-
/ around men. men Of gcntlcmanly "a. mo
/ mant and OF pleasing address ',fnio.
| platform. as well as Of legal and ,r OF
| matte ability surely IN a natl ID rat
| 100000 OF people ~ is possible slouif
| this combination OF qualities, ~ Z We
| be diligently sought for a. least sf M
| have men OF this character abr e4siiro
| the present time. and % is with ~ tneir
| and pride that Americans near s0uud-
| names mentioned and their praises d. ev-
ed Why can't it Dee 800 always rlamen
! ervwhere? When we speak 0f gf6oa re-
| we have no thought Of a hluc-l a. IA
| qulremcnt for we have seen NAnke
| America who have risen from the
| and yet their cultured refinement OF mann
| ner would grace any court IN Europe.
| There may be exceptional Instances
| where these comparatively minor quail
! featiOns nay be oycrrIied By other con-
| sidefatlOns, but there ought 10 be obvious
| reasons for the exception. In tho pros
| ence OF our foreign representatives. We
ought 20 be saved. as far as possible
| the modification 0f making apologies
| but when abroad under the critical eyo
| OF foreigners. We feel specially JesOus
| for the honor OF our country.
| A. CRAWFORD.
Paris. July Is. 1886
For the lee Mission.