New-York tribune., 1896-12-07

IN lodgings and in the quietest possible way he
VIII DE compelled to exercise rigid economy In
order to avoid running into debt. If Consul
De bent upon filling his office merely for the
sake OF the few hundreds Of dollars which may
oe saved by close calculation he may live where
NOBODY will ever visit him. and become an Off
ciai mack, without social acquaintances but by
remaining in cheap lod yings and rendering him
self inaccessible to polite attent,ons he will not
properly represent his country. Indeed the Con-
suiar regulations are explicit in declaring that
ne must be on gooG social terms with the best
people or the community. since his sphere of
usefuness is enlarged by his circle Of acquaint-
ance.
An American Consul settling in a town like
bradford. FOR example. soon ascertains that he is
compelled to live in residential section where
his household expenses are the same as those Of
! the people with whom he associate tes on terms of
equality He will have to hire furnished
house with rental OF between 5000 and 81 900;
ne Will have to keep three servants and a couple
of nursemaids. If he has young children and his
! living expenses for rent. servants wages food
supplies, gas. fuel tram fares and incidentals
VIII be at least 5000 This will not include
clothing. club cues holiday travel. wines. cigars
private entertainment. presents, tips and other
incidental expenses with which an Englishman
! Of means is familiar Office seekers in America
! choose to assume that they can live handsomely
on S2.1O0 q year in English provincial town
/ but they soon find out their mistake when they
enter a Consulate. In town like Bradford or
| Manchester or Glasgow. Consul with family
cannot live on less than $1,000 year, and then
Il will be without luxuries or extravagances OF
any kind
In provincial cities the American Consul is the
recipient OF many courteses from the municipal
authorities. and is invited to the dinners of the
Mayor. the borough justices, the town council
] Tors and the Aldermen and Is often assigned to
speak He receives calls and invitations to din
ners. balls and receptions and he is naturally
expected to reciprocate these social courtesies.
He must dress well. belong to the best clubs and
subscribe to public charities. Living where he
does. tradesmen charge him in accordance with
! his supposed means and rank. and ii is impos-
sible for him TO cut down his expenses the
/ American level. Good beef mutton. ham. bacon
and cheese will cost him more than at home. and
/ with the exception of clothing all his living
! penses will be higher Many members of the
American Consular service in Great Britain were
! Democratic tariff reforiners who came abroad
with the idea that while their official incomes
! might not be large. they would find house rent.
household expenses and the cost of living much
/ lower than in America. / have yet 10 meet
/ Of them who he's not discovered his mistake
. HOW THE SERVICE CAN BE IMPROVED.
If the Consular service has been gradually
starved out by reductions Of salaries and trans
fers OF fees to the United States Treasury. il has
! been because there was a horde OF ofice-seekers
every four voars clamoring for share Of official
patronage. II the service be taken entirely out
| Of politics by the extension of President Cleve
! lands order TO the lining offices. there Will
| be chance for complete reorganization and re-
grading, and for the increase Of salaries where
| larger incomes are needed. With swarms OF
| office seekers excluded fiom II. and with an or
derly system OF entrance examinations. promo
tions and pensions for old age. ii will be busi-
ness department manned by experts. whose ten
ure Of office will not be affected by political cleo
tions and changes Of Administration Higher
| salaries will be justified. because they will De
earned by training and expert knowledge. \
! better paid service OF this kind would be eco
| nomical because with superior technical train
| ing 1t would be more competent TO discharge
official functions and TO prevent underyauations
and fraudulent invoices
For example a United States Consul at
woollen centre like Bradford cannot do Justice
to his office unless he has acquired expert knowl-
edge Of the qualities and prices OF goods exported
/
the invoices and the present Consul s able To
tell at a glance whether there is superficial owl
dence OF undervauation: and IL his suspicious
are aroused 1t is his duty TO warn the Treasury
Department In time to secure a critical examina-
tion Of the goods when they arrive In New-Nork.
This Consul has qualified himself for this work
by practical experience and technical study. II
he he removed il may be three or four years be
fore his successor will acquire the same amount
OF expert knowledge. This is one Of the strong
est arguments for retaining the services OF com
petent officials and Of converting the Consular
body into a permanent business department.
The. Treasury Department now has a European
secret service with detectives employed in inves
tgating charges Of undervaluation service
of this kind would be unnecessary II Consuls
were experts and the irrational system OF turn
ing out for partisan reasons every experienced
official were abandoned.
A publc-splrited American who has made
careful study Of the Consular service may be
quoted as saying: THE incoming Administration
will have a golden opportunity for reforming
the abuses Of a senseless system OF partisan ap
pointments Mr.. Mckinley, being elected by
Democratic as we'll as Republican support will
ba justified in respecting the Cleveland order
bringing the majority Of the offices under the
Civil Service rules. Let him retain the most ex-
perienced Of the higher saaried members. fill up
the vacancies and extend the operation OF the
present order to the remaining offices. In this
way the Consular service will be reformed per-
manently its efficiency increased and It's repre-
sentative character raised" J. ~ +.
GREAT BRITAIN SETTLES WITH EGYPT