Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-12-18
IHEIC0NSULSHIPS,
Interesting Facts for Expectant
Candidates.

Candidates.
These OHices no Longer Open 60 Free
scrambIe---Appli Must Take
Their Examinations Under the Civil
s.rv,ce RuIes-.-The Doodle Feature
Shut on
Seexers for comfortable places in the
consular service under the new Republican
administration that is to be are running up
AGAINST the unpleasant fact that those
nIaces now come under the civil service
rules. Up to September 20, 1895, consuls
were selected and nominated to the Senate
on the strength of the representations by
hind friends of political influence that they
were duly qualified. That condition has
been changed by an executive order which
President cleveland issued on that date.
Four years ago, when Mr. Cleveland was
aboA entering upon his second term, the
pressA~e for these places of consuls was
vep0 S~eat. A throng of applicants be-
sibSed llh,7Whte House after the inaugu-
%ation. Petitions poured in upon the de-
nartment. Congressman we're beset Every
4 state had enough candidates to I'LL the
whole service. After that experience the
President determined to close the consular
door to the Office seeker, and he mas zone
it quietly but effectually. Inc civil ser
vice commission can have nothing 10 40
with the consular appointments, BECAUSE ,,
g. Iowevar nothing in the way If the Pres
ident chooses to set up little civil service
rule OF his own to bar politics out OF the
service. That is precisely what he has
done. The consulships thus affecteo are
those of the third class, the salary OF winch
is $2500 or less.
Under the new order of things applicants
for consulships will receive from Mr.. ROCK
hill third assistant secretary OF the depart
ment of state, a letter which will say:
81 would state that, under the executive
order of September 20, 1895, vacancies IN
consulate or commercial agencies, the sal
arv of which is not more than S25OO OF
less than $1,000, or the official lees OF Whicn
do not exceed the former or fall below the
latter sum, will hereafter be hlled by tht
appointment of either: W PERSONS nolu
ing positions under the Department o.
State; (2) persons having previously served
under the department; or (3) from among
persons who, having furnished tne custom .Iiil
ary evidence of character, responslolllV!
and capacity, and having been thereupol
selected by the President for examination
have been found upon such examination
to be qualified for the position"
The letter will also inform the applcan
of certain formalties to be observed, an,
will close with the information that sucl
candidates as have been selected by III
President, after examination OF their ap
plications and Endorsements, will be not
fed of the date of the examination, and @
the subjects on which said examination
will bear and they will also be supple
with such other papers as the examinin
board shall deem necessary for their gult
auce." At that date those who are SUI
consumed with desire to serve their cour
try Gin foreign parts" can appear ana TAX
their little examinations.
Instead of this whole field being open
the ravages of political workers as hereto
fore President Mckinley will have only
copsular appointments to make. The pre-
ent o. ,upants of the other places will n
lain in service, protected by this new al
plicatIon Us civil service reform. The rel
son for Withholding these SO appointment
from the operation of the civil service ruiz
is. as explained by Secretary Olney, "thi
these places are scarcely inferior in dij
nifty and importance to that OF minister an
their incumbents must, it is believed, col
Time to be selected as heretofore at u
personal discretion and upon the person
responsibility of the Executive"
But lust here comes inanother interestlr
fact. Appointees to those coveted plac
of the first class will discover the existen,
of a certain "letter of instruction to u
consular officers of the United States
dated only two weeks before the NoVem0
election and signed Richard Olney. III
;a ~ anti off inVni
affidavit fees of all American consuls
Great Britain. Until now the office
consul-general to Liverpool has been pa
about $4,000 year, $1,000 in fees al
$4,000 in salary. The new instructions
off half of the income and make the Off
worth about $4,000. The same is true
the London consul generalship and OF
of the consular offices in Great Britain.
The salary of the consul-general at Lo
don is only $4,000 year, but the fees al
perquisites pertaining to the office ha
made it worth many times that amour
Patrick A. Collins of Boston, the prese
incumbent, received last year in fees 81
729, making the snug sum in all OF So
729. Under the new instructions the
fee will be worth about $1O,OOO YET
The consuls in Great Britain are pan
stricken over the action of the departmeI
Inelr SJaJeIneHJS qullc Sohoia oSi w
the order means the loss of about half
their incomes. About a dozen of the
consular places to be filled at the discreti
of the new president are among those tn
affected Half of their attractiveness
suddenly destroyed by Mr.. Olney's instrr
tions of October 81.
Thirty.five diplomatic appointments a
SO consular offices constitute the sum to
of patronage of which President McKinl
will have disposition. They allow an &
erage of two places to each state, if
free silver kingdom of Nevada be left O
of consideration. The foreign service
taking on the condition of pent-up Utl
for the Office seeker
1t was high time for these offices to
shut off from use as rewards for polite
work or for personal service rendered.
was also time to shut them out from vie
ing the incumbents an amount of "boodl
entirely incommensurate with services re
dered and responsibilities involved.
After all that has been said about t