The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
; Our d Iomats Abroad ;
- Where They Live How They What -

Copyrighted, 1897 by Frank G. Carpenter.)
WASHINGTON, D. c., March A
Secretary Sherman tells me that the
applications for consulships will prob
ably number 5000. There are more
than ten applicants for every foreign
mission, and the politicians seem to
look upon the diplomatic appointments
as the best offices in the gift of the
administration. This is a great mis-
take. 1 have at different times visited
every legation in Europe and Asia,
and have come into contact with more
than 100 American consuls in all parts
OF the world. The most of them were
dissatisfied with their positions, and
all complained Of big expenses and
small salaries. There is scarcely an
Office in the gift of the state depart
mtnt which pays enough to allow its
occupant to live up to his station and
entertain as he should. One of the
chief reasons for sending rich men to
the courts Of London, Paris, Berlin and
St Petersburg is because by means
OF their private fortunes they can keep
up the style which the American minis
ter should maintain in order to be Of
get the highest salaries paid to any
of our diplomats. They receive 81, 500
a year each. Their expenses, however,
are often twice or thrice this amount.
Whitelaw Reid paid, it is said, $27, 900
year house rent while he was minister
TO Paris, and his entertainments must
have cost him as much more Our
present minister TO France. Mr.. Eustis,
pays So, 900 a year for his house, and
his necessary expenses, as given in
an itemiZed statement not long ago.
were $4,000 a year. I visited Paris
when Levi P. Morton was our minister
there. He paid more than twice his
salary to keep UP his establishment.
Gov. NOyes, of Ohio. when he was
minister to France was too poor to
maintain the dignity of the place out
Of his own pocket. He was helped by
having a rich secretary of legation.
This was Representative Hit, Of Hi
nois, who spent, have been told, as
much as $4,000 year in entertaining
THE BERLIN MISSION
Another costly foreign place is Ber-
lin. Our minister there ought to keep
up an equal style with the ministers
from other countries. He cannot do
50 on much less than $4,000 a year.
The British minister at Berlin gets
$37, 500 a year, and has a palace fur
nished by the government and a big
allowance for entertaining. The British
legation building at Paris is five times
as big as that Of the British legation
at Washington, and England's minister
TO France gets $3.50 a year and 500, 600
additional for entertaining. Our last
minister to Berlin is, 1 am told, worth
$4,000 less today that he was when
Cleveland appointed him American am
baSsadOr to Germany. 1t is said that
he failed in some of his diplomatic
negotiations from a lack of money for
entertaining. and that his necessities
at one time were such that he serious
~ thought of sending in his resigna-
ton. l visited William Walter Phelps
a few years ago, when he was our
minister to Germany. He was, you
know, a man Of large fortune, and he
spent money freely. When he got to
Berlin he could find no house suitable
for the American legation. An indie
pendent establishment costs great
deal in that city. Many Of the fashion
able people live in fats, and only the
richest can afford houses. There We're