The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-19
SOME DIPLOMATIC PLUMS.

From the Pittsburg News.
Excluding cabinet portfolios the most
eagerly sought for and desirable offices
in the gift Of the president are the foreign
missions. AT the beginning of eaA ad-
ministration there is a vast army of APP
plicants for diplomatic assignments
abroad, and the clamor extends from the
highest and most lucrative ambassador
ship to the least significant consulship
There are multitude of inducements at
taching to a. foreign mission Besides the
social prestige which a consular repre-
sentative of the United States government
has in the land to which he is sent, the
opportunity to travel is great and then
not inConseQuential is the salary and per-
qustes. In short foreign ambassador
or minister is a little king. Major Nc
Kinley is besieged with applications for
foreign offices.
The most desirable diplomatic places in
his gift will be the missions to London,
Paris and Berlin. These are embassies,
and a salary of $l75O0 year is attached
to each of them. St. Petersburg, which
| is also an embassy. has the same pay, but
1t is not so attractive plum owing to the
Objectionable climate of Russia. Rome
is the fifth embassy on the list, but the
emolument belonging to it is only $4,000.
1t is not nearly so important place as
| the others, our relations with Italy being
casual. Next in. point of desirableness
comes the mission to Vienna. At that
capital there is little for our minister to
| do; the life is very pleasant and the city
gay. The salary is $4,000, which is like
wise the pay for Madrid and Constantine
| pie. Madrid has the disadvantage how
| ever, of bad climate in summer 1t is
| a dirty and unhealthy city and living there
| is expensive The Spanish mission just
| at present is a very delicate and unpleas-
| g,p,
| between this country and Spain. In the
| days of the Armenian troubles 1t can
| easily be imagined that the Cons tantino-
| pie post Is not being very energeticalg
| sought for. The lesser European missions,
| those of The Hague, Brussels, Greece,
| Switzerland, Sweden and Norway, are all
| pleasant posts with not much work to do,
| our relations with these powers being of
no great Importance. The salaries at
| tached to them range from $1,000 to so, 600.
| Brussels is the most desirable of the lot,
inasmuch as the city is one of the most
delightful in Europe, and has a charming
cosmopolitan society with large Amer-
| can colony.
OF the diplomatic posts in Asia, Japan
is the most eligible. Living there is eN-
| ceedingly cheap, and life in the Mikado' 5
| kingdom Is said to possess SURPRISING
| charm. Furthermore, the American min
| lister, who gets $4,000 a year. is treated
| with special consideration owing to exist
| ing trade interests which unite the coun-
| try with Japan, and to numerous obliga-
tions which the japanese owe the United
States. The Chinese mission is worth
| $4,000 per annum, and Is always eagerly
| sought. But it is far less desirable than
| Japan; life is not nearly so pleasant and
| tha people are dirty and impolte. The
| diplomatic appointee who cannot get any
| a.
| only 5000 and the place unimportant The
| character of the average Persian mon
| arch may be judged from eccentrcities
| of the late Shah, when he was in London
| a few years ago. To a reception given in
| his honor by a noted Englishman the
| Shah invited women of bad character,
| Another incident connected with his visit
| to London was a sort of a religious cere-
| mony which occurred in one of the most
celebrated English palaces, The nobility
was invited to atter.', The function was
| startling throughout, many of the spec
tators being forced by their sense of de-
| cency to retire before It was over. One
! feature of the performance was the