Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-30
TO OFFICE SEEKERS.
How to Get in Line for Con-
sulate Appointment.
Form Of Examination Many Called
But Few Are Chosen.
Necessity for Political Endorsements and the
emoIuments Of Office.

N'e ." WV eousuihr appointments to be
made by this administration continues un-
ahated. The number of applications for
tEcse offices on file at tho state depart.
ment is nearly $4,000. A number of the
readers of your paper have written to me
asking for Information concerning the con.
suiar service They want to know all
ABOUT how to get appointments both in and
out of the classified service, what sort of
examinations candidates arc subjected to
Tor the latter, and many other facts. In
the first place, it is proper to say that an
less man who is ambitious to go abroad
as consul has the strongest kind of polit-
ical backing he will do we'll not to waste
his time applying for an appointment.
There is not a senator or representative in
town but has Il list of friends as long as
the moral law he wishes to take care of in
one place or another, and the pressure for
consulships is something tremendous.
Only those candidates with first class SUD-
port from senators and representatives can
expect favorable results, and only ono in
ten Of these will be lucky enough to get
an appointment.
The Eligible List.
Some misapprchcnsion exists as to the
classified service as applied to consulships.
AS l have already explained in these dis
patches, the consular places arc not under
the civil service commission. An examin-
ing board has been created in the state de-
partlnent to examine applicants for con-
sulships in which the compensation is not
,nore than So, 500 nor less than 81 900 per
year.
1t is a common error to suppose that ev-
anNIirnnt nv opy1crp1c1,i,, too
and that those who pass at the highest
grade get appointments. 1t Ia not So The
president sends TO the state department the
names of those applicants he wishes placed
on the eligible list, and these, and no 9TH
ers, are examined. The president need not
appoint the men who pass good examina-
lions and are recommended to him by the
board unless he wishes to do SO. The ex-
amining system is designed merely to as
sst the president in ascertaining which of
the aspirants is best qualified to fill con-
;.ulships. Everything else is left to him.
The Examination.
The examinations, which arc conducted
usually by means of questions and answers
in writing, are upon the following topics:
General education, knowledge of Ian
guages, business training and experience.
The country in which the consul or COM
mercial agent is to reside, its government,
chief magistrate, geographical features
principal cities, chief production and its
commercial intercourse and relations with
the United States.
The exequatur its nature and USE
Functions of u consul or commercial
agent rs compared with those of vice con-
sui or consular agent, relation of former to
latter, also to the United States minister
or ambassador at thecapital of the country
Duties of q consul or commercial agent
as regards correspondence with the state
department and the form thereof; pass
ports, granting, visaing; United States
merchant vessels in IA foreign port and their
crews, whether seeking discharge, deserting
or destitute: wrecks within the juristlic-
ton; wrongs to United States citizens
within the jurisdiction; invoices, official
fees and accounts.
Treaties between the United States and
the foreign country.
Relations of ambassador and minister to
laws Of the country to which they are &C
credited IS compared with these of consul
or commercial agent with those of the
countries where they reside.
Acts of ambassador or minister, how far
binding upon his country.
Diplomatic, judicial and commercial
functions of consuls or commercial agents.
Piracy, what it is and where punishable
Consular regulations of the United
States, copy of which Ito be returned to the
Department. will be supplied to each can
didate upon application.
Such other subject or subjects as the
board may deem important and appropri-
ate in any particular case.
According to the executive order issued
by President Cleveland, vacancies in con-
sulates falling within this class are to be
filled by selection from persons who have
passed examination or who hold positions
under the state department, or who have
served in or under the state de-
partment. But this rule, as will be no.
ticed, is exceedingly elastic, and the presi- |
dent can practically fill these offices to suit
himself.
Points of Interest.
Many candidates for consular appoint |
ments are surprised to discover that they
must, if appointed, pay their own expenses
to and from their post of duty. They had |
imagined the government paid such ex
penses, but the government docs nothing |
Of the sort If a man with a family of
three or four persons wins an appointment
as consul at Tamatave, Madagascar, or
Ceylon, India, or in China or Japan, where |
the salary is, say, 81, 500 q year and no fees
to speak of, he will not find himself much |
in pocket by the time he has served four
years and paid all his travelling and living
expenses. ,ee
A majority of the members of our con-
sular service are not Americans, but resi-
dents of the country. They are vice con-
suls, commercial agents, agents, interpre-
tiers and clerks, depending in nearly all
cases upon fees for their compensation.
With very few exceptions, all our salaried
on March last were Democrats
appointed during the last administration.
The Oldest consul in the service is Horatio
J. Sprague of Massachusetts, who has been
at Gibraltar (under Great Britain)
since 1S4S Edward L. Baker of Illinois
has been consul at Buenos Ayres, Brazil.
since 1874, and Thomas ]. McLain OF Ohio
has been stationed at Nassau, Bahama is
lands, since 1877. Gerhard Gade has been
consul at Christiania, Norway, since 1869.
Eugene Plumacher of Tennessee has been
at Maracsibo, Venezuela, since 1888. Ev-
cry other consulate in tho service was filled
by President Cleveland during the last