New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-19
CONSULAR Reform.
its eXistenc.

The chief evils to be corrected i'll the lhl'eu
States Consular Service form the topic OF par
ticularly suggestive article in the FeDr'lar!
"Dornm" from the pen Of Mr. W. W. Rockhhl
the Third Assistant Secretary or state WHO
writes from the fulness of long experience ana
sbrowd observation That serious evlls exist
is of course notorious They have been COM
plainpd of and exposed times without NUM-
Der. Yet so strangely have they been ignored
or worse. by Congress, that. as Mr.. Rockhii
reminds rs from the foundation of the Gov
orument 10 the present time only one general
law for the Improvement of the service has
heen enacted. That was more than forty years
ago: IT did not begin to touch the root of the
matter and it has become largely imperative.
We NAV we'll call such neglect strange. because
TO n great commercial Nation an efficient Con-
sular Service is Of supreme Importance Bnt
instead of regarding it as such this Govern
ment has largely looked upon 1t as medium
for paying political debts-a fact which MI.
Rockhill generously fOrbears to mention-and
for paying them as cheaply as possible. The re-
sult is. too often, just what it naturally is
wherever cheapness is the chief alma service
SO Door as to be dear at any price.
The first great evil is In the system of APP
pontment. Men are chosen who have not the
proper qualifications, who do not expect to
make career in the service. who get the places
as rewards for political work or because OF in
fuential friendships. and who aim merely to
''cet as much out of It" as they can before the
next change of Administration ends their ten
urc. Such men. however honest and we'll
meaning are mere prentice hands, not masters
of the craft, and their work cannot be salts
factory They have little influence in the con-
sular body or in the communities in which they
are stationed. If loyal and upright, they feel
themselves handicapped, and are called home
lust when the handicap Is being removed ana
they are becoming able to serve with credit to
themselves and with profit to the Nation.
Otherwise they are apt to yield to the tempta-
| ton of "making hay while the sun Shines by
| placing their own pecunary interests above the
| interests Of the Nation. For the rcmedying Of
this evil Mr.. ROckhll urges the extension of the
| Civil Service reform system, so that consular
officers will be chosen on the ground of fitness,
and be permanently retained and successfully
promoted according to the faithfulness and ef-
ficency of the service they render.
The second major evil is in the system of COM
pensatiOn. TO a considerable extent the fee
Gus farming-Out style Of government which
still fOurishcs among the taXgathercrs of Mo
rocco and China. The most judicOus observers
| have repeatedly denounced ii as vicious. dele
terious TO the service and debauching in its in
fuence That indictment of 1t is not too severe
Yet not only Is the system maintained, for TIT
sake Of getting n cheap service, but consular
and commercial agents, paid with fees OF theiI
own levyng are appointed in unlimited mum
| beers. often actually to compete with the Con
suls themselves for business. For this tho
remedy required comprises the abolition OF
these agents or great reduction Of their mum
bers the fixing Of fees by statutory schedule
all OF them to be accounted for to the Treasury
and the placing OF the service to the utmos
possible extent upon n salaried basis, and
basis of salaries sufficient to induce men o.
first-rate ability TO enter and to remain In thu
service.
These are the two chief points in Mr.. Rock
hills discussion. In addition however. he urge
most earnestly the need Of n regular and thor
ough system Of inspection Of cOnsuates. Year
ago the sending Of n man around the world oil
such an errand was regarded as n mixture o
farce and junketing. Either the inspector wa
incompetent or his work was nullifed by fail
ure to execute his recommendations. But wha
can be done In this direction was shown las