The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-31
To THE PLACE SEEKERS
How TO Get In Line For a Con-
sulate.
THE FORM OF EXAMINATION.

THE FORM OF EXAMINATION.
Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen,
Most of the Consuls Are Democrats,
Necessity Tor Political Endorsements,
The Pay of Consuls
WASHINGTON March 80. Special =
Interest in the consular appointments to
be made by THIS administration continues
undated The number of applications for
these offices on file at the state department. |
Is nearly 10, 900 a number of the readers |
of your paper have written TO me asking |
for information concerning the consular |
service They want TO know all about how |
10 get appointments, both in and out OF |
the classified service what sort of exami-
nations candidates are subjected 10 for the |
latter and many other facts. In the first
place, it is proper to say that unless man
who is ambitious 20 go abroad as consul
has the strongest kind of political backing
he will do we'll not TO waste his time APP
plying for an appointment. There Is not
q senator or representative in town but has
a 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 can
didates with first class support from sena-
tors and representatives can expect favor
able results, and only one in ten of these
will be lucky enough TO get an appoint
ment.
The Eligible List.
Some misapprehension exists as TO the
classified service as applied TO consulships.
AS | have already explained In these dis
patches, the consular places are not under
the civil service commission. An examin-
ing board has been created in the state de-
partment to examine applicants FOR con-
sulships in which the compensation Is not
more than 81, 800 nor less than 81 900 per
year.
1t is a common error TO suppose that ev'
cry applicant for consulship is exam
ined, and that those who pass at the high
est grade get appointments lt Is not SO
The president sends to the state depart
ment the names of those applicants he
wishes placed on the eligible list, and these
and no others are examined The presi-
dent need not appoint the men who pass
| good examinations and are recommended
| TO him by the board unless he wishes to
| do so The examining system is designed
merely TO assist the president in ascertain
| ing which of the asprants are best qualified
| to fill consulships Everything else Is left
! to him
I The Examination.
| The examinations. which are conducted
| usually by means of questions ana answers
| in writing, are upon the following topics
General education, knowledge OF Ian
guages, business training and experience
The country in which the consul OF
commercial agent is to reside, its govern
ment. chief magistrate, geographical Tea
lures. principal cities, chief production anc
its commercial intercourse and relations
with the United States
The exequatur. its nature and use
Functions of consul or commercial
AGENT as compared with those of vice con
snl or consular agent relation of forme
10 latter; also TO the United States minis
ter or ambassador at the capital OF TIT
| country.
Duties of a consul or commercial agen
as regards correspondence with the stat
department and the form thereof; pass
ports, granting and visaing; United state
, merchant vessels in foreign port an
their crews, whether seeking dlscharge
deserving or destitute; wrecks WITHIN TN
Jurisdiction; wrongs to United states GU
Gems within Jurisdiction; invoices, oincla
fees and accounts.
Treaties between the United states an
the foreign country
Relations of ambassador ana mlnlste
IN laws of the country to which they al
= accredited. as compared with those of cor
sul or commercial agent to those Oh III
countries where they reside.
Acts of ambassador or minister now Ia
4 4 III country
D,nlomatic. judicial and commercii
functions of consuls or commercial agent
Piracy. what it Is and where punishaoi
& Consular regulations of the Unite
O States-copy of which ito be returned
the dcpartment) will be supplied TO ea'
candidate upon application. =,
IT Such other subject or subjects as u
It board may deem important and appropi
ate in any particular case
According to the executive oruer issu'
:, by President Cleveland, vacancies IN CO
- snlotes falling within this class are 10
IL filled by selection from persons VINO ma
Of passed examination, or who hoid posi.io
10 under the state department, or VINO ia
previously served In or under the state
70 nartment. But this rule, as VIII oe
is ticed. is exceedingly elastic, ana the pr
In ,dent can practically fill these oifces
of suit himself.
Points of Interest.
Many candidates for consular appoi'
,L ments are surprised to discover that th
n must, If appointed, pay their own expeh
q. "a and from their post of duty. They
d. imagined the government paid such
Nv nenses but the government does nothi
:. Of the sort. If man with family
'e' three or four persons wins an appoihtm'
as consul at Tamatave, Madagascar,
Cevlon, India, or In China or Japan wh
Cd the salary is, say, $1,000 year anu
or. fees TO speak of, he will not ma hiin'
- much in pocket by the time he has ser
gu four years and paid all his travelling
no living expenses.
I'd. A majorityof the members OF our
sular service are not Americans puc r
dents of the country. they are vice
suls. commercial agents, agents, interp
TIC ers and clerks, depending In nearly
sy cases upon fees for their compensael
nd with very few exceptions, all our saial
IN, consuls on March last were Deinooi
'N amounted during the last administra.l
.o,s,1 IN, the service Is ltOfi