Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-02
4 BUSINESS SERVICE.

4 BUSINESS SERVICE.
1t Is stated that more than 5000 can
didatcs for consuishps have filed appi-
/ cations with the State department.
There are only 800 places of that class,
so that there are about ten applications
for every place. The great demand for
these positions is somewhat surprising =
in view of the fact that only Il very
/ small number of them pay more than a
decent living. while some of them yield
| less than the actual expenses of the in
cumbcnts, but of course the privilege
of serving the country in an official ca
| pacity abroad has strong attractions and
not few men are willing to make
! pecuniary sacrifice in order to enjoy it.
! There was time when many of the
! consular officers of the United States
were more than handsomely paid for
their services. They not only received
salaries, but were permitted to retain
large fees. Now nearly all of the fees
collected are turned into the United
States treasury and the consular scrv-
ice, instead of being an expense to the
country, Is more than self-suppOiting.
Such consular positions as those at Lon
don, Liverpool, Paris and Berlin do not
now give the munificent incomes they
formerly did.
1t is the understood policy of the pres
ent administration to put the consular
service on thorough business basis.
This is what the commercial interests
of the country desire. The president of
the National Association of Manufactur-
ers recently wrote a letter to President
Mckinley, on behalf of the association
urging the Importance of better con-
sular service and condemning The prac
tice of dealing out the principal consul
ships as rewards for political service.
This practice, it was declared, has been
immeasuiably detrimental to American
commercial interests in foreign coun
tries and there can be no doubt that |
such is the case. 1t was suggested in
this letter that the changes in the con-
slllar service shall be rs few as possible; |
that removals shall be made only be- |
cause of demonstrated incapacity; that |
vacancies shall be filed as far as possible |
by promotion or transfers; that appoint
ments shall be made solely upon the |
basis Of proper qualification for the posi-
ton aud without regard to political
service. and that only American citizens
shall be appointed to any consular Office.
All these are good suggestions They
have been long urged by those who ap
preciate the Importance of giving the
consular service thoroughly business
character, of filling it with men having
Il knowledge of practical affairs and of
divorcing it altogether from politics.
There is reason to believe that the ad-
ministration is in full sympathy with
this view and that whatever changes
shall be made in the service will have
reference to its Improvement from
business standpoint--to increasing its
efficiency as means of promoting the
foreign commerce of the country. 1t
will be found necessary undoubtedly,
to make removals. There are ncom
petent men in the service who ought to
be replaced and there are others who
are disqualified by reason of their views
in regard to the economic policy of the
country. a republican administration
can not be expected to retain in consular
positions men who are unfrendly to the
of protection. But such con
sular officials will be replaced, 1t is safe
to say. by men who can show Il better
claim TO appointment than political serv-
ices There is practically unlimited
for selection and there can
be TO excuse for not appointing to the
to be filled men of the best
qualifications for this service.