Arizona republican., 1899-03-26
AMERICAN ic.ONSULS
Praise of Their Work by a
 French JOurnoI.
They arc Practical Hen Who Go Forth tO Conquer COmmerCi; i Situation, Not 10 Maintain One. instances Cited.

Washington, March 25.-The pro
 gressive character of the American dip
 Iomatic service in recent years is bs-
 ginning to dawn upon some O. inc Flu
 ropean nations. Consul-General Mason,
 at Berlin, forwards to the state de partment a letter on the foreigner s
 appreciation of the service, which con- 1 tains some novel information, espe-
 cialiy with the prevailing view that | cur consular service is defcient. Mr.
 Mason fo1iNards translation from
 La Revnue Diplomatique, which says:
 "The Americans are practical men.
 and their instinct for business is mar l yelous Nothing is more character
 istic in this respect than the organi- zatiOn of their consular corps. The consular corps of the United States is a remarkable instrument of expansion. It's duty is that of a sort of bureau of information at the expense of the state. It is recruited principally from journalists, who carry into their official career the trained instinct of CbServa-
 
 which belong to their former pro- fession. They remain in close and sympathetic touch with their former readers Their letters, which their colleagues reprint, have the familiarity of an interview. They describe how their family enjoy their new residence, whether their house has an exotic character, and the following Sunday supplement- reproduces it with photo graphs. They address their reports to the; government, but they know that as soon as they are received, the press will reprint them and that the whole country will derive advantage from them.
 'The American consul does not un- derstand that he has commercial sit nation to maintain, but always a com mercial situation to conquer. His in genuity is exercised to invent and find new markets, and in his study of ways and means he dsscends to the most minute details.
 For instance, the Americans have wheat to sell. The consul at Annoy proposes to import it into China. But the Chinese do not eat wheat. They must then be taught to eat it. It is mo- ticed that the Chinesa 'gargoutiers' (coOks) from associations in which they readily copy or initiate each other. The consul suggests that some dozens of these be selected, wheat given them gratis, and they be taught to make a few cheap, simple dishes. Tho fashion would spread rapidly tho restaurants and from there to the families. Here is an instance of imagination, and, at the same time, Of practical good sense.
 ''The Americans do not lack cer- tain sentimenlality in business. Last ! year at Caracas they offered to the | president a banquet, where they were served only dishes prepared from pro- ducts of American origin. Enterpris- | ing and ingenious in the new countries, | it is above all in Europe that the con suls of the United States are active | and aggressive. Despite their colonial | the Americans have con- | prehended that the real struggle re- | mains in the old markets; that there ! are great fields to be cultivated; that | there especially is the hard school | which will force them to manufacture and sell better than all others"