The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-06

IL appears that the present trouble has
largely arisen from the withdrawal OF the
naval officers from the coast and geo.
detic vessels In the hydrographic depart
ment 10 participate In the spanish-Arneri-
e ha Who as Dr. Proh nef Rnd ds
had conducted the work very satisfactor-
fly. The contest between the departments
has been going on with increased vigor
for several weeks, and IL is not possible
to indicate now what will be the outcome.
Report on Consular Bill.
The report OF the house committee on
the bill TO reorganize the consuler service
is an interesting and valuable document.
II deals not only with the mere question
OF the advantages Of changes in the pres
ent administration Of this important de-
partment Of the government, but relates
specific instances Of the disadvantages
and Injustice arising from the present sys-
TEN. Bills for the reorganization Of the
consular service have been faVorably re-
ported in both branches Of congress but
It is doubtful II either becomes a law At
this session. The desire Of the Republican
leaders for an early adjournment, and the
delay OF other public business which has
resulted from the protraeted wrangie Of
Puerto Rican legislation, probably viii
have the effect of sending over to the
short session several important measures.
among them the ship subsidy and consular
reorganization bills.
The consular service Of the United States
was established by the acts OF July 81,
1883 and July /. 1890, and 1t is a curious
fact that during the entire century of our
country's development, commercially.
since this service OF our government has
received but scant attention at the hands
OF congress. Except I'm the few instances
whore personal influence and favoritism 1t
Washington have enabled an individual
consul TO secure an advance in the amount
Of his salary, the consular salary remains
substantially as IL was fixed I'm 1856, and
for all the necessary expenses Of living IN
foreign countries 81 would reach as far
then as three times that sum can do now.
Many consulstes that We're important thir-
ty years ago have lost much Of their con-
sequence with the decaying Of our mer-
chant marine or the changed currents Of
international trade, white many others
that were then obscure have become moro
important, so as 10 require first-class men
TO administer them in the proper manner.
The shipping statute of 1883 swept away
the whole schedule Of fees fer services 10
American vessels, which up to that time
consuls, and little or nothing has since
been given TO them in compensation for
their loss.
Such changes in conditions show the
necessity for a careful revision OF the sal
aries throughout the service. As ex-
amples of the incongruous condition which
this detached legislation has imposed upon
the service the following are cited:
The consulate at Montevideo has n sal
airy of $500, with official fees OF 1922,
showing the amount of business done at
the office, while the consul at Stettin in
Germany, has salary OF sl,eo, with fees
OF si.192. showing the much larger bust
also. at Demerara, British Guiana, the
consul has d salary of S. 600 though the
official fees amounted to only $837 while
at Leipzig. where the official fees amount
ed to S5.5is. the salary was only $4,000
The consul at Nuremberg, Germany. a
city of 10000 inhabitants, has salary of
5000 while the consul at Munich, the
capital of Bavaria, with 10000 inhabitants.
has a salary of only 81 900
The recital OF these facts assuredly
shows the need of the revision In our con-
aIar Nd hax. 10 IA ff.,H
in every portion OF the globe to which that
service is extended.
The advantage OF reorganization Of
our consular service has been called TO
the attention OF congress from time to
time by those who saw the growing neces-
sity for some legislation in that regard.
The department of state has long recog-
nized the inadequacy of the consular serv-
ice to the growing needs OF the country.
and to the proper protection OF the bust
ness and property OF our citizens residing
abroad, either tor business or the pleasure
of travel.
Assistant Secretary Rockhill. in an ar
tice in the Forum for the month OF Feb
ruary, 1897 sums up the evils Of our con-
sular system as follows:
81. Imperfect mode OF selection Of con-
sular officers.
% No permaneney Of tenure
g. Inadequate compensation, resulting
in the exaction Of excessive fees and the
creation of consular agencies to increase
salaries
~ Excessive number of ee consulates
and commercial agencies
"s Imperfect enforcement Of regula-
tons especially as reearus amounts of
fees and their collection"
Place All Under salary.
This bill proposes to place all grades Of
consuls under salary. and to do away
with consular and commercial agencies
and provides that all fees Of all kinds
the United States treasury. OF the au-
vantages Of this system over the present
one abundant evidence is presented by
those most converaant with the needs Of
the service.
lue changed conditions which have
arisen during the pasttwo years empha-
size the necessity that our merchants
should be furnished with the most ac-
curate and recent information by the con-
suiar service. The recent acquisitions OF
territory to our domain. the later dip
inmatic victory which has assured 10 us
an open door TO the trade of China, there
by securing the markets OF four hundred
millions Of people sufficiently civilized 10
require oar manufactured textiles. rail-
r sd supplies electrical equipments and
all forms Of products Of iron, make IL alb
a.sHtNiH essential that our merchants and
exporters should receive Information and
statistics gathered By men competent in
the full sense Of the word to give rolia-
BILE information, The wonderful Increase
IN our export trade, reaching a billion
dollars within the past year, Is an evil
denCs OF what can pf dDEF hv American
energy and enterprise; and with an effi-
moss ~ our foreign service. furnishing re-
Nh Bile Information. these exports can De
iafgelv increased Some ~ our mer-
charts are so alive 20 the value Of this
Information that they are sending spe-
sal agents 10 examine and report Inc
resources and necessities % these new
ficlds With proper consular service
this would not be necessary
No stronger argnwrr. -.t' rf
Tor the necessity ~ a reform in the con-
~ular service than tht a.-. ... ....
al D.
look 20 the consuls 90 keen them I'M
f1~med on all matters u interest p.r-
tanning 10 the movements Of the ener1Y'e
r"sscls % war. whether separately on IN
e-ua 1rrrs - the movements ~ eyur sans
plies. whether - munitions or fuel. with
rhr measures taken hv thH government
rsr the prosecution - the war. whether ~
legislative or military character How
Hff --rH h0~vefnr Hgtrtuf5r rher fanr
have felt, be competent 20 furnish suci
.... u1af.u rs ben many of them had
t-ou indicted into office for less than p
rear most ~ them could uelfhe~ read
"or sucAk the language q thp country
ta which they had been accredited thus
making 81 impossible for them ~ iheir
1gru knowledge tn gather information n
fhe people ur ever she HeWspa ptrs there