The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-25
THE CONSULAR SERVICE.
Features of the Bill introduced In
the House and senate.


The Senate Committee 81 Foreign Rela-
tions will soon give hearing 10 the
friends of the bill to remodel the consular
service, which Senator Lodge introduced
early in the session. Delegates from the
chief representative chambers OF conf
merce throughout the country will appear
before the committee. and some idea will
| be given Of the efTor,s that are now being
! made to arouse public interest in the sub
! ject of procuring a stable and expert con-
sular representation.
At the head of the movement is the
Chamber of Commerce of the State of New
York, represented by Justin Schwab, and
the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, rep
resented by Harry A Garfield. Mr. Gar
| field made this the subject of his annual
address before the chamber of commerce
when he was its president. and has since
devoted great energy to bringing into effec-
tive form the desire among men who are
constantly thrown into contact with our
coDsuls to have better service. 1t is
probable, too, that the State Department
will be called upon to present all the in
formation it now has on this subject. which
is doubtless extensive and covers every
consulate in the world
The bill was presented in the House by
Mr.. Burton OF Ohio. simultaneously with
Mr.. Lodges introduction of il in the Sem
ate, and in administration to the other
consular reform propositions is known as
the Chambers of Commerce bill. II pro
vides for an immediate Reconsideration Of
the consulates, rermits the dropping out
| of useless places, and the substitution OF
other places in their stead. The new SER
vice is to be arranged by classes, and not
by places, and the stations OF consuls may
! be changed according TO the exigencies
of the service. II is thought that in this
way good men will be induced TO serve at
disagTeeable posts, because they will not
be compelled to remain permanently at
such places. but may. after a time. be
transferred TO agreeable consulates.
The salaries are all recast, and run from
the lowest grade at $3.50 year TO the
first-class consulates general. at 5000.
The whole fee system is abolished. and the
sole compensation is TO come from the
salaries. Admission 10 the-seryice is 10 be
after examination. the examining board
being composed of the Civil Service Com
mission, an officer of the State Depart
ment, and consul or consul general. The
names Of five persons who successfully ass
the examination are to be presented 10 the
President. and from these he may name his
nomination TO the lowest grade consulate.
Then the appointment is TO be on oroba-
ton. and at any time within y.ar the neg
consul may be dropped without any reason
being given. After demonstrating his
adaptability by years service, he is to be
permanently appointed. and cannot be re-
moved, except for stated cause and after
trial.
Promotions are TO be step by step, but
the Executive may skip a grade in filling
a vacancy. provided the reasons for doing
SO are made public. As the bill creates
six classes Of consuls and four of consul
general promotions will be frequent. and
there Will be no stagnation. For those
consulates where the consul acts as 4
judge and American citizens are not sub
ject to local law no one is to be appointed
who has not passed an examination in
law. The President is empowered to re-
call consul and assign him to special
duty in the State Department or other
Government Office fc a year, and any one
Of the permanent lorce of the State De-
partInent may be nominated as a consul
in a grade paving salary not greater
than that he was receiving in the De-
partment. There will thus be an liter
change between the home Office and the
foreign service. and full opportunity TO use
the experience gained In both branches.
Those who have examined the present
service as a whole do not say that il is
wholly bad, but that it is surprising 1t is
not worse when the system under which
it is governed is considered. They insist,
however. that it should be better, and
that its reorganization which has long
been desirable has been rendered a neces-
sity by the new place we have taken in the
world since our war with Spain.