New-York tribune., 1902-03-09
CONSULAR REFORM.
Continued from page five.

person. 1t would be unjust toward the displaced
official, and would be distinct detriment TO the
country by depriVing it OF his years OF expert
ence. This custom, which has TO a great extent
prevailed heretofore, is, in my opinion, serious
injury TO the good of the service.
j am aware that some persons object TO tenure
of office on the ground that a consul by staying
long in a place viii become identified with the
place and have less interest in home affairs
The argument is fallaciOus. With consul who
has the true American spirit in him such
thing Will happen. On the contrary each year
abroad will convince him more thoroughly than
ever that country can compare with his own,
will make him honor and respect his own flag
all the more, and will incite him to greater
energy in promoting the welfare and interests
OF the great republic.
Others object to tenure of office on the ground
that continued service is not at all necessary
and that experience counts little, because, they
say, any man of average intelligence, by read
tng the consular regulations and looking up
matters in the way of commercial and maritime
Law, can in few weeks easily prepare himself
for all the duties or his ONCE; ana that a con-
sui of a few months standing IS quite COM
petent one whose experience is measured by
years. AS well might expect the law student
who has just finished Blackstone TO be COM
petent to try a case in court as the lawyer OF
years practice at the bar. a man may read just
how 10 construct a railway locomotive, and may
then think he knows all about ii; but let him
try TO build one, and he will hardly find himself
as competent as the machinist of years eX-
perience.
Consular work is one in which experience is
most valuable. The man Will find that the
principles which underlie consular regulations
commercial and maritime law, international law
and all those things are not to be mastered
and understood in a day or by simply reading
He will find conditions and questions
arising continually that nothing but experience
will enable him safely dispose of to the ap-
proval Of the department and the business
public In fact he Will not be long in realizing
that experience is a most valuable and desirable
factor and acquisition, and that IL will be worth
TO him its weight in gold.
Another desirable feature OF the Lodge bill is
the increase Of salary provided for the Consular
Service. The salaries paid cOnsuls at present
viii not average more than about one-half what
the consuls Of other nations receive. While Great
Britain, for instance. pays her army and navy
officers very much less than we pay ours, her
consuls receive salaries double those paid to our
own.
family Of say, five persons TO support, Is in
adequate. for living is much more expensive
abroad than at home He has a certain posi-
tion OF respectability to maintain as the rep
,-esentatfve OF a great nation: he will receive
courtesies at the hands of the local officials
and merchants Of the place and from his fellow
consuls which he is bound 10 return in kind
end to reciprocate is TO establish for himself
and his country a reputation for parsimony and
non-sociability. which will be certain to injure
him in the estimation of the people and prove
detrimental TO his usefulness in business way.
A consul to be really influential in aiding our
exporters must meet those whom he would in
nuence in a social way. do not mean that
consul should strive to take leading position
tn society. or be known as one Of the 400 OF
his locality, but that he viii md moderate In
terchange Of civilites with the merchants Of the
place a tremendous help in extending American
trade Other consus do these things, and
though his salary be only half as large as theirs
he must do likewise. or fail to get the best re-
suits for his country.
II the consuls place be a seaport he will wake
up some fine morning to see one of our warships
steaming into port in grand style. What
does that mean? Simply that the consul must
entertain the officers OF the ship at a dinner or
n ball. at his expense, which will certainly
make a good sized hole in his moderate salary.
Other similar expenditures must be met, which
his salary is inadequate for, and he is a lucky
consul who balances up his years accounts and
finds himself not in debt. These things done
by the consul in the interest OF his country,
should not become burden TO himself.
The Lodge bill recognizes this fact and pro-
vides for reasonable increase in salaries,
though just how much any consul's compensa-
ffon will be increased IS not determined. At
present consuls are permitted to retain the fees
they receive for notarial and unofficial services.
but under this bill all such fees are be turned
sn TO the government. Therefore unless the in
crease in a consul's salary exceeds the amount
he has been used to earn as notary, his COM
pensation IS not increased by this bill The bill
provides that cousuis shall be assigned by the
President to- the various classes nearly as
possible in accord with the salaries they were
receiving when said classification was made. If,
therefore. n consul who to-day is receiving a
salary of 50 600 and is also getting $500 year
as unofficial fees, making his compensation
pensation will be lessened by the $500 which he
has 10 turn in 20 the government II is not TO
be supposed. however. that the President would
so act 20 permit such injustice to be done:
and may therefore reasonably conclude that
the Lodge bill intends TO provide for a moder-
ate increase in compensation to consuls.
There are many details in the bill in question.
which ] have not time to consider but they are
ject of the bill, and to be framed 10 meet the
requirements thereof. 1t seems to have been
drawn with exceeding care by those who evi-
IDENTIFY understand the situation and who have a
clear idea OF what is needed.
In conclusion, 7 cannot withhold my approval
* the bill whole. and believe IL Congress