The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-10
Admiral Schley's Appeal to Presi>
dent Roosevelt Considered Unwise

I recall with the greatest pleasure the
Kindness and hospitality of my friends.
the Aiabamains, as shown me during my
visit to Birmingham two years ago. Ny
experience there makes me very desir-
Gus of again visiting Alabama"
Judge Richardson was one of the fifty
thousand who greeted Admiral schley ON
the memorable visit to Birmingham. Yet
the Admiral remembered the Congress
man by face name and title
There is at last a fair prospect of q
common-sense reorganization of the con-
sular service to the extent of elevating It
to the merit system-a change which has
been urged upon Congress from time TO
time for seventy-five years and which re-
Gently has been pleaded for by every Inn
portant commercial body in this country.
Senator Lodges bill Is. 1879, Ito pro-
vide for the reorganization OF the con-
sular service of the United States. Is the
best Of all efforts yet made in that direo-
ton, and since there is no strong oppo-
sition to It there is no apparent reason
why 1t should not become law. There is
very general impression that Congress
will this session pass the bill or some act
bearing Its chief provisions
The Lodge bill provides for two corisuls-
general at 10000 a year each; eight at
5000; thirteen at $1,000. and thirteen at
5000; consuis to the number of thirty
seven at 5000 each; thirty-ive at $4,000;
sixty at $1,000; forty at $500; thirty at
$1,000 and fifty at $500. and adequate pro-
vision is made for subordinate consular
officers. And then comes this eminently
wise provision:
''Ail fees, official OF unofficial, received
by any officer In the consular service for
services rendered In connection with the
duties of his office or as consular officer.
shall be accounted for and paid into the
treasury of the United States, and the
sole and only compensation Of such Off
GERS shall be by salaries fixed by law"
Within year after the passage Of the
act the President shall classify the full
consular officers. as nearly as possible.
according to their pay under the present
system; and such officers shall be grad
ually recalled for examination within two
years from the date of the passage of
this act. and readmitted to the same
classes which they respectively occupied
on passing the prescribed examination,
provided they are deemed competent;
and any one who shall fail TO pass such
examination shall thereupon be dropped
Fl ON the consular service but no con-
sular officer shall be recalled for the pur-
pose OF said examination within six
months after the passage of this act.
THAT the Secretary of State. or such
officer In the Department of State as the
President shall designate, ana a consul
general or consul of the United States
whom the President shall designate, shall.
In conjunction with the Civil Service Com
missoiners. constitute a board of exam
iners for admission to the consular SER
vice"
mo one shall be examined who is under
twenty-one or over fifty-five years of age,
or who is not a citizen of the United
States. or who is mentally or physically
disqualified to properly perform the duties
of CONSUL ."
Vacancies ACQUIRING shall be filled by
promotion until the lowest-paid class be
reached, and vacancies in that class shall
be filled by persons desiring to enter the
service who have passed the required ex-
animation, the President to select for
each vacancy one name out of five SUBJ
mitted to him. Every applicant shall
pass examination in English one of the
three languages, French, German or Span
ish.
These are the main features of Mr.
Lodges admirable bill.
One of the most popular and charming
of Birmingham young women. Mrs
Brantley, the wife of Congressman Will
liam Gordon Brantley of the Eleventh
Georgia district and formerly Miss Mary
George Linn of Birmingham, is with the
large congressional colony at the Riggs
House. Mr. Brantley is one of the young
er members of the House, being only
forty-one years old, and he is now serv-
ing his third term. His home is in Bruns-
wick For time he was a member of
the Georgia Legislature and subsequently,
solicitor-general, an officer corresponding
to circuit solicitor in Alabama. Mr.. Brant-
ley is a man of strong intellectual force
and most engaging personality
LUCIEN JULIEN WALKER.
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