Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-08
REFORM MUCH NEEDED
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ON
SELECTION OF CoNsULs.
Would Introduce Open, Competitive,
Non-Partisan Examinations and
Base Promotions on Merit.

In it's annual report the United States
civil service commission discusses the applt-
ca ton of the merit system to the consular
service and urges upon the President the
supreme Importance of earnestly recon-
mending to Congress the enactment of
law furnishing facilities for determining the
comparative qualifications Of applicants for
the consular service by means of open COM
petitive non-partisan examinations.
The commission says:
THE duties of consuls are many and va
rious They must inspect the manifests or
vessels to see that they conform to the
tariff law; they verify invoices of goods ex-
ported to the United States, and to prevent
frauds they ought to know the values of
the different kinds of mercha ndise. In the
performance of this duty an Intelligent,
skillful. alert and conscientious man is or
immense advantage to the government. In
1889 many hundred thousand dollars in du-
ties were saved to the government by the
efficient action of our consul at st. Gall.
The enforcement of our tariff, Dotn 1or
revenue and protective purposes, depends
very largely upon the skill, fidelity and en-
ergy of these officers. ConSuiS investigate
shipwrecks and save property from wreck
ed vessels; they are given police Jurlsdlc-
ton over commercial vessels and over dis
puteS between seamen and captains; they
have power to arrest deSerters ana Send
back shipwrecked sailors; they take charge
of the effects of those VINO die, and admin
lister estates, and in many non-ChriStian
countries, we have already seen, they
are charged with civil and criminal juris-
dictiOn.
Duties Are Delicate and Exacting.
I'm war their duties delicate and eX-
acting, and they must protect the interests
of the United States and it's citizens against
arbitrary acts. In addition to their admin
CT rat 6I,tia in nj n which thew
are accredited, they make reports on fifty
or more different classes of subjects re-
CURED by the State Department covering
the agricultural, commercial and industrial
interests of the country to which they are
sent. These reports include questions re-
garding the tariff. currency, finance, pub
lie laws, taxation and many others.
ITO be an efficient consul a man must
have wide range of knowledge, an inqufr-
ing mind, eagerness for information per-
tanning to his calling The man who has
procured this Information here at home will
be the man most likely to get it for us
abroad. The best way of testing a mans
ability to get information Is to find out
whether he has got it, that Is, to examine
him. From the repeated failure of past eN-
aminations it is evident that eXamina tons
for this purpose ought to be competitive
and open to all, SO that political and per-
sonal influence may be eliminated.
Would Remove Political Influence.
IF political influence can once be re-
moved and the temptation to make a clean
sweep at the beginning of new admins
tration can be eliminated it is evident that
the consuls who do their duty will have
some security of tenure and the opportuni
ty to rise by promotion from the lower
grades to the higher, as elsewhere in the
competitive classified service. Good men
can be secured even for the smaller places
when faithful service in those places De-
comes the appropriate portal for entrance
to higher positions.
The service will then be more uniformly
filled by men of intelligence, while the
further qualifications of integrity fidelity
and energy will be enhanced by the prospect
of promotion for good service. 1t is to the
competitive system which has so greatly
improved the other parts of the service that
we must look for the permanent bettermeHt
of the consular branch.
The consular service has been almost
totally overlooked in legislation. This
neglect was natural enough when 1t was
unimportant but 1t Is inexcusable today,
when the character of that service is of
such vital moment to our industrial pros
perity
I'VE therefore urge upon the President
the supreme importance of earnestly recon-
mending to Congress the enactment of law
furnishing facilities for determining the
comparative qualifications of applicants for
the consular service by means of open, COM
petitive, non-partisan examinations.