The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-11
MISE BE RICH MEN.

The resignation of the Hon. Andrew
D. White an United States ambassador
at Berlin is said to have been brought
about by the desire of the President
1t seems that Ambassador White was
not doing enough entertaining to suit
the ideas of fashionable Berlin and of
ficial Washington. Something like a
year ago the son of Mr.. White died,
and since that time the American en-
bassy in the German capital has been
a very quiet place. 1t has, indeed, been
compared with the establishment Of
the late Baron Fava in Washington,
where for years not a cent was spent
for entertainment by the Italian diplo-
mat.
In casting about for probable sue
cessor to Ambassador White, 1t seems
to be agreed in all quarters that the
man chosen must have an Independent
private fortune; and the old question is
being threshed over, Why does not
the government pay its ambassadors
and ministers a salary sufficient to
maintain the dignity of their positions?
The salaries attached to the first-class
places. like London, Berlin, Paris and
St. Petersburg, are $17,500 EACH Prob
ably a half of this amount must go
for house rent, If the official lives in a
neighborhood BETTING his rank and
the Importance of his country. Then
there are innumerable functions of an
official and social character that must
be looked after, and all of which are
costly. The entertaining of diplomats
and officials is the greatest item of
expense at an embassy, and long be-
fore the year is out the ambassador
is more than apt to find that he has
expended two or three times his SAL
airy. 1t is necessary, therefore. for the
high diplomatic official of this gov
eminent to have a private fortune,
and to be willing to spend it freely.
Mr. Choate, in London, gave a dinner
only a short time ago which is said
to have cost about one-third of a
years salary. Is it right for the gov
eminent to permit it's representatives
to use their own money to uphold its
dignity abroad?
A considerable proportion of our mill
lionaires are men of ability and usu-
ally they are public spirited. What they
lack in diplomatic knowledge is always
Ion tap" from the large force of
trained secretaries, clerks, etc, who
spend their lives in the diplomatic
service. Furthermore. while as Ameri-
cans our rich men despise royalty, a
great many of them are mighty eager
to get into touch with royalty and the
society" which surrounds it, and are
willing to give up considerable of their
money for that purpose. They cannot
acquire titles or decorations in their
own country but by going to a for
eign court they can rub elbows and
tip glasses with those who have titles
and decorations, and that is the next
thing to owning them ones self. Hav-
ing no nobility of our own, our diplo-
matte system makes it possible for our
aristocracy of dollars to intermingle
with the nobility of other countries
and at a cost which almost any am
bilious millionaire is willing to pay
And If they are willing to pay for
this privilege, why should not Uncle
Sam crafty them? The diplomatic
service will not suffer, since, as we
have intimated, there are trained sec
retaries who will furnish the necessary
experience and acumen. BY giving our
millionaires all they want of the fun
merry of royalty and nobility abroad,
as our ambassadors and ministers, we
possibly keep down the desire to have
such things at home.