The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-23
At Present the Poor Man with Brains
Has No Chance to Serve in Higher
Diplomatic Field.
MUCH-NEEDED
REFORM
WHAT WE LOST By ENGLAND'S OUT
SHINING: UsIN ST. PETERSBURG.
We Lose Caste and Credit by Our
Unnecessary Appearance Of
Poverty.

Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Aug. 2O.-"The new Con-
gress will be emphatically asked to give
the poor man with brains chance
at some of the so-called big plums
in our diplomatic corps" said former
United States ambassador to one of the
foremost courts of Europe. a day or two
ago. There isn't an American ambassa-
dor or minister accredited to any European
court of any significance to-day who is not
spending at least three times his salary.
Yet there are schools of diplomacy spring
ing up all over the country as post-grad-
uate departments OF our colleges of law
Hundreds of young men will matricuiate
in the fall; will peg away for several years,
dreaming of emperors and kings to be hob
nobbed with. Then they will get their
diplomas and come down to earth again
with a dull sickening tnud,' unless they
be scions of wealthy families
IL is true, this great man says. that
our ambassadors and ministers in Europe
are spending at least three times their
salaries to uphold the dignity of the United
States. The first sparks of the reform sug-
gested have lately been smoldering, but
have never yet been famed into a flame.
What is needed most is for the govern
ments to buildings suitable for the
combined residences and Offices of its am
bassadors and ministers
Ambassador Choate will this year rent a
| country house near London that he may
enjoy restful ''week-ends,' away from the
| telephone. the telegraph and the endless
chain of visiting cards. This rural branch
| of the embassy must, in addition to the pa
| latial ambassadorial residence in Carlton
House terrace be paid for by Mr.. Choate' S
! personal check. Mr.. Choate's city residence
| costs him a pretty penny. 1t is the house
of Lord Curzon and was purchased for the
| Prince of Wales i'm 1892. Our ambassadors
| Immediate neighbors are Lord and Lady
| William Beresford, the Earl of Caladon, the
| Dowager Countess of Pembroke Earl
| Brownlow, the Duke of Grafton. Germany's
ambassador and the expatriated William
| Waldorf Astor. Men must pay for such fine
neighbors but it will perhaps be long day
| before a certain large element in Congress
| can be made to believe that Uncle Sam
| should pay for them. Yet such a mansion
| and such neighbors and such style are 1.-The
very breath of diplomatic life / can hear
| the reader shifting at this statement and
| almost fear to go on with the argument
| will shift the responsibility upon Mr..
| Chalmers Roberts, who sums the matter
| up. In nutshell, thus: 1T could easily be
| proved that in the Boring controversy
| at ST. Petersburg between the United States
| and Great Britain, the social prestige of the
| palatial British embassy almost of itself
carried the day as against the insignificant
| position in the great world of our unhoused
and poorly paid minister. We lost enough
| then to have put our whole diplomatic
| corps forever into fitting domiciles, supplied
with adequate compensation"
/, AMBASSADOR CHOATES EXPENSES.
Ambassador Choa.e will easily pay out
| five times his official salary of 1880 to
| maintain his two residences. AS for the
| offices of the embassy at 123 Victoria street
| Uncle Sammy shells OUT for them; so
| they are not figuring in this estimate. But
Joseph Choate IL a man of great wealth,
who well afford to spend $4,000 a year
| for the privilege of rubbing elbows with a
] king and queen. When he accepted his berth