Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-20
ATTACKS CONSULAR SERVICE
Representatives Allsge Pay iS Too Small
and Agents TcO Many.
POSTS MADE AsYLUMS FOR ORUNKANDs
Congressman sInyden Paints Picture
of Shortcomings, saying FIREs Are
PRwned and Coal stolen by
Diplomats In Mexico.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s.-The house trans
acted considerable business today. Several
miscellaneous measures we're passed among
them the senate Hawaiian FIRE claims bill.
The consular and diplomatic appropriation
bill, the third Of the budgets, was passed
and fair progress was made with the Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill.
During consideration of the diplomatic
bill Mr.. Mcclellan IN. W precipitated
discussion concerning our diplomatic and
consular service which took a wide range
and led to some serious charges against
consular representatives in Mexico by Mr..
Slayden (Tex) Mr.. Mcclellan submitted
figures to show the consulates, compared
with those OF other first class countries,
we're underpaid, but overmanned. Mr.
Grosvenor CO., declared the charges un-
iustifable, maintaining that it was the
opinion OF European publicists that Amer
lea had the most efficient consular service
in the world.
This was committee suspension day in
the house, and Immediately after the read
ing Of the journal the speaker recognized
several members to move the passage Of
bills under suspension Of the rules.
A bill was passed to grant a right of
way through the Fort sill military reser-
walton to the Oklahoma & Western rail-
road.
Tardy Act of Justice.
A bill to revoke the sentence Of court
martial against First Lieutenant Francis S.
Davidson, Ninth cavalry, who was dismissed
from the army in 1875. and to authorize
his appointment and retirement as frst
| lieutenant, aroused some antagonism.
While the house was dividing upon the
| demand for a second a photographer in
the public gallery took hashlight photo
| graph. The glare of the flash startled
some OF the members and Mr.. sulzer IN.
! " cried out: "Mr. Speaker, l thought it
| was a bomb"
Mr.. Lawrence (Mass.), in support of the
bill for the relief of Lieutenant Davidson,
said the bill would do a tardy act of
| justice to a deserving officer The bill was
passed.
! senate bill was passed to appropriate
| 81 900 900 for the payment Of the Hawaiian
fire claims and to authorize the territorial
government to issue $5OO,0OO in bonds for
the same purpose.
The senate amendments to the militia
bill were agreed to, which passed the bill.
The house then went into committee oi
| the whole on the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill
Mr. Hit, in charge Of the measure, ex-
| planned that It carried S2.002,925, or STS,9OC
more than the current law, and $216,3OC
less than the estimate.
Mr.. Slayden (Tex.) severely criticised tbs
character of consular officers abroad, espe
cially some of those in Mexico. Some o.
the Mexican consulates, he said, were mad
regular asylums for "invalids and drunk
ards"
'It makes an American blush" he added
ito hear the stories told of some of oui
official representatives.
Proceeding, h, narrated how a United
States consul at Saltillo, Mex, with TIVE
cornpanlons. last summer entered the oflc'
OF a newspaper editor to assault him.
Were any charges made to the state de
partu,ent against this ofncial?" asked Mr.
Adams (Pa)
"Charges have been repeatedly made,
replied Mr.. Slayden. "This particular on
cial left town between night and morning
while I was in the city"
Makes strong Statement.
THE particular service of cur repre-
sentatives," Mr.. Slayden continued, seem
to be drunkenness" and in this connection
he referred to the case Of the special en-
voy sent by a democratic president severa
years ago, whom, he said, got drunk a
Ell Paso and painted a broad red strea
down to the City of Mexico, 1000 miles t
the south"
He also told of a consular official who
some years ago, pawned the American fla
for 40 cents with which to buy drink. Tn
! concluding chapter of his arraignment wa
the charge that an American vice consu
had been implicated in the theft OF coal.
On a point OF order made by Mr.. Nc
ClelIan the provision for a secretary o
legation to Switzerland was stricken out.
Mr. Grosvenor CO., denounced some o
the statements made earlier in the day a
ISLANDERS on the consular service. He de
clared they were not justified and he wa
: prepared to prove by the opinions o
leading Americans abroad that the Amer
leans had the best consular service In tn
} world.
The bill was then passed and the hous
I took UP the District Of Columbia bill.
: carries 81 SOS, ,444, being Ss44474 less tha
} the appropriations for the current year an
! SO. 2b3, ,e93 less than the estimates. Half tn
5 bill was read and at sos o'clock the hous
adjourned.
Discovers Many Cases.
Mr.. Mcclellan IN " submitted som
interesting figures to demonstrate that tn
consular service was underpaid and over
g manned. He made comparisons with othe
5 first class countries, which showed ths
our consular and diplomatic officers re
4 ceived the lowest salaries, but that th
S total cost OF the service was increase
by the excessive number of such officers,
e some cases double and treble the numbS
1 | maintained by other countries.