The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-17
CONSULAR REFORMS
President Roosevelt's New Order
Will Be Hailed With Glad Ac-
claim by Business Men.
His Determination to Take the Con.
sular Service Out of Politics
Wise Move.
From The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build

From The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, Sept. l7.--The presidents
determination to work REFORM in the
consular, service will endear him to many
men who for years, in their study of
American politics, have been convinced
that our consular service was sadly in
need Of some sort OF renovation and i'm
provement. For several session of con-
gress persistent efforts have been made,
led by Senator Lodge, to accomplish con-
sular reform by statute, but these efforts
bore no fruit. Consular appointments are
looked upon as legitimate political spoils,
and the politicians in congress were I'M
willing to give them up. Now, the presi-
dent comes forward with the announce
ment that he proposes. by executive or
der, to secure that which congress failed
to provide for. The executive order will
be good as far as 1t goes. The trouble
with it Is that future presidents, If 80 dis
posed, may rescind it. But it is to be
hoped that the precedent to be established
by Mr.. Roosevelt will become SO popular
as to render its abandonment unsafe.
Every business and common sense rea-
son is on the side of the order, but bust
ness and common sense are not always
practical politics, especially when there
are offices to give away. The great
to-day is for commercial supremacy, for
the enlargement of markets Consular Off
GERS, wherever located, are the direct rep
resentatives of their governments in all
business transactions. Their reports are
eagerly read by merchants and exporters
generally, who depend upon them for
guidance and suggestion. The argument
is unanswerable that these officers should
be men Of mature judgment, ripe expert
ence and special training. Under the
American system Of appointment they are
only politicians. Most Of them have had
little or no business training, and were
not men of affairs in the locah commune
ties.
Germany has perhaps the finest con-
sular service in the world to-day; the
United States has perhaps the worst. It
is almost a wonder that our export trade
continues to increase year after year.
Perhaps it would not If our exporting
merchants depended on the consuls as
the exporters of Germany depend on
theirs.
The consular service Of Great Britain is
almost as bad as our own, owing to the
pull exercised by prominent men to Sc
cure appointments for the younger sons
Of aristocratic families. But while this
is true, Great Britain has schools in which
her consuls receive instruction, and from
Gates, which entitle them to appointment
without examination. These schools are
Of high type, and it all appointments
were made from their lists of graduates
there would be no complaint. In Germany
there are schools Of a similar character,
and the German emperor for years has in
sisted that all consular appointments
should be made with reference to them
The effect of this system has been won
derful in the enlargement Of German
trade.
The congress Of boards Of trade and
chambers Of commerce of the British
empire, which met recently in Montreal
adopted strong resolution, calling for q
reform in the British consular service
The defects pointed out in the debates al
Montreal were similar to the defects In
the American system. Men are appointed
to prominent places who know nothing Of
business or commercial geography or the
relative weight Of the several trading ma
lions In the commercial scale. The re.
suit Is that the consular business is yer,
badly done. except in isolated cases
where there are intelligent vice consul.
who are able to do the work which thu
consuls ought to do.
The understanding is that Great Brit
ain is to remodel her consular service
making 1t more like that of Germany
President Roosevelt's recent order show
that. he, too, appreciates the great i'm
portance of this branch of the public
service, and proposes to do all that h,
can to bring, about needed reforms Ever.
business man in the United States will
welcome the presidents order with glat
acclaim
I'll G.. Stevens.