Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-10

| AT the COncluSlOn OF the reception prop
er Mr.. Edison called the assemblage to
| order and announced that there were a
| few gentlemen from whom those present
would like to hear. He then introduced
| short address on civil service. He spoke
of the need of tie extension Of the federal
| civil service to the District, and then
| spoke Of the absolute need of reform in
the consular service He spoke of his ex-
perience in investigating this matter and
| told Of how he first became convinced of
| the necessity therefor.
Gen. John G. Black, president of the
| civil service commission, was next intro
| duced. Gen. Black spoke for few mo-
ments only. He praised the work of the
league and referred to the progress of
! civil government. Under the system as
| at present practiced. he said, the gateway
| of preferment Is open to every competent
| man and woman In the United States.
The Consular Service.
| Mr.. James T. Dubois, law clerk of the
! State Department, made what was regard
| ed as the most important address Of the
evening his remarks occasioning the most
| discussion. He spoke Of the large number
| of foreigners in the consular service, and
declared:
I'm spite of the fact that we are the
largest consumers per capita on earth our
stupendous material development has
forced US more and more into the markets
of the world and this makes American
| consular work of supreme Importance:
This fact necessitates consular corps OF
well-disciplined American soldiers OF com
merce scattered throughout the foreign
trade centers and on the outskirts or CIV
ilization, who, under the lead or ape con-
suls general and guided by wise lnsiruc-
lions from the home government, Will De
able to shield American interests. protect
the customs revenue from defraudation
and help to capture the markets or the
world in such a manner as to satisfy Doti
Congress and the country that every aoI-
lar appropriated for the service is bring
ing back a hundred fold return
II know that it is said that we aireaoy
have the best consular system on eartn'
but the question is how can we make IL pre-
eminently the best? To my mino tLls can
be accomplished by recognizing our ~,
ent system on broad lines. retaining al oi
it's virtues and destroying all OF us vices.
If YOU ask what are its vices. would re.
spectfully submit that among the chieI
ones are Its pernicious ices system. rs ~,
adequate and badly adjusted salaries. It's
uncertain tenure of office, and. ABOVE all
the startling number of foreigners who hold
positions in the American consular service
IF you ask how can these evils De rem
edied, I would say:
First, cover all official and unofficial fees
into the treasury of the United States, and
this would give an amount sufficient to pay
the total expenses Of the entire consular
service every year: second, grade and claS-
sify the service and sift out the incapables
from the capables, and fill all of the vacan-
cies with capables. Pay to every consular
officer a fair compensation for his work,
and SO frame the law that every American
consul who makes an honorable and useful
record will be shielded from the common
practice of being removed like an outcast
upon the political change of every admins
tration.
Foreigners in the United States Service.
Third, and this is the most important of
all: Today 567 men Of foreign birth and for
eign citizenship are holding places in the
American consular service, so per cent of
whom have no sympathy with our institu-
tons and policies, and 20 per cent of
whom, from a natural condition of things,
are opposed to the expansion of American
trade Today go foreigners occupy our
consular agencies out OF a total of 395, and
l2o foreigners occupy our consular clerk
ships out of total of $50. In Germany 60
per cent of our vice and deputy consulships
are in the hands of foreigners, while In the
British empire we have ia vice and deputy
consuls eighty-three Of whom belong to all
kinds of nationalities except our own One
hundred and fifty important vice consul
ships are occupied by foreigners, who have
free access to all the secrets of trade docu-
ments, as well as all secrets contained in
the invoices OF their neighbors. This, you
can readily see, is not only unjust but it
must be very annoying and irritating To ali
exporters having business with the United
States i'eo
The remedy for these evils is to fill
these places with high-minded, intelli-
gent. industrious and tactful young Amer
leans, upon salaried basis, and let these
places become training schools from which
our capable and worthy young men NAV he
moved up into higher positions. These are
some OF the evils existing and they ought
10 De removed. Thoroughly Americanjze
the american consular service and keen 1t
Americanized. for while we must have a
Foreign service there is no good reason why
We should have a subseryice of fore.gparS
me day Will come when no American con.
sular shield and no American flag will ha
placed above foreign soil unless a repre-
sentative American citizen Is placed me-
meath these to take care of the business Of
the American government. If the Congress
Will pass the Lodge bill now before the
United states Senate 1t will in a large
measure remove these defects. If these de-
fects are removed it will give to the
mighty commercial interests of the United
states an experienced army of well-trained
soldiers of commerce, who will battle intel
hsently and tactfully for our share of the
worlds trade" "
At the conclusion of Mr. Dubois remarks
addresses were made by Representative
Burton, Gen. Ellis Spear Rev n Staf
ford. DID,, and Mr.. Charles ]. Ronanarta
collation. was served after the speech
making in the banquet hall adjoining
Those Present.
Those present were:
Mr. and Mrs. Milton E. Allies, Mr.. Fred
erick l. Allen. commissioner of patents, and
Mrs. Allen. and Mr.. and Mrs. Anderson.
Mr.. q. f. Becker, DR.. and. Mrs Marcus
benjamin, Mr.. Theodore e. Burton, M. c.:
MI Justice and Mrs. Harlan, Mr.. Justice
and Mrs Brewer, Mr.. Justice and Mrs
Brown. MIR. Richard Bartholdt M. c.: Mr.
and Mrs. j. w. Bennett, Judge and Mrs
Job Barnard. Mr.. and Mrs A. A. Birney
ME- and Mrs. Charles H. Butler, Gen. and
Mrs. Black. Senator Henry E. Burnham
and Mrs. Jane M. Brown
MT. and Mrs. Alfred w. Cooley, Mr.. and
Mrs. John Caiilmack Prof and Mrs. r. w
Clarke. Mr.. Chapman Coleman, Admiral
and Mrs. c. NJ Chester. Assistant ATTORNEY
General Frank L. Campbell and Mrs Camp