The news & observer., 1905-12-06

600 out Of the $135,000, 900 authorized
by the Spooner Act. was made three
years ago. 1t is nearly exhausted
There is barely enough of it remain
ing to carry tic Commission to the
end or TIE year. Unless the Congress-
shall appropriate before that time all
work must cease. To arrest progress
for any length OF time now, when mat
ters are advancing satisfactorily.
would be deplorable. There will be no
money with which to meet payroll
obligations and none with which to
meet bills coming due for materials
and supplies; and there will be de-
moralization of the forces here and
on the Isthmus, now working so har-
moniously and effectively, if there is
delay in granting an emergency ap-
preparation. Estimates of the amount
necessary viii be found in the ac-
companying reports of the Secretary
of War and the Commission.
The Department of State
l recommend more adequate pro-
vision than has been made neretofore
lOr the WORK OF the Department of
state. Witn4n. few years there has
been a very great Increase IN tne
AMOUNT ana Importance OF the work
TO be done by that Department, bota
III w GSIiIlSlOu ana ABROAD. Inns mas
been caused by the great increase Of
our foreign trade. The increase OF
wealth among our people, which en-
abIes them TO travel more generally
tIan heretofore. tile increase OF Amer
lcan CapItal which IS seeking invest
ment in foreign countries, and the
growth Gf our power and weight ia
the councils of the civilized world.
Inere mas been no corresponding in
crease or facilities for uOing the work
2lfOrCed To tne Department having
charge Of our foreign relations.
Neither Ut holac nor abroad is there
. sGlliclcut WORKING force 10 do tne
business properly. IN many respects
the system Which was adequate to The
Work " twenty-five, or even ten, years
ago, IS Inadequate now, and SnOu1d be
changed. Our consular force should
be classified, and appointments Should
De mace to The several classes, with
authority TO the Executive to ASSIGN
the members OF each class to duty at
SUCH posts as the interests OF the SER
wee regGlred, instead Of the appont-
ments being made as at present To spa-
cited posts. There should be an adj
equate inspection service, SO that the
Department may be able TO inform IL
self how the business of each con
su!ate is being done, instead of de-
pending upon casual private informa-
tion Or rumor, The fee system should
be entirely abolished, and a due equiV-
alcnt made in salary to the officers
who eke out their subsistence by
means OF fees. Sufficient provision
should be made for a clerical force
in every consulate. composed entire.y
Americans, instead OF the insuhiciena
provision now made which compels
the employment of great numbers OF
citizens of foreign countries whose SER
vices can be obtained for less money
At 4 lar~e part of~our conSulates the
office quarters and the clerical force
are inadequate to the performance Of
the enormous duties imposed by the
trecent provisions of our immigration
laws as we'll as by our increasing traAc
In many parts of the world the lack
Of suitable quarters for our embassies.
legations aad consuIates detracts
from the imDairs their weight and in
fiuencc
Suitable provision should be made
for the expense OF keeping our dip
ionatic officers more fully Informed
Of what is being done from day TO
day in the progress of our diplomatic
affairs with other countries. The LACK
of such information, caused by insult
ficient appropriations available for
cable tolls for clerical and messen-
ger ScINlC6, IIeGuGIl4N puts our OH
GERS a. a great disadvantage and de-
tracts from their usefulness. The sal
ary list should be readjusted 1t does
not now correspond either to the in-
portance Of the. service to be render
ed and the degrees of ability and cx-
periencc required in the different DO
sitions, or TO the differences in the
cost OF living. In many cases the sala-
rieS are quite Inadequate.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Dec. 5, 1905.