New-York tribune., 1905-07-09

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ago learned this lesson, and has profted
vastly by 1t in the extension of her foreign
trade and the expansion of her home indus
tries. And that beehive of up-to-date indus
try Japan. has searched the economic con-
ditions of the whole world for facts that can
be used for her benefit, and is ardenty
continuing the search to-day through her
cOnsuls
Bishop Potter told me after an extended
tour in Europe that upon arriving in many
places he sought the American consul in order to
learn the places and facts of interest in the
country roundabout the official regulations to be
obeyed and such other information as was essential
to a traveller. He often found the consul in
blank state of ignorance concerning the country,
the customs and the people, and driven to
the local agency of a touring company to obtain
the facts that he needed. The consul he said,
was usually peevish and unhappy person, bitterly
complaining of the hardship of life in
genial land and-unfailing toPic-the meagerness
OF his salary.
The British and German consular services are
models in every way. 1t IS SINE Qud that their
consuls shall know the languages of the countries
to which they are sent. 1t IS doubtful if foreign
appointees are asked regarding their acquaintance
with any language Comparatively few of them
speak even French. We have had consuls at i'm
portant Italian ports, such as Genoa Naples
who retained their places through several admins
tratiOns but never developed sufficient talent
energy to acquire the most rudinentarv compre-
hensOn of the tongue of the country They were
at the mercy of cheap often iterate, interpreters;
their trade reports compiled from second-h hand
information filtered through the less
opaque brains of their assistants. Such documents
are worse than vaueless to our manufacturers and
agriculturists
Every British consul on the continent is required
to read and speak French and German the Ian
guages in which nine-tenths of the commercial
transactions are carried on. But we take a man
from some farmland town, a worthy citizen who
never the sea, and locate him at great seaport
Of Europe in the expectation that he will assist in
the development of American trade Can be
surprised that our foreign commerce is not what
it should be that Germany for example is Crowding
out in many lines of goods in which ought to
lead because of the unrivael excellence of American
workmanship?
The average American consul does not understand
the purpose for which he has been sent abroad. He
appreciates the honor" and sWels up under it;
but is neither alert observing studious of our
opportunities. Generally he says that he isn't paid
enough to hustle"
These conditions are due entirely to the faults
of our system by which politics IS allowed to
shadow competency. We must begin new lines;
we must train to fill these posts pay them
better and insure them permanenCy and advance
ment if they show ability and enthusiasm in their
duties. In other words, must inaugurate
training-school for future consular and diplomatic
EMPLOYEES of the United States. We cannot hold
our own with the better-equipped service OF COM
ercial and political rivals unless we have the right
kind of agents III all parts of the world.
| have already spoken about the British consular