The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-27
HOW DIPLOMATS MIGHT
RENDER BETTER SERVICE

Unfortunately, money is the weightiest
of all recommendations for appointment
to these places, because the salaries paid
our ambassadors, ministers and secre-
| taries are not proportionate to the ex-
pense of maintaining their positions, even
quite modestly, in the great cities of Eu-
rope. A man of ability is necessarily de-
barred unless he has a fortune to enable
him to make up the deficiency.
When Mr.. Bayard was offered the am
bassadorshlp to Great Britain, he hest
tated to accept, because of the doubt as
to whether he could afford the pecuniary
sacrifice. It follows that. even if a pro-
fessionaI career in the diplomatic service
were possible under the present condi-
lions of appointment and tenure. a poor
man could afford to embark upon it only
if he were willing to restrict himself to
the less expensive and more insignificant
posts. Thus a premium is put upon the
| possession of wealth.
There is nothing to be said against
wealthy appoiptee merely because he Is
wealthy On The contrary, it is all the
more creditable to him if he be willing to
sacrifice his leisure and his ease for gov
eminent service. We have had some not
| able instances of this sort, but in gem
eral is it not evident that wealth as
requisite of diplomatic appointment tends
to lower the average of efficiency since
it not only makes special aptitude subor-
dinate, but actually excludes special ap-
ttude unless it carries with it big bank
account?
Thus it happens that, in to many in
stances, our diplomatic representatives
are little more than social ngurants. They
perform their official duties either per-
functoriy or by deputy, and their chief
concern is to make themselves acceptable
In the highest circles" and not to miss
an invitation to an aristocratic garden
party or a court ball.
What wonder is it that. sooner or later,
they lose whatever virility of national.
ism they may have possessed, and be-
come mere imitators of foreign vanities,
and occasionally supercilious or fagrant-
~ snobbish toward their cruder fellow
countrymen, who may have occasion 10
seek their good offices?
1t is significant that you will not find
this class of men in the Latin-American
and other countries where social life is
not so glittering, but here. alas! the places
are tempting to another undesirable class
the broken-down politician the pro-
fessional office-seeker anxious only for a
lob" glance at our diplomatic list
reveals the fact that, Notwithstanding a
strong disposition on the part of Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Secretary Hay to ap-
point and promote for merit, but few of
the really desirable posts are occupied by
men of proven capacity and fitness
One of the most important places in
Europe 1t may be noted was recently
given to a gentleman who, however, esti-
mable he may be, has no particular title
to preferment other than the assiduity
with which for years he guarded the ap-
proaches to the social sanctuary of a great
capital in order to keep out Americans
who were not, in his opinion eligible, and
to let in only those whom he could af-
ford to indorse.
1t would be unfair to select these types
which includes many capable and Jealous
men, but the element Is sufficiently
strong to color the whole service, and to
give ground for the impression that pre-
cisely in those capitals-the great political
centers of Europe, where we should be
most ably Representations diplomats are
oftenf merely decorative.