Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-13
DEMAND FOR REFORMS
Reorganization of the American
Consular Service.
VIEW OF Mr.. F. B. LOOMS
Former Assistant Secretary of State
Discusses the Conditions.
THE SUGGESTIONS HE MAKES
Lack of Legislation for Fifty Years
Commented Upon-Notable Gov
ernment Derelction.
THE SUGGESTIONS HE MAKES


service is being demanded by every board
of trade chamber of commerce and indus
trial association even remotely interested
in the growth of the foreign commerce or
the United States" said Francis B. Loomis,
formerly assistant secretary Of state, TINS
morning.
For nearly half a century there has been
persistent lack of legislation, he said. look
ing to the development of the service, ana
vet in spite of the opposition of Congress a
sentiment favorable to the reorganization
OF the present system has grown, and is
now finding expression.
According to Mr.. Loomis the consular
service has been one of the most notable
government dereicts, not wholly made
auate, and really within the last twelve
years improving in the character and abll-
ity of the personnel and the quality of work
performed, every observer is aware OF ltS
obvious and admitted evils Mr.. Blaine
made an effort to secure the appointment
of well-equpped men. Mr.. Cleveland rem
dered conspicuous service IN proV1dlng eA-
animation, and President Roosevelt is eX-
tending the scope of Mr.. Cleveland order.
The consular service Mr.. Loomis main
tains is not without great merit The faults
are rather of the system than OF the men
who fill the posts. Few speclflc ana Wen
grounded charges of incompetency or Hi
doing on the part of consular officers are
filed and the Department of States IS much
assisted in it's general surveillance OF the
consular corps by the reports OIL h2faI OF
fcers. whose observations are generally both
just and informing. But adequate proV-
sion for regular and thorough inspection is
the most vital need of the service
Service systematically Purged.
During President Roosevelts incum-
bency." Mr.. Loomis says, the consular
service has been severely and systemau-
calIy purged.' Great care has been eXer-
cised. so far as the appointing power is
concerned in the selection of new officials
Not only has the President dismissed dis
honest men wherever he has found them,
but he has removed number of men VINO,
as he graphically phrases IT, were simply
marking time'-officials who were incom-
petent careless about their duties and re-
sponsibilities, or indifferent to them. Every
vacancy that has occurred since Mr.. Roose-
Welt became President has been filled, SO
far as was practicable, by promoting de-
serving men already in the service, and
such promotions have been made, generally
speaking without reference to politics or
political influence. Not a half dozen re-
movals solely for political reasons have
been made in the consular service within
the last four years. The first consideration
with the President and Department of
State is the mans merit his worth and his
fitness for the particular vacancy for which
he is being considered. Mr.. Hay, by reason
of his ripe experience and his wide ac-
quantance abroad ana in this country, was
able to improve the personnel of the service,
and he was particularly felicitous in put
ting the right man in the right place
mo man fought more persistently and
valiantly TO lift the consular service from
the plane of partisan politics than Mr.. Hay,
and no man accomplished more in this field
of patriotic endeavor than did he. His
successor Mr.. Root, with all the strength
of his keen and luminous mind, has taken
up the work at the advanced point where
low lot I..=fry a H.
ence has made itself felt to the great ad-
vantage of the whole American foreign
service
Men of High Standing Required.
The men who perform the responsible
task of inspecting the service must, ac-
cording to the ex-secretary, be men of the
highest mental and moral standard The
President wants the consular as well as
the diplomatic offices to represent the best
types of the country.
ITO meet the growing demand of the
business interests of this country for a
steady and systematic enlargement of its
export commerce, properly organized
consular corps could render services of in
estimable value. On account of the diff
cult and laborous work of authenticating
or 'legalizing invoices of goods that are to
be exported to the United States, American
consular officers are required to meet re-
SDUUSiDlillleS ana COndlllONS more d1fnculG
and more varied than are the consular off,
GERS of any other foreign service. 1t is
not OVerstating the case to say that an
nually more than 900, 900 is added to the
revenue of the United States in customs
duties, by reason of the watchfulness and
conscientious performance of duty on the
part of consular officers, who discover un-
dervaluation in the invoices of goods for
expectation TO this country. and who by
their alertness and special knowledge cause
prices to be advanced and largely increas- !
ed duties to be collected
"Consuls should be kept in Office" says
Mr. Loomis. as long as they render good
service and are in every way satisfactory
If they serve the country well for forty
years they ought to be retired on half
pay. But, whether they enter the service
through the designation by the Presi-
dent. or through the medium of a com
petitiye examination, the way for their
prompt retirement for such causes as in
efficiency, dishonesty or carelessness
should be made easy and kept unob-
structed.
"A system of promotion should be es-
tablished. and officers who do not reach
a specified grade by the time they have
attained a certain age should be dropped
from the service, as should all those
whose efficiency record falls below a lixed
standard of excellence. If some such plan
as this could be adopted a current of pro-
motion could be maintained, and there
would be CONSTANT influx Of fresh blood.
Can Afford to Pay Well.
"The country can afford to pay Its con-
suls well. and public sentiment In the
United States is heartily in favor Of lib
eral treatment of consular officers by the
government. The 10000 Americans who
visit Europe annually expect to find their
consular representative a man whose
mode OF living, whose ability, whose
character and whose standing are such
as to command the respect of the COM
munity in which he resides, and they
have right to expect that he will be
source of pride to his visiting fellow
countrymen. The American who goes
abroad wants his consular representative
to live in a manner in keeping with the
dignity of the potent and opulent nation
.I.l,