The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-20
Appointments Are Used to-
Get Rid of Men enceI
Prominent But No Longer
Useful
SECRETARY ROOTS EXPOSE
HE DECLARES THE BILL RE-
GULATR FOREIGN SERVICE Isl
PLACE FGoREIGN SERVICE Ist
A STEP FORWARD.

WASHINGTON Jan, 20, 1906.-Sec-
retary Root, while appearing before the
House Appropriations Committee in re-
!ation to the expenses of the State De-
partment, spoke frankly concerning the
shortcomings of the American consular
service. The statements of Mr. Root,
which have just been made public, show
that in response to questions by Repre-
sentative Livingston the Secretary said:
''There are a great many eonsulates that
have been in that condition, and there
are some that are stil III that condition,
and the fact arises from several causes.
One cause is that consulates are used and
regarded here not as places in which
active and efficient work is to be done,
but are used as places in which to shelye
estimable and elderly gentlemen whose
friends find it necessary to take care of
them in some way. (Lauohter.) Now.
l have got old enough TO be able to say
that sort of thing without anybody being
offended. l do not think that when man
has lived out the activity of his life and
passed beyond his ambition and his en-.
ergy and his desire 70 make a career for
himself do not think that then is the
time o start him out in a new place
where he has got TO learn a new business
and push the commerce of the country"
The following statements We're then
made by AIR. Root in reply to questions
of members of the committee:
Mr.. Brundige-"I quite agree with
you. Mr.. Secretary, as to that, but upon
whom rests the blame for that condi-
tion:"
Secretary Root-s'It rests upon long
standing custom. whereby the executive
is expected to appoint to important CON
sulates important men from the different
States.''
Mr.. Graff-"But you have system of
examination?' y
Secretary Root-"Yes; so far as. she
young fellows go. You can put the
screws on them and make them come up
for examination. But when an eminent
Citizen
Mr.. Liyingston-"A An eminent ex-Sen-
ator or member of Congress"
Secretary Root-"Yes. When an enr-
inent citizen comes around you cannot
examine linn in geography and arithme-
tic. He resents it and there is the dick
ems to pay all along. Oaughterl 1t is
custom that has grown up-just like
this deficiency custom. When you step
in to change a custom you cannot change
it by piecemeal; you have to jar some-
thing"
Take this consular bill which is now
pending. When it was introduced itcon-
! tanned series of provisions under which
the consulates We're 10 be graded, THE
original appointments made We're to be
only to the lower grades. and the upper
grades were to be filed by promotion:
so that we would catch fellows young
while they still had some motive power
left in them. These provisions have been
stricken out and the bin reported with~
out them. Still. the bill makes great
| advance Over the present system 1t
grades the consulates and provides for
the abolition of fees. and ii provides
| against the employment of any clerks
except those of the lowest grades. who
are not American citizens. provides
against what l think IS very great
abuse, namely. the fact 1lat great
number of American consulates are ran
by clerks Of the country IN which they
are situated. 1t also does various other
~;
pass or not"
Mr.. Livingston-'sThat is now in the
Senator
Secretary Root-"Yes, in the Senate.
1t has been favorabsy reporte,I.s
The approaching. END of the active
work of the reciprocity bureau was
sounded in Mr.. Root 5 statements about
the expense for its maintenance. THE
! salaries of clerks in the bureau are car
ried on the emergency roll Of the State
Department, and the secretary said the
bureau was regarded as an unforeseen
aud unexpected emergency established by
| Mr.. hasson a number OF Yeas ago
Representative I4ittauer asked Mig
Root if the bureau would be perinanent,
and the Secretary Of State provoked 4
laugh with the, following reply
The indications are shat it Will por
be. The making OF q system Of reci-
procity treaties does not appear to have
! the elements Of eternal life.'
In discussing trade conditions in CHI
ma and the necessity for gathering in
| formation concerning commercial trOu-
bles there. Mr.. Rood said:--
There is no occasion for sending 3
commission to China. Our ministers ANA
! consuls ut the treaty ports Of China are
commissioned now. Ii these gentlemen
will come up here | win bury them III
| papers so that they could not dig out FOR
| a week We have bushels and bushels os
| reports from perfectly trustworthy Amer
| lean witnesses as to what has been hap
| pening in China and as to the cause
| thereof. We have had special nvcstiee-
tions made as to the causes, investiga-
tions made by competent Americans who
have lived in China and understand the
language and know the Chinese people
and the trouble now is not ignorance AZ
/ to what the conditions are it is in apply-
ing the quite nlain and simple remes;y.
| There have been two troubles on arising
/ from fhp fact thar fha In " fhf, fTthsr,oSe