Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-19
YOUNG MEN ARE WANTED
The COnSulateS Are Regarded and Used
as Places for Shelving EStimable
and Elderly Gentlemen
AND NOT AS PLACES FOR WORK
A Long-standing Custom is
Responsible.
ANOTHER CONSULAR BILL IS PENDING

Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires.
Washington, Jan. 10. Secretary II cot,
while appearing before the House
appropriations committee In relation
20 the expenses of the STATE Depart
ment, spoke frankly concerning tho
shortcomings Of the American con-
sular service The statements Of Mr.
Root, which have been made public,
show that, In response 20 questions by
Representative Livingston, the Score
tafy said:
There are a great many consulates
that have been in that condition and
there are some that are atill in that
condition, and the fact arises iIom
several causes. One cause ie that con-
aulates are used and regarded here not
aa places In which active and sufficient
work 10 60 be done, but are used na
placos in which 10 shelve es.imnbia
and elderly gentlemen whose friends
| find it necessary TO take care Of them
/ IN some way (lauRhter). Now, / have
/ got old enough 70 be able to say that
sort OF thing without anybody being
offended ! do not think that when a
man has lived out the activity Of HIS
/ life and passed beyond bis ambition
and bis energy and his desire 10 make
a career for himseli--l do not think
that then is the time to start him out
in q new plac, whore ho has got 20
earn a new business and push the COM
meroe Of the country.
The following statements we're next
made by Mr.. Root IN reply to ques-
lions Of members OF the committee
Mr.. Brundidge: 81 quite agree with
you, Mr.. Secretary, as TO that, but
upon whom rests the blame ior that
condition ~
Secretary Root; "It rests upon d
long standing custom whereby the
Executive is expected TO appoint TO
important oonsulatea important mou
from the different States"
Mr.. Graf; "But you have q eyBtem
Of examination ?"
Ssorotary Roots "Yos, 90 far as the
young fellows 20. You nan put the
soiows on than and make them come
up for examination, But when an
eminent oitizen----n
Mr.. Livingstoni "An eminent OK.
Senator or member Of Congress"
Secretary Root (continuinR)i "fes.
When an eminent citizep comes
around, you cannot examigo him In
geography and arithmetic. He resents
IL, and there 10 the dickens 30 pay all
along llauRhter). II Is q custom tina {
has grown up-iust like this deficiency
custom. When you step In to change q
custom, you cannot change IL by piece
meal; you have TO jar something.
Take this Consular bill which Is now
pending. When it was introduced, II
contained a Feries of provisions under
which the consulates were 10 be graded.
] ul srsNr - Ia
to be only to the lower grades and the
upper grades we're to be filed by pro-
motion, 30 that we would catch fellows
young, while they still had some motive
power left in them. These provisions
have been stricken out, and the bill
has been reported without them. Still,
the bill makes a great advance over
the present system. IL 8fades the con-
sulates and provides for, the abolition
Of fees, and it provided against the
employment of any clerk EXCEPT those
Of the very lowest grades, who are not
American citizens; provides against
what / think ia very great abuse
namely the fact that great number
I Of American cungulates are run by
clerks OF the country in which they
are situated. IL also does various
other things. / don't know whether Il
. will pass or not.
Mr. Livingston; "That is now II
4 the Senate "
Secretary Root Eyes, in the Senate
Il has been fayorably reported.
The approaching end Of the aotivl
= work OF the Reciprocity Bureau wa
sounded in Mr.. Roots statement
about the expense for it's maintenance
The salaries Of clerks In the bureau
are carried on the emergency roll o
\ the State Department, and the Seore
tary said .he bureau was REGARDED
as an Unforeseen and unexpocte'
emergency, established by Mr.. hassor
o number Of years ago.
Representative Littauer asked Mr
Root II the bureau would be per
manent, and the Secretary OF Stat
provoked a laugh with the following
reply: .s..,.w,, -
be. The making OF system Q
reoiurocity treaties does not appear {
have the elements Of eternal life"
In discussing trade conditions Il
China and the necessity for Rathofiu
informatiou concerning oommoroia
troubles there, Mr.. Root said;
"There is nc occasion for sending
commission to China. Our minister
and consuls at she treaty ports 4
China are commissioned now, II thes
Reatlemen will come mp here, ! wi
] burg them in papers so that they coul
not dig out for q week. There hav
= been two troublesi One arising froI
the faot that the law, the Chimes
Exclusive act. contains some provision
which experience has shown to be III
I advised, and the other is that tha
|. Law has been administered In hars
and inconsiderate way. The Presiden
remedied the administration, thinA
lust as far as the law permits him
40. and the thing TO do now Is for 20
> 70 change the law in some respects
NOT so as TO permit the Chinese LAHORE
10 come in, but so that the Chimes
lsborsr can be kept out without insul
l. and indignity aud hardship TO th
Chinese merchants and scholars an
4 the men who occupy the same positio
= IN fho 1hiueae community ae III