The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-17
Newspaper Men Represent
Their Country Most Salts
factorily Say Officials Of
the State Department
TRAINED TO ACT AND SEE
GREAT OPPOSITION TO THE
PLAN OF RETIRING CLERKS
STATUS OF THE STATEHOOD
BILL.

BILL.
WASHINGTON, March II. 1906
Apropos the action of the national COM
mittee on consular reform in indodsing
the reform bill, which has for its pur-
pose an improvement in the ccnsusar ser
vice, it is worthy of note that officials OF
the State Department declare that
patient study of the consular corps for
twelve or fifteen years reveals the fact
that the largest number of successful
consuls have come from the ranks OF
journalism. 1t is asserted that self
respecting, active newspaper men make
the best consuls. They are trained OBJ
servers, they know how to describe
concisely what they see and their re-
ports are informing and clear. They are
also sure to know how to get along peas
antly with foreign officials They are
intelligent, possess tact, and they seldom
yield to the temptation Of boasting of
their own couatry and It's achievements.
On the other hand. the State depart
nlent officials declare that among the
classes who seldom mako good consuls
are the young men who go abroad with
an idea of completing their educaSon;
aged professional men who seek the place
for rest invalids who want some special
consulate because of its climate; men
with families who want to go abroad
for their children's education men VINO
have special business interests in certain
sections; young men Of bad habits who
are sent abroad to reform; and men who
have no true appreciation Of the respon-
sibilities of the position. but who think
the United States is honored by their
service.
In his speech the other afternoon on
the legislative. executive and judicial APP
preparation bill, General Grosvenor OPP
posed the scheme to dismiss the clerks
for age. He said he thought it would
be far better ii provide a plan for rota-
ton in office. His scheme would make
the tenure of the department clerk peri
cd of four years. Too much attention
and consideration, said he. '.is given to
the matter of clerks experience. How
long would it take a college graduate or
even a high school boy. to become an
efficient clerk? Just one day. When
you put a young man in a government
department. I'll tell you what You do.
In the case of nine out of ten young men
you make them into mere automatic ma
chimes. They expect to remain in office
all their lives. II becomes their life work
to do just as little as possible. ii is not
the fault of the clerk. but OF. the system 2
The discussion of the aged clerk prob
lem is an interesting topic. and var-ot.,
views are being presented for the consid-
GRAFTON of the House. The faults as well
as the virtues Of the government clerk
are being talked about with perfect free,
DOM The galleries are crowded daily
with government clerks who can ".
away from their work, and who are anx
ieus to know what Congress thinks of
them" and the local papers are perused
with ayidity in Office hour and out. The
discussion was provoked by Mr.. Littauer,
of New York. He believes that the clerk
who reaches seventy years of aga has
outlived his usefulness. and should be
dismissed from the service. lie is anvre
liberal in his theory than. Dr. Osler since
he adds thirty years to the limit set by
the physician. The heads of the depart
ments have given their ideas TO the COM
mittee when the bill was under consider
alton, and it is prohab Bile that there will
be some legislation of some sort to retire
the old clerks or reorganize the depart
ments for the purpose Of wedding out the
inefficient.
1t is significant that since the State
hood bill has been sent back to the
House from the Senatethat some pro-
posed legislation has been held up, and
it may be held up indefinitely until the
Speaker gives the word togo ahead with
the program. The public building bill,
in which there is always q lot Of interest,
because of the distribution of the
pork which goes with it, was also
scheduled scane weeks ago to come cut on
the 18th. Now it is being tenderly
nursed in the committee with promises
that certain Congressrlen will be taken
care of il 'sall goes we'd. The shipping
bill, too, is reposing quietly in the hands
Of the committee, although its advocates
are anxious to get it out and have it
passed.
Meanwhile, it is understood that
Speaker Cannon is determined that the
House shall resist to the bitter end the
attempt of the Senate TO split the State
hood bill. IT the bill should be sent to
the committee for the evident purpose Of
killing it, complications may ensue that
may develop an interesting situation. The
Senate might then put the Statehood pro-
ais a rider, and it would be kept there
to compel the House TO- assume the re-
sponsibility Of defeating appropriation
bill rather than admit two Territories.
Representation have been made to
Speaker Cannon that there was some
dissatisfaction with the stringent rules
Of the House outside he ranks Of the
'.ssinsurgents,r and that 1t might be good
policy to accept the Senate amendment
10 the Statehood bill. II was suggested
that one or two serious disa greemeTlts
might result in the organization of a.
revolt that would ultima telv overthrow
the party machine. There IS danger Of
such happening. but Mr. Cannon is
obdurate and insists that there shall be-
nothing shert Of rebsllEe TO the Senate
even if the two territories do not be-
come States for year or more. Wheth-
er or not there IS wisdomi in this course
will be manifest ere many months have
elapsed.