New-York tribune., 1906-05-27
TO IMPROVE SERVICE.
NEW RULES FOR CONSULS.
Board to Meet and Consider Plans
for REORGANIZATION.

washington, May 26-Secretary Root to-day made
public an order intended to mark a great advance
in the consular service of America, and to carry
out the important feature of the plans for the
REORGANIZATION of that service which not dealt
with In the act recently passed by Congress. This
order creates board of five officers. comprising
some of the most experienced consuls. which Will
meet in Washington on June A, TO prepare plans
for the desired reorganization.
This board is charged with the consideration of
six topics the first being Regulations for the New
Inspection Service" Congress provided for the ap
pointment of FIVE inspectors who are to travel
around the world looking after the various consular
offices with a view to keeping the service at the
highest point of efficiency. The board Is expected
to frame regulations. strictly defining the scope of
activity Of these men.
The second topic is 1.-THE Relations Between Con-
suiates and the Embassies or Legations in the
Countries Where They Are Located" Heretofore
there has been rule governing such relations:
some ambassadors and ministers have shown inter-
est In the consuates With great benefit to the SER
vice: in other cases there has been no connection
whatever between the consuiates and ministers and
ambassadors The board will undertake to say
how far the later shall go in the matter of inspect
ing consulates
The third topic is 1.-The Rules Which Should
Govern Promotion apd appointment" Here the
merit system Is to have test. 1t Is planned Con-
suIs are 70 be promoted In accordance with their
service records and adaptablty for certain work.
but the problem is a complex one The board Is 10
consider whether It Is good policy to retain con-
sui indefinitely at post, and whether he does
not thereby get out of touch with his own country
and become less efficient
The fourth topic is 1.-The Scope and Character
of Examinations for New Appointments" Secre-
tary Root has already laid down certain general
rules, such as q requirement that tho applicant
shall have a knowledge OF more than one language
and be otherwise fitted for his work. but he de-
sires 10 supplement these rules by others framed
upon the personal experience of members of the
board.
sular Services" Considerable changes in the fees
formerly arbitrarily fixed by law are now possible
under the discretion conferred upon the FresloenI
be possible to vary the charges for invoices &C
cording to their length and completely, something
much desired by the commercial world
ing Amendments Of Existing Regulations Rem.
dered Necessary Expsdient by the New statute; -
The board is ordered to report and confer y freely
It's detail is Frank H. Mason, Consul General at
Paris; Charles NJ. Dickinson. Consul General at
Toronto; Edward n ozmun, Consul at Stuttgart
and George H. Murphy. consular agent at 5t.
Catherine's Messrs. Dickinson and Murphy are
two Of the new inspectors OF consulates -,-.
of his plans for the Improvement of the con-
sular service, is giving great attention to the edu-
In consultation with some Of the leading educators
Of the country that subject. DR.. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler, president Of Columbia University, has
Tor a combined course Of Yale and Columbia urs-
versies to carry out this idea. and the Secretary
has suggested some important features to be In
TO the special training Of the students in such
economic subjects the cost of production Of the
markets Of tho world for the placing of such COM
modites