The Washington times., 1906-04-25
"WEDNESDAY. APRIL 25. 1906.
Our Business and Our Pride.

Every body knows that this coun-
try IS either too poor or too indif-
ferent to provide decent quarters
for its department. of foreign af-
fairs. That il should conduct its
business with the ENJOYS of nations
i'm buildings CORES bonding to the
imposinr structures which adorn
the Quai D'Orsay and Downing
street is, apparently, too much to
be expected. But it viii be news
10 most Americans to know that we
are either too poor or too indlffer-
ent to provide our Secretary OF
State with room enough to intro
ducc modern business methods
Yet this IS the showing made by
Secretary Root, in his testimony
before the subcommittee of the
Senate Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds. Here is part OF
what was said:
You can understand that the increase
of business. the increased cOmphNlty OF
business ami the increase IN the number
with il not merely necessity tor so
many more clerks doinS the same thing,
but also a necessity for organization
and system. which necessity, when the
business was small. did not exist. An
Increase in business creates dl1erence
in kind.
You can 90 a small business in q
simple way To do a great business you
have got 10 have system or you Will be
swamped We are coming in the state
Department TO point where We are
going 20 be swamped for lack Of proper
organization. ana we cannot have a
proper organization without having
room for the men 10 dc their work.
The records of the department are in a
condition and arc handled by methods
which did very well under simple con
ditiOnS. bat which are now wholly IN
adequate / want TO Introduce new
system. / want uOapply the same met hous
Of dealing with records with which
became familiar and 10 a certain eX-
tent helped to develop in the War De
uartment. I cannot do II because there
is no room for the clerks 10 work. OF
for file cases 10 be placed and for type
writer's 10 be worked. In the meantime
We are having 10 go on py methodS
which I can best illustrate by saylns
thar il is like n country law Once
having the business OF A great city law
Office dumped down on Il
This is bad enough, to he sure
But it does not quite slap us in the
face. Here are two things which
will slap us in the face:
We have recently had the gentlemen
together here who are 10 go 10 Rio
10 the Rio conference. They spent
three days here j gave them the diplo
matte anterOOm. | made a special ar
rangement 20 keep the diplomats out OF
that room for three days while they go
their maps, books. and material together
i'm order 10 go over the subjects they
would have 10 prepare on.
\ short time ago the commissioner
from China came here, and the only
thing ] could do with them was TO ge
rooms at the New Willard Hotel anC
give them luncheon there. Fortunate
" that hotel had a very presenta bl'
room. and We were able TO give then
an entertainment which probably salts
fed them that they were being treate'
with proper consideration, but in TIT
State Department there were no mean
of receiving them in a manner which the!
would have regarded as commensurate
with and suitable 10 their dignity.
If there is any doubt as to th'
fate of the bill which the subcom
mittee has reported it might be re
moved by cogitation over those tw'
sentences: Il made n special ar
rangement to keep the diplomat
out of that room for three days
and 'in the State Department ther
were no means of receiving then
in a manner which they would hav
regarded as commensurate wit
and suitable to their dignity"
We are proud people, we Amer
leans. But it seems we are not to
proud to crowd the nations guest
off the front porch.