East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-05-05

John Barrett, formerly of Port
land, Ore, now United States minis-
ter to the United States of Columbia,
has been asked by the state depart
ment to suggest changes in the
American consular service, which
will bring better results for American
interests.
Mr.. Barrett has had one of the
most varied and interesting careers
of any man in the consular service,
and his fitness for the task In hand
was recognized by the department
when 1t invited him TO make sug-
gestions.
Mr.. Barrett first points out the
fact that American consulates are
manned largely by foreigners who are
not in sympathy with American bus
iness interests. His statistics in this
line are as follows:
OF SO consulates general, which are
salaried officers and of which the in
cumbents are not permitted to en-
gage in business of any kind, nearly
all without exception being important
posts, 20, or one-third. have vice or
% putty consuls who are not Ameri-
cans.
OF 225 consulates, h wing the SAM
provisions as the consulates gen.
| eral, many of them being even more
important with reference to trade
with the United States than some of
the consulates general, 113. or half,
have vice or deputy consuls who are
not Americans either by birth, natur-
alization, or residence!
or IL commercial agencies, salar-
led and incumbents not allowed to en-
gage in trade, nine or two-thirds,
have non-American vice and deputy
commercial agents.
OF six consulates salaried but in
cumbents permitted to engage in
business, two have foreign vice or
deputy Jconsuls. and one has Q con-
| sui who is not an American.
OF Al consulates and commercial
| agencies where the offices are feed
and the incumbents are allowed to
engage in business, 25, or over one
half, have vice or deputy consuls who
are not Americans, while in six cases
the consuls or agents are foreigners.
After showing the preponderance
of foreigners as vice consuis, Mr.. Bar
rett suggests the employment of
young Americans as vice and assist
ant consuls with a view to promot-
ing them in the service as they be-
come acquainted with the details of
their offices and show capability.
A Remedy Suggested.
He suggests the appointment of
these young men by examination, and
not by political preferment. His rec
ommendation for the improvement of
the service is as follows:
A law requiring vice and deputy
consuls to be Americans and to re-
ceive proper salaries would not only
remove a serious handicap to our
present system but provide an excel
lent school of consular training and
experience for a considerable num-
ber of bright young men who would
be, with the proposed remodeling OF
our consular service, in line for pro-
motion to consulships in which they
could serve with special ability and
success. 'T'". ,.e
In this connection 1t is well to re-
member that the competition for for
eign trade is growing keener every
year and we need to do all we can tC
| strengthen our commercial outposts
in the form of our consulates. Th'
scant amount which must be appro'
priated to provide salaried American
: vice and deputy consuls. compared t,
the value of our whole foreign trade
, and to the benefits which would re
suit, should permit of immediate ac
, ton by congress.
al IL only 200 of the 343 more import
3 ant consular posts cited above wer'
provided by law with American vic,
q and deputy consuls at an average sal
!. ary of $500, numerous capable. wei
= educated young Americans could b.
secure at once by examination to I'll
= these offices, American foreign com
merce and prestige would be great
increased, and the added annual ex
penditure of the government woul
not exceed 100000, a small sur
l. compared to the immense trade in
u volved.
What / propose is nothing extra
d ordinary nor is 1t new among thos
: who have studied the question of con
d sular problem. The state department
a is in no way responsible for tn
i weakness of the present system an
would undoubtedly be glad to I'm
prove 1t, but general interest in tn
. question has never been sufficient
# aroused to secure favorable action b
congress-