Evening star., 1906-03-15
BUSINESS COMPLETED
Consular Reform Convention
Comes to a Close.
Mr.. ROOSEvELT'S ADDRESS
Approves Of Graded Service and Ade-
quate Salaries.
HIS FRANK TALK GRATIFYING
Publicity and Promotion Committee
Appointed-Additions to Executive
Committee Membership.
HIS FRANK TALK GRATIFYING

Completely In accord with the admins
tration, the consular reform convention ad-
journed yesterday afternoon, having per-
formed the primary purposes of the meet
ings. permanent organization of a
national character devoted to consular re-
form has been effected. and the efforts Of
the administration as represented by the
bill passed by the Senate even though not
entirely what it's sponsors, Secretary Root
and Senator Lodge. devised, mas been
unanimously indorsed.
Addresses by Senator Lodge, Representa-
tive Robert Adams, Speaker Cannon, Sec
retary Root and the President. Tuesday and
yesterday, convinced the delegates that the
practical measures now Incorporated in the
legislative effort for the Improvement of
the consular service will be adopted.
After a conference with Speaker Cannon
at the Capitol yesterday at noon, the men,
bers of the convention assembled at =
O'Clock for the last session, and after
transacting routine business, went in a body
to the White House at 2:30. where they
were greeted by President Roosevelt, who
made an address.
Presidents Address.
The President said
''1t is very great pleasure to greet you
today. 1 need hardly say that our one
chance for getting the consular service put
upon really effective basis lies with just
such organization as this. We in Wash
ington must rely upon you to make our
people-pre- -eminently a business people,
do not think that is by any means all they
either are or ought to be- but | think they
must have and ought to have very strong
business side to them-appreciate that the
consular service should be in its essence
part of the general scheme of business
development of the country. OF course, my
own view is that that applies to all the
affairs Of the State Department, and under
both Mr.. Hay and Mr.. Root that depart
ment has been managed with an eye sin
gle to the good of the country as a whole.
II have not, l am sorry to say, been able
to persuade people thus to look upon even
such a question as the Santo Domingo
treaty, which Is a purely non-pirtlsan
measure: for if it was treated as 1t should
be, purely on its merits, there would not
be one shadow of opposition to or criticism
of it. But while we have not yet been sue
cessful in getting the work of the depart
ment looked upon quite as in the non-par-
tisan spirit that should be our national at
titude in foreign affairs, and have not been
successful in getting the consular service
made oy law what we strive to have 1t
made-an absolutely non partisan service
still we have made a certain amount OF
progress and with the help of you and
those like you, we shall be able to make
great deal more progress.
Requisite for Good Service. e.4-.5-a
lone point let me dwell upon. You can
not expect to get permanently good service
when that service is unattractive and Ill
paid We have had great deal OF din
Guilty with our consular service in China. 1t
came partly because men were appointed
for political reasons, with scant regard 70
their qualifications, partly because men
found themselves in remote eastern ports
where there was not much that made life
attra ctive, where there was very little SUI
pervision over them and yet great tempta-
ton. Gentlemen, we all know that under
such conditions II is necessarily difficult TO
secure honest and efficient service. we
made pretty thorough cleanup there. But
we cannot keep the service as high as 1t
should be unless We have adequate salaries.
There must be better monetary pro-
vision for our consuls L think that some
such scheme that so admirably adyo-
Gated by Mr. Loomis, whose experience pc
culiarly fits him to speak n'the subject, or
charging graded fees for invoices, would
furnish such solution. But, in any event,
in some way or other We should provide for
better salaries for the consuls, for better ia
cilities for doing their work. Remember
that the dearest kind of public servant Is
servant who is paid so cheaply that he
must render cheap service.
Graded Service Approved.
II feel most strongly that In the consul
lar service, which stands entirely apart
from the diplomatic service proper, en-
trance should be made by law. into the
lower grades, and that the higher grades
should be filled by a gradual process of
wedding out and promotion; remembering.
gentlemen, that the weeding-out process
must not be fnterfered with. 1t is not any
too easy to get rid of a kindly natured ell
derby incompetent at best, and if you add
to the difficulty by law he then stays per-
manently. Make the entrance to the serv
ice as far as possible non-partisan and
make it at the lower grades, so that desir-
able positions shall come to those who have
rendered good and faithful service in the
lower grades, and so that those entering
the lower grades shall feel that if they do
well they have a long and worthy career
ahead of Them
President Barbour, in speaking officially
for the convention, expressed great pleas
ure at the frank and fair-minded manner in
which the President spoke. 1t was the
consensus of the delegates that the fecla-
ton would fit well with the general legjs-
lative plan for consular reform enunci-
ated by the President and Secretary Root.
The efforts made in the interests of con-
sular reform by the national consular re-
form convention will not be relaxed 4
permanent headquarters will be established
at 2O3 Broadway New York with secre-
tary F. S. Gardner in charge.
Publicity and Promotion.
A publicity and promotion committee was
decided upon which is to consist of tha
finance committee, the chairman, secretary
and three members of the executive COM
mittee.
After adjournment the executive commit
tee went into session and added the follow
ing seven delegates to it's membership: r.
w Gates of Los Angeles, Horace Mcclure
Af nj In Of iab-