The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-28
OUR CONSULAR SERVICE.
The Faults Are I'm thu System Rather Than
I'm the Men.

To THE EDITOR OF TIL SUN-Sfr: Until
President Cleyeland's second term the con-
sular service was generally regarded as q
political pension bureau for the dominant
party. There are q great NUMBER oi our
oonsulates which should be discontinued
In Ontario alone there are twehty-h'e'
Until the House bill, at present In joint con-
ference. I do not recall that any effort has
been made In this direction. The ontario
oonsulates should be consolidated, Their
income Is very small and the duties COM
paratlyely light. This can be said oil q mum,
Der OF other oonsulates. where tine totai
income accruinR to the Government IL from
900 TO $500 a year and the expenses are iro,h
81, 900 to $1,000 q year. samoa eAponu'
abotit $1,000 with an income OF s0s' cairo,
Egypt. spends about $1,000 WIN an hiooi''
of 5000.
or course the income from official ana I'M
official fees is not the only criterion as 10
the necessity to the Government OF q con,
sulate. Varied are the services rehuereu
by Consuls TO trade and to our oitiZens tenn
porarlly or permanently residing aoroeu.
Occasionally o Consul-General Is useo oy
the President In functions that wouio reeu-
larly fall to a Minister. This Is rue Where
there is no Minister In the country 10 Whlon
the Consul Ia accredited, and particularly
true where diplomatic intercourse 10 WIN,
drawn, which rarely involves the Withdrawn
of the Consul.
Gen. Lee In Cubs during the Spanish war
occurred more important LOT
the President from his intercourse there IMAM
our Minister obtained In Spain.
II the principles which obtain IN a DUST
ness corporation were applied to the consular
system Appointments would be made 10
the service and not to q particular station;
at least one-third Of the present consulates
would be merged with the remainder. In
Ireland there 10 really no need for more
than one consulate, and that at beilast.
Bristol, with an income Of, Sl,le2 the las{
fiscal year, apd Cardiff witt an income NJ, q
to London. Huddersfeld and Leeds. NIL Wy
incomes Of h eb0 ~ 4 ;S32fG sa0e abtoSa p4 be S,'a atn
The service could be rendered. peculiarly
effective II In appointments the fitness OF F.
F Foq Instance. to e pS at shefle R9S' the Me! Consul ii should
be & mar Eho Is oa an S s1Per 7 R m mi sIse' q ofa he
t fSe jj,Hris Gishi 5n' Of FIRE The ttaSsi 3" 50 }sr 4: Il;
e ysiSti II. s4n d II iR'IS1S as Hs ss sSSHld P Ss e esp ,'%Ii,iSiS
charged with reporting on trade thr9ughout
the entire country 70 which he Il acers q r
Ing, the necessity to that Of national banks ,inf
a and the p9 Tso of Snr,m whe ef S,,s dhsTs i ls m rlS,ss
consuiates is. small; the accounts. are simple;
abstracts and reports are sent at least Twice
a month to the Departm ent, so that suoh
lnsPsctlcn would consist in little o mere 81 ff tbs
Consul In his district, all Of which / submit
could be done more ef{eetivels by ~ n nandoS;
the Inspecting and supervising oflcef Of all
the consulatee in England which are witniaa
make an annual visit and have an accountant
to make periodical visits.
The efficiency bureau Secretary. Root
has established In the Department OF state
10 record merits and .demerlts TO some ex-
tent affords a medium throu gh which ConsuIs
work. II good. could be rewarded. The chief
difficulty lies In the fact that In the majority
Of consulates the work Ia routine .aad per-
functory, and can all be ACCOMPLISHED by a
9. 900 clerk so that the Or 9niy ", ave enaIit % e ei sRe
Consul's report on the industries In his 1--WE
district.
On the whole. the consular service under
the present conditions does not, oier an IN
yitinn field to young men with amDltlon
unless they can pick their own posts.
LINDSAY RUSSELL.