The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-08-11
NOT FOR THE ASKING.
Foreign Representatives Must be
Educated Men.
C0NSULS MUST GO TO SCHOOL
Positions No Longer Go To Politicians
ann Poets With A Pull Unless These
Possess The Requisite Educational
Qualifications.
CONSuLS MUST GO TO SCHOOL

WASHINGTON, August, ll,--Consul'
ships Tor the asking; but YOU need to
20 to school to capture one these days
Just at present the demand for men
qualified to enter the consular service
OF the United States exceeds the supply
State Department examinations held re-
Gently were taken by Ss candidates, rep
resenting appointees eager, II passed. to
80 to diireren, posts scattered all over
the world. This number. however, does
not by any means represent the actual
needs OF the service in which the weed
ing process is now more marked than
ever before. Political influence becomes
less and less a feature OF consular ere
dentials. The element vi personal
worth increases under this administm.
tion.
To help along the movement for bot
ter prepared consuls the State Depart
ment, by authority OF Secretary Root,
has just granted permission TO John Ball
Osborne, Chief of the Bureau Of Trade
Relations OF the State Department. to
accept a position on the faculty Of the
college of political schemes connected
with the George Washington University,
Mr.. Osborne will henccforth be lee
turer ON the consular service.
This appointment is particularly i'm.
pol$nnt in view Of the fact that at the
present time the chief function oi our
consuls abroad is to foster American
commerce, Originally the main object
OF the service was TO protect American
shipping, which a century OF more ago
played u prominent part in our foreign
trade But while the American mer-
ehantman has almost disappeared from
the seven seas, our foreign commerce in
creases year by year Mr.. Osborne Is
one oil the younger men in important
governmental posts, graduate of Yale
in the class of 80, who served his ap'
premiership as United States consul at
Ghent, Belgium. from 1850 to 1905 and
who was joint SECRETARY OF the Reel
procity Commission between 1897 and
1905.
Mr.. Osborne's connection Win the
College OF Political Sciences reiniorces
the idea which for many years has pre-
vailed among students ot the consular
service that sooner or later the political
science department of George Washing
ton University will be officially recog-
nized rs school of diplomacy and ex
laminations now held at the offices oi
the State Department will be held al
the University. Hon. John Barrett
formerly United States minister to Sian
and now at the head OF the Interstate
bureau of American Republics, gave
considerable prominence to this idea
| soon after this school was established
He advocated, in effect, the abolition oil
the State Department system OF eXami-
nations and the substitution OF at least
q three. months course at George Wash
ington University which was then known
in the educational world as Columbian
University. The State Department ex'
laminations continue, but it is we'll
known here that the College OF Political
Sciences is as yet the only school in the
United States for those intending tc
take up diplomatic career and that the
graduates of this school, political inilu
ence aside, stand the best chance Of Sc
curing the most attractive posts Of the
service.
There has been great deal OF criti
cism on the consular service founded or
no better observation than that Of the
woman who Oh returning from Europe
complained in letter which she sent tc
a New York newspaper that the consu
in Europe was not scholar and gen
tleman. Why" she asked, cannot al
cur consular positions be filed by mer
Of the Sir Julian paunccfotc typeY II
eyidently had not occurred to the fan
critic that men fit to be ambassadors
are not likely to be holding down $ljOt
year Jobs in some town that has seer
better days.
However, there was abundant cause
for much of the criticism passed upor
the service, but the times have chNngct
and the service has changed with them
Today it takes a man with pretty fail
knowledge of several Important sub
ects to qualify for the service. The
candidates that took the examination
just finished at the State Department
had to pass in French, German or Span
ish; on the natural, industrial and com
mercial resources of the United States
political economy; international, mari
time and commercial law; American his
tory; government and its different in
| stitutionG nolitinaI and nonmnrino1 ooo