The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-18
IMMENSE WEALTH IS NOT
 PROPER QUALIFICATION
representatives Perkins and Slayden Indulge In Stabs At Purse-Proud Representatives At For.
 eign Courts.

Washington, April 17.-In the course of
 an appeal for government legation build
 ings abroad, MT. Perkins of New York
 in the House of Representatives today, by implication, charged that Emperor Will
 Hams attitude toward David Jayne Hill.
 as American ambassador to Berlin, had
 been entirely due to social causes. That
 the ambassadors from the United States
 must be very rich men, he said, seemed
 to be accepted in court circles. In the
 case of MT. Hill, he declared that mo
 one questioned his capacity, nothing he
 had ever said or done was distasteful to
 the country to which he was accredited,
 but those who find special pleasure in
 elaborate entertainment and in the splen-
 dors of social life supported by multi
 millonaires, seem to have regarded as
 distasteful the prospect of a change in
 the social regime"
 Plain living and high thinking, he main tained, apparently were not popular in
 all classes.
 'It is quite evident" said MT Perkins, that if the recognized function of Amer | ickan ambassadors is to entertain with excessive llberality the sooner we ara
 done with ambassadors the better. Hos pitality has it's charms and dining and wining is a creditable amusement, but i after all 1t is not for such purposes that we sustain a diplomatic corps" Such i things, he contended may be useful ad- | juncts, but certainly they are not the l recognized objects of diplomatic life" l If, he said, only millionaires were fit for the duties expected from American ann
 oassadors, then American ambassadors
 must soon cease to exist. When the | United States, he declared owned It's own
 buildings there would be a better chance
 for the man of moderate means to make
 ends meet and less demand for the multi
 millionaire to expend his wealth in ex-
 cessive display.
 MT. Sayden of Texas also touched upon
 the question of wealth as a qualification
 for foreign service in urging adequate 1 government maintenance for American
 diplomats abroad by providing suitable
 residences and fair salaries. He assert 1 ed that unless it was done we will be | virtually saying to the world that the | great North American republic, despite 1 it's declaration of equality, has set aside ! certain of its more important offices for l the exclusive enjoyment of the rich, by making it impossible for the citizen of
 small means to occupy them" l MT. Slayden was willing to admit that
 some rich men may be as accomplished in statecraft Motley. Lowell or Bay ard, but" he said, these really great l men should not have their memories in- l suited by mention in the same breath | with another class who are only distin- | guisbed because they give costly dinners or pay extravagant rent for the palaces 1 they occupy, while socially exploiting I themselves as American officials" | Touching the Hill incident, MT. Slayden i said:
 1 Two great governments have just been 1 jolted by the mere replacing of one rep | resentative by another. It was rumored, | I hope without foundation, that the sub
 stitution of a highly trained diplomat of exalted character, but of limited means, ] for another who may be equally qualified and who is a of greath wealth, did 1 not meet with the approval of the sov- i ereign to whose court he was to be sent, 1 just because he classed a poor
 man. The rumors were denied from the court of that sovereign and our diplomat,
 it now appears, is persona grata, and will be received"
 The fact, however. said Mir. Slayden, that such stories could be circulated, showed a state of mind of the public out of which came a degree of embarrass- ment which he hoped would assist in establishing a standard for American am- bassadors. He pleaded for decent and dgnified residences for American lega-
 tions. with a fair salary. And then"
 he said. make up in character and qual-
 ifcations for any lack of individual
 wealth.