The Washington herald., 1908-01-19

Basel. Switz....... 3599e i5s9 % 3lz g
a study Of this table plainly indicates
that the consulate with the least work 20
be done, because Of the small amount of
exports and official fees earned, has the
largest contingent expense allowance.
says Mr. Miller This place. Lucerne.
also has the largest allowance for clerk
hire Of any of the FIVE consulates in Swift
zerland. Lucerne has a larger contingent
expense than Chemnitz. with the enor-
nous business transacted at the latter
consulate.
The larger the business transacted and
the fees collected at the consulates in
Switzerland, the smaller the allowance by
the Department Of State for expense. And
this illustrates a general condition
throughout the service
Other tables follow:
TWO C0NsULATEs IN CLASS 6-sALARY.
$500
Calais. France. Exports to the United States,
N.@c.00 Fees canned. $3.50. The exports are
principally IN lacss and embroideries. requiring
something d a technical knowledge The detail
work Of the consulate is considerable. Never makes
draft On the Treasury. but earns large profits.
Nantes, france. Exports. s275O1o. Fees canned.
With comparatively no work 10 perform, S3j9 So
Siust draw on the Treasury for money necessary 10
maintain the consulate.
TWO CONSULATES II CLASS 5-SALARY.
5000
Dublin. Ireland. Exports declared. 81 loJ0o00 Fees
earned. Ns85O
Dundee. Scotland. Exports declared. s8,5G9,050.
Fees earned. Sl2420
TWO 1850 CONsULATEs GENERAL.
Munich. Germany finland cons1latel- Exports de-
clared, S55 100. fees earned 1906. 2G250
Rotterdam, Holland great seaport Exports de-
claFed. 5000. 90; fees canned, S133790
TWO CONsTLATEs IL CLASS s-sALARY.
$50
Martinique French West udies-Expo-ts declared
about s. Go; fees earned S4 Population. 90 900
BaTefooted negroes to sell American products 20.
Has an area Of 80 square miles 10 harb0r. and no
commercial importance for the United States. The
consulate is maintained dead loss to the govern
Ineut q nearly 500 year.
Milan, Ialy-EzT0rts declared over s0000G coo: fees
eaTued, Ss3 % Population nearly 100000 in the
choice part Of Italy for the development Of AneTi-
can commerce. the consular district comprising nine
compartments, With an area Of nearly llO0 square
miles
Conditions at Various Posts.
Dublin, Munich, and Martinique are all
maintained az the expense Of the taxpav-
ers, while Dundee Rotterdam. and Milan
earn large profits and never make draft. -
is Mr. Miiler's comment.
Holland has nearly double the populs-
ton Of Switzerland" he declares. 'sThe
former country has but two United States
consulates. against six for Switzerland.
There are nearly 3,G00 90 inhabitants for
each United States consulate in Holland.
and about $4,000 per consulate in the
Swiss republic According 10 the figures
of the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor, Switzerland purchased so. .557 worth
OF American products in 1906 and Holland
more than $1,000 coo worth.
Climate sometimes has more to do
with the location Of American consuIates
than commerce.
SaXony. the industrial sweat shop Of
Europe, has an area Of 5.7s7 square miles
and a population Of 4200G10 That little
corner of Germany. with eight United
States consulates (an average of %
square miles per consular district. has
almost as many consulates as Prussia
Prussia controls the wealth Of the en-
pire with a superficial area Of 1S4GlS
square miles and a population Of s.. .0Q0 900.
There are eleven American consuIates in
Prussia. Each consular district Of Prus-
sia contains more than double the area
Of the total Of the eight consular districts
Of Saxony.
Those connected with the adminstra-
ton who are playing politics with the
consular service by encouraging the no
tion held by thousands OF our business
men that the consular service exists "a
create a market for American goods
should he called 10 account for practicing
this cheap piece of political pettfoggery
Recommendations for Corrections.
An explanation should be demanded as
10 what the six consulates of Switzerland
had TO do with the $50 .S57 worth of Amer
lean goods sold there annually. ard the
relation existing between. the TWO con-
sulates of Holland, and the $4,000 0OC
worth OF American products sold in that
country, or 100000 worth per American
cOnsulates in Holland against SO, 900 for
each consulate in Switzerland
With a view 70 completely reorgan-
izing redistricting and classifying the
service its friends should work 10 the
end:
- That Congress establish a commits
sion to investigate the consular service
from its foundation head to its furthest
ramifcation, and permit no further patch
work with it,
, That one or more or the great busi-
ness organizations Of the country estab-
llcil al AQclitiAuILi tUIlal4AS%iDA OF al
least three members to investigate the
service, the money for the expenses "a
be raised by private subscription. and
the commission to ask the courtesy Of the
administration to be permitted TO visit as
many COnsulates as desired and to have
| access to all records. If the administra-
ton is sincere in enlisting the nOnpolitica
business interests OF the country to assist
in he Of u.
this kind cannot be refused.
g. That the two commissions should
/ particularly investigate (a) AS TO ths
| feasibility Of giving the consulate gen,
/ eral in each country supervision over al
! consulates giving the consul general il
| each case power to inspect the cOnsulates
within his jurisdiction and furnishing hin
/ with a competent and adequately paid
| vice consul general and a deputy consul
/ general, to assist in this work and build
/ up a strong homogeneous organization II
each country. The term consul general
would then mean something. In connec-
/ ton with this plan the advisability oi
abolishing the present system Of inspec-
| tion. (bl The reason for four such con
/ sulates as AK la Chapelle. CTefeld, Bar
men. and Dusseldorf. the three former
within forty miles, and the latter within
/ twenty miles of Cologne. and why al
/ should not be consolidated at Cologne IL
| one strong organization Similar cOndi-
! tions elsewhere in the service should be
| investigated. (c) The reason for the ex
/ fstence OF such posts as Mukden Man
/ churia. and why the chief officer Of thai
/ consulate for two years 1865 received
/ Loco each year while receiving instruc.
/ tions and In transit. and settle the ques-
/ tion as TO whether this officer ever haC
any work to perform. 1t should be de-
| termined whether or not the legation al
| Pekin is sufficient for the protection oi
/ the small and scattered missionary inter
ests of the church societies of the United