The Washington herald., 1908-02-27
By FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

That wonderful encyclopaedia establish
ment Of governmental information, the
Bureau OF Statistics. presided over by
Mr.. o. P. Austin. has printed new map
of the world. On that map there are
some SO big dots. II is rather a funny
looking map. as one might expect But
those dots. scattered over every country
on which shines the sun of civilization
represent something. They represent
Americas watchtowers Of trade The
lookouts on these watchtowers are the
men who are in the consular service OF
the United States. AS Joshua and his
associates were sent into Canaan to spy
out the land. so to-day America sends
out these men TO spy out the fertile fields
OF international trade. And as Joshua
brought back good tidings of a land where
every good thing grew. so to-day the
American consul is bringing back daily
tidings of wonderful fields of business
where Americans may go with their
wares and get for themselves the milk
and honey of commerce.
Since America has become a world
power in tine family OF nations her peo-
pie have developed into a world power
our foreign trade was small. II was lin
tied to the few great nations. The total
exports and imports of the United States
amounted TO sl.S15. .O0O0O0 in 1897: in 1907 il
had reached the enormous total OF $685.
e0O000 The consuls of the United States
had not done II all. but they contributed
remarkable share OF making IL possible.
Wherever throughout the whole wide
world there are business opportunities.
the American government. with fatherly
care over the business man. has stationed
consul. and il is his duty 10 keep his
eyes. his ears, and his mind open, ready
as a sentinel on the outpost OF an army
to advise his government and its people
OF what the opportunity is and how il
may be improved.
The good the service has done is beyond
calculation. That little publication. the
Daily Consular Reports. gotten out by
the Bureau OF Manufactures. under the
editorship OF that veteran newspaper
man. Maj. John II. Carson, teens with
instances where openings may be had 10
sell American goods Likewise il points
out mistakes that have been made in
handling trade 10 a given point. and al
ways suggests the remedy. Many letters
come TO the Department OF Commerce and
Labor telling Of what has been accomp-
lished through tips received from the
consular reports. One New England man
ufacturer Of knives wanted to know the
addresses of some retail dealers in knives
IN England His letter was referred to
On American consul IN that country. They
DO things thoroughly, as rule. in the
consular service. and the reply he re-
ceived was no exception 10 the rule He
was given the names Of hundreds Of
dealers. Carrying Goals to Newcastle may
be an idle job. but advices later received
by the Bureau Of Manufacturers showed
that sending knives 10 Sheffield was not
profitless one TO the American manu-
facturer OF cutlery. Another manufac-
turer got tip from the consular report.
and year or two later he advised the
department that he had doubled his for
eign business.
But the good seed that our consular
service sOws at home does not always
f3ll into good ground. The reports are
full OF accounts of failures to meet for
eign conditions, and full advice 10 Amer
lean exporters how 20 correct those diff
culties. but there seems to be a hundred
instances where the suggestions are pass
ed unheeded 20 ore that is taken advant-
age OF. Especially is this true Of South
America. Conditions are different there
consuls are hammering away day after
day 10 get the American manufacturer
10 understand this. but he is so slow to
act on IL that even the optimistic Mai
Carson grows somewhat pessimistic when
he talks. about it.
1t is proposed to make another new
departure in the service. Secretary Root
believes in extending American trade
He breaches the evangel OF commercial
expansion at every opportunity. and over
looks no method by which such expansion
may be accomplished. He wants several
commercial attaches who will have a
higher standing than members Of the con
sular service proper, whose mission Il
will be to travel over the countries or the
continents to which they are assigned. and
to report in detail trade opportunities
viewed from country or continent wide
standpoint. These men viii be attached
10 legations and embassies. hence their
higher standing than that OF men in the
consular service itself. The consular
writes from a local STANDPOINT He treats
Of local conditions. The commercial at
tache Will write from a broader view and
Of general conditions. His work will
correspond with that Of the special agents
OF the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor. whom il is proposed he shall super
sede in this line Of work
The new consular inspection law has
been in force now for a year. and the
State Department is highly gratified with
the results II has brought about Under
the old order of things if there were
any malfeasance Of duty at a consulate,
about the last person in the world TO
hear OF it was the Secretary of State.
and even when he did hear ~ i4 ba 1pae
without direct instrumentalities for in
vestigating the trouble. It had to be SER
ious trouble. indeed, before it was dis
covered. and about the only way il
could be investigated was by the removal
Of tho offender and the appointment of
HIS successor.
Under the new order Of things an in
spector is likely to be dropping in" on
a consulate at any hour of the year.
Secretary Root says this has A highly
wholesome effect. and that even a Cabinet
minister is more careful oe what he does
and how he does II, since he knows that
a probe may be applied whenever Con-
gress sees fit He says that man IS
keyed up to about a proper pitch when
he knows that some fellow is likely to be
after him who has authority TO inquire
into what he is doing and has been doing
About half OF the consulates have been
inspected. and Mr.. Root thinks that
inspection has elevated the tone Of the
service out of all proportion to the ex
pense Il involves. The inspectors are the
eyes. ears. and hands of the State De-
partment.
The merit system is another thing that