The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-13

chaoxao condition. Thomas Jefferson. as SeoreeAry of state In Washington's cabinet. organized the Service at thq beginning. The Government could not pay salaries and the fees vere not suf-
 1cient to support Q man. Therefores the consular appointments were given to Americans who were residing abroad in business. or to wealthy men who wished to live abroad for their own pleasure. President Jackson attempted to Induce Congress to reform the serv- ice and abolish the fee system. but without avail.
 James Buchanan, as Secretary of State in Presidents Pieroe's cabinet. formulated the reform bill of 1856.
 which provided for the admission of men to the lower grades of the serv- foo upon merit established by examina- ton. The next Congress emasculated
 the law. Efforts were made at inter vals to induce Congress to abolish the fee system and provide for a uniform
 method of appointment but nothing was done.
 President Cleveland took forward
 step by Issuing an order that vacan- cies in the lower grades of consulates
 should be filled by promotion from com sular clerkships. from the Department of State. or from q list of those who | had established their qualifications by examinations. Of the thirteen candi. dates examined under this order be-
 fore Mir. C1eveland's retirement, eight | were passed and five were rejected President Mckinley left the order in | force, but as consuls were removed by | the wholesale and friends of the new administration appointed in their stead. | the examination became purely per- | functory and was eventually discon" | tinued.- Of 112 candidates examined at the beginning of the Mckinley admin
 istration, only one was reflected Strong protests weer made against | the wholesale removal of capable con- l suls for purely political reasons, as had been done by the Democrats under l Mckinley. The business men of the
 country were beginning to appreciate | the importance of the consular service and they desired that 1t be given some degree of stability. The crusade on the
 part of the business men. having the
 aid of the Roosevelt administration, culminated in the enactment of the con- sular reform law of 1906. By that law all fees are required to be paid into the Treasury, and consuls are paid salary. The consul-general to London, whose fees had amounted to $5O,00 year, as much as is paid the President, was given a saIry of $12,00o. The con- suls-general were apporttoned Tn seven classes, ranging in salary from S12.00o to 5000. The consuls were divided in- tc nine classes, ranging in salary from ss, 900 to $2.000 Provision was made for the subordinate officers and the whole service was systematized fog the
 first time.
 Tn the old days the chief duties of consuls were those connected with American shipping abroad. These are still vitally important, but consuls are expected to do many other things in these days. Most important of all. the American consuls are expected to look out for opportunities to expand Amer lean trade. and make reports to Wash ington for the guidance of American business men.
 The consular reports have been pub lished ever since 1856. At first they were issued annually. then quarterly then monthly. But now the consular reports are published daily and are sent all over the country to commercial organizations, exporters newspapers and individuals who may be interested: It is difficult to estimate the value Of these daily consular reports. but there