Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-06-30
AS T6 oUR CONSULAR SERVICE.

ApfOpOS Mr. Henry " ell s i6IeTencet
to his experience with-or 6bsarva-
tion, rather. of our consular service in I
COnstantinople and in Jerusalem, on
the occasion of his recent visits there,
on his extended foreign tour, it may
be well to review or emphasize the
fact that the consular service of the
United States, recently reorganized on |
a nonpartisan basis, is expected to-
reach high degree of efficiency. Un-i
der an act of Congress approved in |
April, 1906, President Roosevelt is |
sued an executive order in June Of
cials, including consus-general, in the
civil service class; but before anyone
can be examined for the eligible list
he must be especially designated for
examination by the President. This
makes the selection of consulS some
what like the selection of cadets-at-
large for the Military Academy and
| the Naval Academy. When the con-
sular vacancy occurs the President
| fills it by appointment from the eligi-
bles or by promotion, "by and with
the consent of the Senate" and man
once a consul cannot be removed or
displaced except for just cause. In
other words, his position is as secure
as that of the officer of the army or
navy.
In the consular service there are 81
consuls-general and $50 consuls. not
including deputies, or agents. They
are classified and are paid entirely in
salaries, Congress having abolished
the old fee system. In former years
| American consular officers received
their appointments by reason of polit-
ica1 influence. Among the largest
party plums were the offices of con-
| sul-general, the fees piling up in one
case to 1000 or more a year, and in
several cases to between $4,000 and
| $25,000 And plain consulships, no
matter what the places yielded in the
| way of fees, were regarded as exceed
ingly important from the party pat
ronage point Of view, commercial MT
ness on the part of the consul being
of secondary consideration.
In the reorganized service the con-
sul-general at London and the consul
general at Paris receive each salary
Of $4,000. Those two officials cOnsti-
tute class I. In class are Berlin,
Hamburg, Havana, Hong-Kong,
Shanghai and Rio de Janeiro, and the
salary for those places is $4,000. Con-
general are classified down to T.
the smallest salary for the lowest
grade being $4,000. The $50 consu1s
are divided into nine classes with sal
aries ranging from $4,000 year In
class to $4,000 in class 1.
The examination for the eligible list
is comprehensive and very stiff, but
Il not too exacting, unless possibly it be
in the matter of law. The aspirant is
required to have a good knowledge o1
international, commercial and mari
| time law and of Jurisprudence as {
science, and the rules of examination
practically confine the eligible list tt
graduates of law schools.
Under the old spoils system consul:
were examined after they received
their appointments, but such examina
tions amounted to farce. Now, il
addition to a knowledge of law, th
man who reaches the eligible lis
matically one modern language be
sides his own. If he can speak sew
;, eral languages so much the better
Other subjects on which the oGasu
: lar candidate is examined are tie nat
ural, Industrial and commercial. re
| sources of the United States; politi
cal economy, American history, gov
ernment and institutions, polite Il an
commercial geography, arit it-.lnetie
= and the history of Europe, Sout
America and the Far East since 1850.
Thus it is seen that the consula
service of this country is being raise
to the level of that of Germany, Grea
Britain and France. In those coun
tries none but educated and traine
; men can become consuls. While on
diplomatic service has not yet bee
put on civil service basis, the ten
dency is in that direction. Within tn
past three or four years the embassie
L AdV0 UCCA II1CO usually ny
from the less important missions G
by the promotion of a first secretary
A feature of the improved consula
service is that which provides for tn
!. promotion of the especially capabl
consuls to the diplomatic department
n Don't 1ionize the Wright brother
y until they complete their tests for III
~ Gle Sam. 1t interferes with real worl
ty -----------
III James r. Garfield is said to be Wri
- ing regular Tom Lawson book,
/. which he will tell what he know
d about the trusts.