The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-03-17


world, with money to spend on all
sorts OF river and harbor Jobs
we compel our representatives abroad
to submit to the humiliation of liv-
ing in any lodgings they may find,
sometimes being compelled to give up
their quarters to another tenant
whereas most of the nations of the
earth own and maintain embassies
at the principal capitals.
Conditions are such that it has be-
come almost necessity to choose
very rich men as our ambassadors in
London, Paris, Berlin, st. Petersburgh,
Vienna, Rome and other important
capitals, because Uncle Sam is so pen
urious that he does not pay enough to
make it possible for diplomat of mod
crate means to maintain the dignity
of his position. Our country ought not
to be obliged to depend upon he very
rich for the highest diplomatic SER
vice. 1t should not in effect establish
rule that only multi-millionaires may
be appointed to the highest diplomat
ic posts, thus shutting out from pro-
motion the men who deserve advance
ment for long and valuable service
This custom is a constant temptation
to reward wealthy campaign contri-
buttons at the expense of the diplo-
matte service.
Very recently Congress refused 70
pass a bill providing for the .expendl-
ture of 100000 year toward secur-
ing United States embassies on the
various countries. In the course of
the debate in the measure Congress-
man Lowden, of Illinois, said.
The Government of the United
States had ordered, when the late
President Cleveland died, in order to
do honor to his memory, that the flag
above the embassy should be carried
at half-mast. At our embassy at Paris
it was attempted to carry out this
order but our offices there were
simply suite of offices in a sort of
an office building, and we had no more
rights than the other tenants, and a
real estate agent, who occupied one of
the other suites, protested to the land
lord. The ambassador of the United
States, under the conditions, was
obliged to remove our flag and failed
to do honor to a great man whom this
country had honored and whose men,
DRY will be one of our most priceless
possessions as the years go by. Il # Il
Beyond our own boundaries the
only places which the United States of
America may occupy as of right are
our embassies, legations, and consul
ates. Within them the flag of America
is as supreme as within the City of
New York; elsewhere it floats only by
the courtesy of foreign nations. Is it
BETTING the dignity of a great nation
that the whim of the purse of him who
for the time represents America
abroad should determine whether this
bit of American soil shall be here or
there in the foreign capitals-one year
in a fiat and the very next year in
a palace? Would it not be better, in
finitely better, if the Nation should
furnish our foreign representatives a
permanent home, simple but adequate,
in keeping with the best traditions of
the Republic, where the hospitality eX-
ercised by them would put the nations
of the world under obligations not to
the persons of our ambassadors and
ministers but to the United States?.
! We have boosted through all our
! history that this is a country of
homes Shall the Nation alone be
homeless? Shall Americas flag be a
! tramp in the capitals of the world
! protecting not a Nations home but
only the temporary abiding place OF
! Americas representatives? Shall we
arise to the Nations needs, imposed
upon her by the last dozen years OF
our history"
This argument is dignified and
forceful. We should have some pride
in maintaining the dignity of our
country. We cheaper our Nation and
cause foreigners 10 shrug their
shoulders and smile at some of our
crudlties. If we could not affird bet
ter service the situation would be diff
ferent but we are better able TO own
our embassies than most of the
European powers. Some day let us
hope, we shall realize the fitness of
;hings and act accordingly.