Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-02-18

to secure mineral and coal lands of al
most inestimable value by the Guggen-
helms, one of whom, as it is we'll
known, is in the Senate of the United
States from Colorado. That mere
wealth without education, learning,
craftsmanship, reputation or public
service can secure place in the high
est legislative body in this hemisphere,
has made many doubt the efficacy or
permanency Of popular government,
and it is perhaps not without reason
that some people are turning toward
socialism and others barking back to
monarchy in their disgust and despera-
ton.
There was a conference at the White
House last week between the President
of the United States and the boss of
the Senate, Mr.. Aldrich, of Rhode Is
land, and it IS expected that other con-
ferences Will be held in the near future
relative to the possible consequences,
political, industrial and financial, de-
pending upon anticipated decisions of
the Supreme Court of the United States
in the oil and tobacco cases. The to-
bacco case is now awaiting decision in
the hands of the Court. The Standard
Oil case has been advanced to March
l4th. The main subject discussed be-
tween the President and Mr.. Aldrich
to the projecting of the amendments
relating to the Interstate Commerce
Law. Legislation in this particular is
awaiting the Supreme Court decisions
in these two important cases. The
Presidents speech at the Lincoln's
birthday dinner at the New York Re
publican Club, about the several party
pledges and how they should be kept,
makes it plain that he has not changed
his determination to investigate the
conduct of all trusts and that rumors
of financial crises in Wall Street will
in no wise deter him.
1AlOl Al6tlOA COA4CS IlOlA tllC
places in the State Department that
Secretary Knox is not pleased with the
merely ornamental characteristics of
large number of our diplomatic estab-
lishments abroad. He wants those de-
bonair young fellows and old fellows
to be doing something useful or to have
them come home in order that he may
appoint practical and progressive men
in their places. The average diplomat
scorns commercialism and Industrial
ism and the suggestion that he shall
do something for the promotion of
American commerce and trade abroad
is wormwood to his sporty or aesthetic
disposition. Of course, our American
consuls are not diplomatists in the old
Matternich or Tallerand sense. In
fact, no such diplomatists longer exist.
Steam and electricity have put old style
diplomacy out of business. There are
other means of communication nova
days than by couriers on horseback.
But there are scores of consular sta
tions throughout Europe, Asia, Africa
and South American where the consuls
have quasi-diplomatic functions, al
though, their usefulness is largely as
commercial agents. However, as man
is social animal, social functions and
opportunities at these consular posts
have an effect to seduce the ordinary
young fellow sent abroad to sybaritish
habits. They are disposed to spend
but few hours at Office and to give the
day and night to pleasure. The Uni
ted States is great corporation with
hundreds of thousands of servants, in
fact far greater number than it can
adequately watch and then every four
years or so a new boss is elected and
almost before he can become acquaint-
ed with the shop, his term of service is
up. OF course, it is very important that
our consuls shall keep our manufac-
turers advised with reference to trade
opportunities. Our foreign commerce
has greatly increased and we are sell
ing a tremendous afiouut of stuff
abroad fora'less price than we sell to
our own people at home. Sewing ma
chimes, typewriters, shoes and even
food stuffs exported from America are
sold in England, France and Germany
for less than they can be bought in the
United States.
The Department of Commerce and
Labor is the agency which determines
and reports upon the work that con-
sui has undertaken to do. These re-
ports 60 to the State Department, where
is kept a rating of the consuls' work.
Those that are found deficient in activ-
ity are marked or demerited very much
as boy at school. Those who are not
up to the standard are politely repri-
manded and those consuls who spend
their time playing bridge and poker
and in other less venial designations
are likely to hear from the department
in Washington in way to cause them
to quake, if not to pack and come
home.
Fright fe Make ChicagO Drv.