The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-12-06

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American affairs and of far eastern,
near eastern, and western European
| affairs. To these divisions were called
from the foreign service diplomatic
and consular officers possessing expe-
rience and knowledge gained by act
ual service in different parts of the
world and thus familiar with political
and commercial conditions in the re-
gions concerned. The work was high
| ly specialized. The result is that
where previously this government
| from time to time would emphasize in
| its foreign relations one or another
policy. now American interests in ev-
| cry quarter OF the globe are being
cultivated with equal assiduity.
Merit System In Consular and DipIo-
matte Corps.
Expert knowledge and professional
training must evidently be the essence
| OF this reorganization. Without a
trained foreign service there would
not be men available for the work In
President Cleveland has taken the
| first step toward introducing the
| merit system in the foreign service.
That had been followed by the appli-
cation of the merit principle, with ex-
| cellent results, to the entire consular
branch. Almost nothing, however, had
been done in this direction with regard
| of commercial diplomacy 1t was evil
IDENTIFY of the first importance to train
| an adequate personnel in that branch
Of the service. Therefore, on Novem-
Der 26, 1909, by an executive order /
! placed the diplomatic service up to
the grade Of secretary of embassy, in
elusive, upon exactly the same strict
non-partisan basis of the merit sys-
tenn, rigid examination for appoint
ment and promotion only for eff
cheney, as had been maintained without
exception in the consular service.
Statistics as to Merit and Nonpartiean
Character of Appointments.
How faithful to the merit system
and how nonpartisan has been the con-
duct of the diplomatic and consular
services in the last four years may be
judged from the following: Three
ambassadors now serving held their
] present rank at the beginning of the
administration. OF the ten ambassa-
doris whom have appointed, five were
by promotion from the rank of min
| lister. Nine ministers now serving
held their present rank at the begin
ming Of the administration. OF the
thirty ministers whom l have appoint
ed, eleven were promoted from the
lower grades of the foreign service or
| from the department of state. OF the
nineteen missions in Latin America,
interest is great, fifteen chiefs of mis-
sion are service men, three having
entered the service during this admin
istration. The thirty-seven secreta-
| ries Of embassy or legation who have
received their initial appointments
after passing successfully the required
examination were chosen for ascer-
tanned fitness, without regard to po-
| litical affiliations. A dearth of candi-
dates from southern and western
states has alone made it impossible
thus far completely to equalize all
the states representations in the for
eign service. In the effort to equalize
| the representation of the various
! states in the consular service / have
made sixteen of the Twenty-Five new
| appointments as consul which have
occurred during my administration
from the southern states. This is 55
per cent Every other consular ap-
pointment made, including the promo
ton OF eleven young men from the
consular assistant and student inter
prefer corps, has been by promotion or
transfer, based solely upon efficiency
| shown In the service.
In order to assure to the business
and other interests Of the United
States continuance of the resulting
benefits Of this reform, earnestly re-
new my previous recommendation of
legislation making it permanent along
some such lines as those of the meas
ure now pending in congress.
Larger Provision for Embassies and
Legations and for Other Expenses
OF Our Foreign Representa-
tives Recommended.
In connection with legislation for
the amelioration of the foreign serv-
ice, l wish to invite attention to the
| ACCESSIBILITY of placing the salary ap-
| preparations upon a better basais. /
believe that the best results would
be obtained by moderate scale of
salaries, with adequate funds for the
expenses of proper representation,
based in each case upon the scale and
cost Of living at each post, controlled
| by system of accounting, and I'M
der the general direction of the de-
| partment of state.
In line with the object which have
| sought of placing our foreign service
on basis of permanency, l have at
various times advocated provision by
! congress for the acquisition of govern
| ment-owned buildings for the resi-
dence and offices of our diplomatic Of
fcers, so as to place them more near.
ly on an equality with similar officers
| Of other nations and to do away with
| the discrimination which otherwise
must necessarily be made, in some
| cases, in favor of men having large
| private fortunes. The act of congress
which l approved on February II, 1911,
was right step in this direction
| The secretary of state has already
made the limited recommendations
| permitted by the act for any one year,
and it is my hope that the bill intro
duced in the house of representatives
| to carry out these recommendations
will be favorably acted on by the con-
gress during its present session