The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-12-05
There were created divisions Of Latin.

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.
glons concerned. The work was high.
ly specialized. The result is that
whore previously this government
from time to time would emphasize In
its foreign relations one or another
policy, now American interests In ey.
cry quarter OF the globe are being
cultivated with equal assidulty.
Merit System In Consular and Dlplo.
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
the reorganized department OF state
President Cleveland has taken the
FIRST step toward introducing the
merit system In the foreign service
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
TO the diplomatic service In this age
OF commercial diplomacy II was evil
IDENTITY OF the frat Importance to train
an adequate personnel in that branch
Of the service Therefore, on Novem.
Der 49, 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.
tom. 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 Nonpartlean
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
10y 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 ! have appoint.
ed, eleven were promoted from the
lower grades OF the foreign service or
from the department of state. or the
nineteen missions In Latin America,
whore our relations are close and our
interest Is great fifteen chiefs OF mis-.
sion are service men, three having
entered the service during this admin.
istration, The thirty-seven Secreta.
rles Of embassy or legation who have
received their initial appointments
after passing successfully the required
examination were chosen for asccr.
tanned fitness. without regard TO pO.
litical affiliations. A dearth Of candI.
dates from southern and western
states has alone made II impossible
thus far completely to cqualize all
the states representations In the for,
eign service. In the effort TO cqualizc
the representation of the various
states in the consular service / have
made sixteen OF the twcnty.nine new
appointments as consul which have
occurred during my administration
from the southern states This Is 81
per cent. Every other consular ap,
pointmcnt 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-
lives Recommended.
In connection with legislation for
the amelioration OF the foreign sery
| ice, I wish to invite attention to the
ddyisability Of placing the salary ap
| preparations upon n better basais.
believe that the best results would
be obtained by moderate scale OF
salaries, with adequate funds for tn,
expenses OF proper representation
based In each case upon the scale ant
cost of living ut each post. controlled
! by a system OF accounting, and un
der the general direction OF the de
partment OF state.
In line with the object which have
sought Of placing our foreign servic,
on basis OF permanency. | have n
various times advocated provision by
congress for the acquisition OF govern
ment-owned buildings for the resi-
dence and Offices OF our diplomatic OF
ficers, 30 as to place them more near
ly on an equality with similar officers
OF other nations and to do away will
the discrimination which otherwise
must necessarily be made, In som,
cases, In favor of men having larg,
private fortunes. The act Of congress-
which approved on February II. 1911