Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-04

tual service in different parts of the
world and thus familiar with poljticoi
and commercial conditions in the rs.
gions concerned. The work was higb-
~ 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 assidulty This
principal of polltico-geographical d.
vision possesses also the feature Of
making possible rotation between the
officers Of the departmental, the din
lomatic, and the consular branches Of
the foreign service, and thus keeps
the whole diplomatic and consular
establishments under the Department
OF state in close touch and equally in
spired with the aims and policy of
the Government, Through the newly
created Division Of Information the
foreign service is kept fully informed
Of what transpires from day to day
in the international relations Of the
country and contemporary foreign
comment affecting American interests
is promptly brought to the attention
Of the department, The law offices
Of the department were greatly
strengthened, There were added for
eign trade advisers to cooperate with
the diplomatic and consular bureaus
and the politco-geographical divisions
in the innnumerable matters where
commercial diplomacy or consular
work calls for such special knowledge.
The same officers, together with the
rest Of the new organization, are able
at all times to give to American citi-
zens accurate information as to con-
ditlons in foreign countries with
which they have business and like
wise to cooperate more effectively
with the Congress and also with the
other executive departments.
Merit System In Consular and DipIO.
matte Corps.
Expert knowledge and professional
training must evidently be the es-
sence Of this reorganization. Without
trained foreign service there would
not be men available for the work in
the re-organized Department Of State.
President Cleveland had taken the
first step toward introducing the merit
system in the foreign service. That
had been followed by the application
of the merit principle, with excellent
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 1t was evil
IDENTIFY of the first Importance to train
an adequate personnel in that branch
of the service. Therefore, on Novem-
ber 26, 1909, by an Executive order
I placed the Diplomatic Service up to
the grade of secretary Of embassy,
inclusive, upon exactly the same strict
nonpartisan basis Of the merit sys-
TEN, rigid examination for appoint
ment and promotion only for etfi-
cheney, as had been maintained with
out exception in the Consular Service
Statistics as to Merit and NOnpartlsan
Character Of Appointments
How faithful to the merit system
and how nonpartisan has been the
conduct of the Diplomatic and Con-
sular Services in the last four years
may be judged from the following;
Three ambassadors now serving held
their present rank at the beginning
NJ NV administration OF the ten am
bassadors whom have appointed five
were by promotion from the rank OF
minister Nine ministers now serving
held their present rank at the be-
ginning Of my administration Or the
thirty ministers whom have ap-
nointed eleven were promoted from
tbe lower grades Of the foreign SER
vico or from the Department of state
NJ tbe nineteen missions in Latin
America where our relations are close
ond our interest is great, fifteen chiefs
Of mission are service men, three nav
Inc entered the service during Ih's
administration. The thirty-seyen sec
retaries Of embassy or legation VINO
hovo received their initial appoint
ments after passing successfully the .l..
.ao,,ired examination we're chosen ior
asoortained fitness, without regard 10
roi,tical affiliations. A deartb Of can
s,datos from Southern and western
states has alone made it Impossible ,, ,,ls
Tins far completely to equali7e all ,.s tae
states, Stat representations in the ioFe'sn lsn
,'oo o'avgo In the effort to equalize the
representation Of the various s's,s. a. .,r. ~
the Consular Service have made ,,,, ,l1
teen Of the tveuty-nine new apporn,, appoint
ments as consul which have occurred