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To give practical effect to this sentiment, the Commission then urges upon the President the supreme importance of earnestly recommending to Congress the enactment of a law furnishing facilities for determining the comparative qualifications of applicants for the consular service by means of open, competitive, non-partisan examinations. And in response, the President in his recent message briefly refers to the subject in saying: “It is much to be desired that our consular system be established by law on a basis providing for appointment and promotion only in consequence of proved fitness.”
Attempts at legislation to reform the consular service have actually been made. There are now two bills pending in Congress, both of which have great merit—one introduced by Senator Lodge of the Senate, the other by Mr. Burton in the House of Representatives. The Lodge bill creates certain fixed grades in the consular service, according to salaries, and prescribes the number of positions to be included in each grade. It provides that the President, within one year after the passage of the act, shall classify the various consulates-general and consulates in accordance with the grades so established, and that the present incumbents shall be gradually recalled for examination within two years, and re-admitted to the grades they occupy, on passing a prescribed examination, and that any one failing to pass such examination shall be dropped from the service. It provides further, for the interchange of positions in the same grade, by order of the President, without renomination to the Senate of the individual officer, so that in future a consul when nominated for original appointment to the Senate shall be nominated for the grade, and not for any particular place. It provides that vacancies in the higher grades shall be filled by promotion from the lower—although such promotions would probably require confirmation by the Senate. It creates an examining board, to consist of the Assistant Secretary of State, or such person in the Department of State as the President shall designate, one Consul General or Consul, and a further officer of the State Department whom the President shall select. This board is to hold examinations for the lowest grade—the sixth—and to that grade alone appointments shall be made from the eligible list of those passing. The board shall, for each vacancy, certify the names of the five applicants who have passed the
