ies and the
encouraging prospects for a general expansion of our commerce, the
question of an improvement in the consular service has increased in
importance and urgency. Though there is no doubt that the great body
of consular officers are rendering valuable services to the trade and
industries of the country, the need of some plan of appointment and
control which would tend to secure a higher average of efficiency can
not be denied.

The importance of the subject has led the Executive to consider what
steps might properly be taken without additional legislation to answer
the need of a better system of consular appointments. The matter having
been committed to the consideration of the Secretary of State, in
pursuance of his recommendations an Executive order was issued on the
20th of September, 1895,[25] by the terms of which it is provided that
after that date any vacancy in a consulate or commercial agency with an
annual salary or compensation from official fees of not more than $2,500
or less than $1,000 should be filled either by transfer or promotion
from some other position under the Department of State of a character
tending to qualify the incumbent for the position to be filled, or by
the appointment of a person not under the Department of State, but
having previously served thereunder and shown his capacity and fitness
for consular duty, or by the appointment of a person who, having been
selected by the President and sent to a board for examination, is found
upon such examination to be qualified for the position. Posts which pay
less than $1,000 being usually, on account of their small compensation,
filled by selection from residents of the locality, it was not deemed
practicable to put them under the new system.

The compensation of $2,500 was adopted as the maximum limit in the
classification for the reason that consular officers receiving more than
that sum are often charged with functions and duties scarcely inferior
in dignity and importance to those of diplomatic agents, and it was
therefore thought best to continue their selection in the discretion of
the Executive without subjecting them to examination before a board.
Excluding 71 places with compensation at present less than $1,000 and
53 places above the maximum in compensation, the number of positions
remaining within the scope of the order is 196. This number will
undoubtedly be increased by the inclusion of consular officers whose
remuneration i