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Show . AMERICAN EMBASSIES. There has been a good" deal of discussion dis-cussion in the past few years about the desirability of the United States obtaining ob-taining official headquarters in the various vari-ous countries to which wc send Embassadors Embas-sadors and Ministers. It has become fully apparent that no person can represent rep-resent thc United States with the dignity dig-nity and prestige that an Amorican Em: bassador or Minister ought to carr-with carr-with him. on the salary which is given to thoso representatives of the Republic in foreign nations. To keep up the dignity dig-nity and carry on the functions, that an Embassador or a Minister is expected to do, and that the representatives of other oth-er nations do, in the various capitals. of the world's nations, an expenditure three or four times the amount of the Embassador's salary is absolutely necessary. nec-essary. It would, of course, bo possible for a man not wealthy to ta'ko the position of Embassador to Great Britain, Germany, Ger-many, to Prauce, or to others of the great nations and live on his salary; but ho would live in an obscure, neglected neg-lected way, nnd his services for his country would bo merelv perfunctory. Under such condition, our represent a tion diplomatically would bo pructi- cally the same as If wo should have no representation at all. Tho official recognition would bo given, of course, and the perfunctory civilities and courtesies would bo exchanged, but that would bo ail- The Embassador or Minister would not be presont at the brilliant functions given by other nations' representatives, this because ho would not bo able to return tho like social courtesies himself; and so bo would bo out of "thc swim" and out of consideration. In order to meet tho situation, In part at least, the proposition has been mado to provido residences for tho Embassadors and Ministers, and appropriate ap-propriate generously for tho upkeep of thoso residences and for tho official social functions to bo provided in them. Representative Sulzer of Now York has introduced a bill (Yl. R. 22,-589) 22,-589) to provido for tho acquisition of premises for tho diplomatic establishments establish-ments of the United States at the City of Moxico. at Tokyo, Japan; at Berne, Switzerland, and for the consular establishment es-tablishment of- the United States at Hankow. China. The appropriation carried in the bill for Mexico City is $150,000, for Tokyo $.150,000, Bcrno $1-10,000, Hankow i(0,000, a total of $500,000. The bill provides for the purchase of a site, tho construction of a building thereon, and for furnishing the eamc in tho City of Moxico, and tho same in. Tok3'o, Japan, these buildings to servo both as a residence of the diplomatic di-plomatic officers and for the offices of tho Embassy, and the like wording is followed as for the buildings at Berne and nt Hankow. Wo judge that the bill is designed mereb: as an entering wedge, a beginning begin-ning in the provision of residences and offices, and for paying tho expenses of official functions by and through our representatives abroad in the various capitals of thc world. As such, it is commendable; for the nation na-tion should pay for the transaction of its official business abroad. The chief part of it is now obliged to be paid by our representatives from their private purses, this being a tax upon the individual in-dividual serving as Embassador or Minister which is entirely unjustifiable, unjustifi-able, cither in business or morals. And besides, it obliges tho"sc posts , to be filled, by persons who are wealthy and can afford tho expenditure. When the United States has ostab lishod official headquarters for itself in the different countries to 'which it sends its diplomatic representatives, and pays tho official cost of running tho same, then those posts will bo open on equal terms to tho rich and thc poor, as-thoy certainly arc not under present conditions. But that they should bo open to any one who is capable, cap-able, without regard to his financial circumstances, is something that it is unnecessary to urge in tho business of a Republic; for that is a commonplace; it is the very life and egsonco of the RcRublic that no citizen" shall be discriminated dis-criminated against by reasou of his lack of wealth or financial resources. But wo certainly do now .discrimi natc against every one ia our diplomatic di-plomatic service unless that porson is rich. With the passage of the Sulzer bill and of other bills of like tonor that are likely to follow it. 1his discrimination dis-crimination will have passed away, and citizens of tho United States competent com-petent for diplomatic service will be not only eligible to appointment to 6uch posts, but it will bo practicable to appoint them, without regard to their poverty or wealth. |