Show OUR CONSULS despite the constant reiteration of complaints against our consular service tho fact that political Is needed to get or leop the positions and the ability to change with every new administration at washington we incline to the opinion that this country is on tho whole well I 1 served by a generally hardworking set of public employed emp loyes one example of this is found in the statements contained in imports of consuls of other countries to the effect that american consuls aie very active and attributing of the great progress made by american goods to foreign countries to the efforts of consuls of the united states the close attention now paid to the consular reports by american manufacturers and merchants is one proof of the efficiency of our representatives other testimony though ot a negative nature in a way are some of the very complaints themselves one instance cited is that of an american consul who was criticized criticised tor not collecting a debt owing to an american firm thin concern 11 is reported shipped gooda without having made any inquiry regarding the financial standing oc the foreign customer and then failing to petain payment insisted that the american consul collect its bill too much is expected of some ot our consuls abroad this consul should not hava been asked to collect debts any more than he should hav been requested to investigate the financial condition of a foreign house inquiry in the first instance could have been made of a commercial agency with an adequately equipped foreign department and that agen cys report in tho first instance could hare been made the basis of the acceptance or the rejection of the foreign customers order it is not part of an american consuls duty to on credits that service is already adequately performed by tho bradstreet company and the institute which maintain offices and correspondents all ove r the world are properly equipped to do the work and derive their income solely from the iscra ot such information the average american consul has enough of other dubics to perform without embarking in the businesses ot credit reporting and debt collecting which are not and never proper subjects for by government employee |