358 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XXV 



nation which has made mistakes in selecting foreign 

 representatives. 



Our service at the present day is, in some respects, ex 

 cellent; but it is badly organized, insufficiently provided 

 for, and, as a rule, has not the standing which every 

 patriotic American should wish for it. 



I have frequently received letters from bright, active- 

 minded young men stating that they were desirous of fit 

 ting themselves for a diplomatic career, and asking ad 

 vice regarding the best way of doing so ; but I have felt 

 obliged to warn every one of them that, strictly speaking, 

 there is no American diplomatic service; that there is 

 no guarantee of employment to them, even if they fit 

 themselves admirably; no security in their tenure of of 

 fice, even if they were appointed ; and little, if any, prob 

 ability of their promotion, however excellent their record. 

 Moreover, I have felt obliged to tell them that the service, 

 such as it is, especially as regards ambassadors and 

 ministers, is a service with a property qualification ; that 

 it is not a democratic service resting upon merit, but an 

 aristocratic service resting largely upon wealth, a very 

 important indeed, essential qualification for it being 

 that any American who serves as ambassador must, as 

 a rule, be able to expend, in addition to his salary, at 

 least from twelve to twenty thousand dollars a year, and 

 that the demands upon ministers plenipotentiary are but 

 little less. 



And yet, if Congress would seriously give attention 

 to the matter, calling before a proper committee those 

 of its own members, and others, who are well acquainted 

 with the necessities of the service, and would take com 

 mon-sense advice, it could easily be made one of the best, 

 and quite possibly the best, in the world. The most es 

 sential and desirable improvements which I would pre 

 sent are as follows : 



I. As regards the first and highest grade in the diplo 

 matic service, that of ambassadors, I would have at least 

 one half their whole number appointed from those who 



