THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

The Secretary of State.—­The Secretary of State is commonly called the head of the Cabinet.  He is first in rank at the Cabinet table, and occupies the seat of dignity at the right of the President.  Under the direction of the President he conducts all negotiations relating to the foreign affairs of the nation; carries on the correspondence with our representatives in other countries; receives the representatives of foreign powers accredited to the United States, and presents them to the President.  Through him the President communicates with the executives of the different States.  He has charge of the treaties made with foreign powers, and negotiates new ones.  He has also in his keeping the laws of the United States and the great seal which he affixes to all executive proclamations, commissions, and other official papers.  During the year 1909 the department was reorganized in such a manner as to create a division of Latin-American affairs and divisions for Far Eastern, Near Eastern, and Western European affairs.

The Diplomatic Bureau.—­The United States, in common with other nations, sends representatives to the foreign capitals.  They are the agents through whom the Secretary of State communicates and negotiates with other powers.  Such affairs are conducted through the Diplomatic Bureau.  The United States has now about thirty-five ambassadors and ministers.  Our representatives at the courts of England, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Austria, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and Turkey are known as ambassadors.  The ambassadors to these countries receive a salary of $17,500 each.

The social demands made upon our ambassadors are great, and they are also obliged to provide for their places of residence.  The salaries paid are not sufficient to meet these necessary expenses, and are small in comparison with those paid by the European nations to officers of the same rank.  Thus, the English ambassador at Washington receives a salary of $32,500.  Besides the English, the German, the Japanese, and some other nations have provided houses for their legations.

The Consular Bureau.—­A consul is sent by the United States to each of the chief cities in the consular districts into which foreign countries are divided by our State Department.  These consuls, of whom there are three grades, consuls-generals, consuls, and consular agents, look after the commercial interests of the United States in those districts.  They make monthly reports on improvements in agricultural and manufacturing processes.  These reports also give information regarding good markets for our products and of the best markets in which to purchase foreign products.[50]

[Footnote 50:  Among scores of similar subjects, our consuls reported, within recent years, on the following:  American goods in Syria; American commerce with Asia Minor and Eastern Europe; German opinion of American locomotives; American coal in Germany; European and American competition.]