Consuls care for destitute American sailors and protect the interests of our citizens in foreign countries.  In some of the non-Christian nations, such as China and Turkey, they also have jurisdiction over all criminal cases in which any American citizen may be a party.  The importance of such services to our country is self-evident.  The appointment of these officials was formerly secured under party pressure.  According to the rule adopted in 1906, all vacancies in the consular service are hereafter to be filled by promotion for ability and efficiency in the service or by appointment of those who have passed the civil service examination.

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.

The Secretary of the Treasury.—­The Department of the Treasury is the most extensive and complex of the executive departments.  In general, the Secretary of the Treasury has charge of the finances of the nation.  He is required to prepare plans for the creation and improvement of the revenues and the public credit and to superintend the collection of the revenue.  He gives orders for all moneys drawn from the Treasury in accordance with appropriations made by Congress, and submits an annual report to Congress which contains an estimate of the probable receipts and expenditures of the government.

The Auditors.—­It is very important that the accounts of the government should be carefully scrutinized, and one of the six auditors connected with the Treasury Department must pass upon the accounts of every public officer who pays out money.  Thus, the Auditor for the Treasury Department examines all accounts of salaries and incidental expenses of the office of the Secretary of the Treasury and all other offices under his immediate direction, such as the Treasurer and Directors of the Mints.

The Treasurer.—­All the money of the United States is under the care of the Treasurer.  He receives and pays it out upon the warrant of the Secretary of the Treasury or a designated assistant, redeems the notes of the National banks, and manages the Independent Treasury System.  This system renders the Treasury Department practically independent of the banks of the country.  It includes the Treasury at Washington and sub-treasuries, each in charge of an assistant treasurer at Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, and San Francisco.  While the greater part of the money belonging to the government is found in these places, about two hundred National banks have also been designated as public depositories.

The Chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.—­The Bureau[51] of Engraving and Printing is one of the largest in the department and employs about 1600 people.  It has been said that the products of this bureau, in the course of a single year, represent a sum equal in value to all the money in circulation in the United States;