[88] In certain Oriental countries, notably China, Morocco, Persia, Siam, and Turkey, the United States consuls, by virtue of treaty arrangements, exercise jurisdiction over American citizens in both civil and criminal cases. They are empowered to try Americans for offenses committed within their districts and to determine all civil controversies between citizens of the United States residing therein. In more serious criminal cases and in civil cases involving large amounts, appeals may be taken to the American minister. The reason why Western powers refuse to permit their citizens to be tried by the courts of these countries is that their standards of law and procedure are repugnant to those of Western countries. Formerly consular jurisdiction existed in Japan also, but it was abolished by treaty in 1899. =Recent Reforms.=--In obedience to the widespread demands of the commercial interests of the country, notable improvements have recently been made in our consular service. Formerly political considerations largely determined appointments to the service, and at the beginning of each new administration a wholesale removal was made in order to find places for party workers. By acts of Congress passed in 1906 and 1909, however, the service was reorganized and attempts made to place it on a merit basis. The fee system was abolished, consuls were prohibited from practicing law or engaging in other businesses, provision was made for periodic inspection of consulates, and a system of examinations was inaugurated for determining the qualifications of appointees to the service. The adoption of these reforms has brought about a marked increase in the efficiency of the service and has tended to give to it the character of a permanent professional career such as it enjoys in Europe. =Other Bureaus of the State Department.=--_The Bureau of Indexes and Archives_ is charged with keeping the records and indexing the correspondence of the department of state. It also prepares the annual volumes of the foreign relations, containing portions of the diplomatic correspondence. _The Division of Passport Control_ is charged with the issue of passports to persons who desire to travel abroad. A passport is a paper signed by the secretary of state certifying that the bearer is a citizen of the United States or has declared his intention of becoming a citizen, and is entitled to the protection of the government when traveling abroad. They are granted not only to citizens but, by a recent law, to loyal residents of the insular possessions and to aliens who have declared their intention of becoming citizens and have resided in the United States for three years. A fee of one dollar is charged for each passport.