The Argentine Republic Part 1

The Argentine Republic.

by Anonymous.

INTRODUCTION

In order to add clearness to the brief description of the Argentine Republic presented in this little work, it has been thought desirable to depart from the traditional method of submitting a ma.s.s of statistical and historic matter and, instead, to furnish a rapid, though comprehensive, survey of the main features of interest, such as will at once convey to the reader the actual situation and potentialities of the "Land of the Silver River."

For the fulfilment of this purpose, it has been necessary to closely condense the facts and figures relating to the growth of the Argentine Republic, to its Const.i.tution, laws, commerce, the high standard of its culture and the protection afforded, without distinction, to all residents within its territories, by the national charter of its freedom and by the advanced nature of its legislation.

The character and scope of the Argentine exhibits at the Panama-Pacific Exposition eloquently testify to the importance of the Republic as a field for an interchange of commerce with the United States, and, it is hoped, that the statements and suggestions contained in this volume will add impetus to the obviously growing desire to strengthen the commercial and friendly objects which animates the people of both countries.

THE ARGENTINE COMMISSION.

San Francisco, 1915.

THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC

SOME OF ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES

The evolution of the Argentine Republic of to-day from the position of an obscure Spanish dependency laboring under the disabilities of colonial government, into one of the great countries of the world whose watchwords are "progress" and "freedom," may be said to date from May 25, 1810, when the people of Buenos Aires declared their independence and established the United Provinces of the River Plate. From that date forward, until May 25, 1853, when the Federal Const.i.tution of the Argentine Republic was proclaimed at Santa Fe and even to a later period, the history of that country bears many points of resemblance to the early history of the United States. Just as the United States had to subdue savage Indians, to enter into war and to offer great sacrifices to develop the resources of vast uninhabited territories in order to establish the principles of liberty and justice, the Argentine Republic has successfully conquered the same difficulties and, to-day, is inviting the rest of the world to add to its developments and to share its wealth. In the disposition of its territories, in its form of government and in its const.i.tution and laws, the Argentine Republic has modelled its policy upon that of the United States.

Situated in the southern portion of South America, the Republic, which is divided into fourteen Provinces (States) and ten National Territories, is bounded on the north by Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil; on the east by Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay; and on the south and west by Chile. It embraces the most important sections of the vast estuary of the River Plate, with its entire line of coast on the Atlantic Ocean.

Within its extensive areas, covering about 1,150,000 square miles, the possibilities of production are practically unlimited owing to the wealth of the soil and the variety of its climate, which includes the sub-tropical, the temperate and the cold regions. Yet, in none of these is to be found the extreme, as may be judged by health statistics and by the figures of the rates of mortality and longevity, which are respectively lower and higher than in any country of Europe.

Geographically, the Argentine Republic may be divided into three sections: the western, or Andine, the Pampean, and the Mesopotamian. The western is mountainous and comprises the long strip sheltered by the Cordillera of the Andes and its ramifications. It contains numerous valleys of varied character and abounds in mineral wealth. The northern and Andine provinces and the western part of the southern territories are included in this division. The Pampean section embraces the southern and central part of the Republic from the eastern portions of the Province of Salta, with the Territories of Formosa and the Chaco, down to the territories in the south; they include the plains stretching south and extending through the rich Provinces of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires. This section, as its name indicates, is one vast plain rolling towards the south-east. It is crossed by innumerable rivers and streams which descend from the Andes, and either lose themselves in the Pampa, or become tributaries of the great river system of the Parana, or flow on till they join the Atlantic Ocean. In this section there are some few isolated ranges of hills, besides numerous lakes and lagoons with swamps and salt marshes, while a rich and varied vegetation gives sustenance to millions of cattle. The Mesopotamian section lies between the Rivers Parana and Uruguay and comprises the Provinces of Entre Rios and Corrientes, and the territory of Misiones. At its southern extremity is the beautiful delta of the Parana studded with islands of rich soil and fertile vegetation. Advancing northwards, the land becomes undulating with tree-clad hill slopes, intersected by a network of rivulets and streams which water rich meadows and woodland and stretch to the north over a great part of the Province of Corrientes. Here the land dips in a remarkable manner, forming great lagoons and marshes and once more changes its character in the Territory of Misiones, where hills abound, covered with forests which extend far inland. There are also various systems and ranges of mountains, the princ.i.p.al chain being that of the Andes, which extends from north to south as far as Tierra del Fuego, and const.i.tutes a giant boundary wall between Argentina and Chile; but even the barrier created by this great chain of mountains--at some points of a height approaching 15,000 feet--to rapid communication between the two countries has been removed by the opening of railway communication which now permits of the journey from one side of the mountains to the other, to be performed, during the greater part of the year, in a comparatively few hours.

Other physical features of the Argentine Republic have been so much more fully referred to elsewhere in these pages that it is merely necessary for the purposes of this brief sketch to make some reference to the Const.i.tution in its relation to national progress.

As stated above, the Federal Const.i.tution of the Argentine Republic is almost a counterpart of the American Const.i.tution and is based upon the broadest principles of liberty and justice, with even fewer limitations in regard to foreign residents than are imposed by the Const.i.tution of the United States. Nor is there any doubt that in an almost equal degree to its great natural resources, the remarkable development and advance of the Republic is due to its liberal Const.i.tution and to the legislation enacted in terms of its provisions. The principles it embodies have been carried into practice in all its laws. In that Republic there is perfect religious and civil freedom; there are no restrictions upon healthy immigration, or upon the nationality of land owners. The right is accorded to every inhabitant, native or foreign, to engage in any lawful commerce or occupation, to pet.i.tion the authorities, to enter, remain upon, travel over, or leave Argentine territory at will; and to use and dispose of property and to form part of any society or a.s.sociation having lawful purposes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE ARGENTINE PAVILION AT THE PANAMA PACIFIC EXPOSITION]

[Ill.u.s.tration: INTERIOR VIEW OF THE ARGENTINE PAVILION AT THE PANAMA PACIFIC EXPOSITION]

Under its provisions the right of property is inviolate and prerogatives of blood, of birth, or t.i.tles of n.o.bility are not recognized, all men being equal under the law. The composition of the judiciary, the executive and the legislative branches of government, differs only from that of the United States in that all judges are appointed and not elected.

Each of the fourteen Provinces of the Republic has its own Const.i.tution, which cannot be in conflict with the Federal Const.i.tution which provides a necessarily limited degree of autonomy in the government of the Provinces. The Federal Const.i.tution prohibits the State Government from usurping such functions of the Federal Government as entering into treaties with foreign Powers, enacting laws affecting interstate or foreign commerce, navigation, citizenship, naturalization, the coining of money, or the establishment of custom houses. The organization of its tribunals and the creation of its own laws and forms of procedure is an absolute State right; but the Federal, Civil, Commercial, Penal and Mining Laws are in force throughout the Republic, the Custom Houses and Tariffs being also under the supreme control of the Federal Government.

These restricted autonomous powers were wisely provided to prevent the conflict of laws which is of frequent occurrence under other Federal systems. The protection of the moral and material interests of foreign residents of the Republic, or of foreigners having interests therein, is scrupulously enforced by the Courts according to the Const.i.tution where such questions are involved; and frequent decisions have been given by the Federal Tribunals in that direction in order to maintain the inviolability of the Const.i.tution which was framed in the interest of the Argentine nation and of "all the people of the world who may reside in Argentine territory."

THE PROGRESS OF TWO DECADES

In the succeeding review of the progress achieved by the Argentine Republic during the past twenty years, by a comparison of the facts and figures relating largely to commercial movement, uniformity of date has been overlooked and particular years have been selected, in some cases, for the reason that official figures have not been available to equalize the comparisons, although most of the figures given are embraced within the period named.

The factors which, in a material sense, contribute chiefly to the progress of a nation, are its sources of production, its means of communication both within and beyond its territories, its domestic and fiscal legislation and the labor and enterprise of its people. It is therefore to these matters that it is princ.i.p.ally intended to draw attention, in so far as they pertain to the national industries, to home and foreign trade, to railways, to ports and shipping, to finance and to the general advance in all matters of a kindred nature; and as this purpose will be better served by a straight-forward and concise formulation of official figures shorn of all comment which might tend to obscure their real significance, the form in which they are presented will convey, at a glance, the extraordinary growth of the Argentine Republic:

AREA UNDER CULTIVATION

The area under cultivation in 1892 for Wheat, Linseed, Corn, Alfalfa, and similar products totalled 3,700,000 hectares (250 hectares being equal to nearly one square mile) and in 1912 to 22,987,726 hectares, showing an increase of the cultivated areas of more than six times the extent of twenty years previously.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS

In 1895 the total exports of the Argentine Republic amounted to $120,067,790, and the total imports for the same year to $95,096,438, whilst in 1913 the value of the exports reached $483,504,547, and the imports $421,352,542.[A]

[A] All figures relating to money signify gold dollars, except where otherwise stated.

MILEAGE OF RAILWAYS

In 1895 the total length of railways in operation was 8,820 miles and in 1913 21,000 miles, with many thousands more projected and since placed under construction.

TONNAGE OF SHIPPING

The aggregate tonnage of vessels entered at and cleared from Argentine ports in the year 1900 was 25,241,618, whilst in 1913 the total tonnage was 56,604,833.79.

POPULATION

The national census of 1869 gave the population of the country as 1,830,214, whereof the city of Buenos Aires had 187,346 inhabitants. According to the census of 1895, the total population amounted to 3,954,911, with that of the capital at 663,854. A new census, taken May, 1913, is now being compiled, but from figures supplied we know the population of the city was at that time 1,560,000 inhabitants. According to the Division of Statistical and Rural Economy, the entire population of the Republic in 1911 was estimated to be 7,467,878. The latter figures are necessarily based upon incomplete returns and have probably been estimated upon a ratio of increase established by earlier calculations; but all indications point to the probability that on the completion of the new census, during the present year, the total population of the Republic will approach 10,000,000.

INVESTMENT OF FOREIGN CAPITAL

The investment of foreign capital in the Argentine Republic has a.s.sumed far greater proportions during the past twenty years than in any other corresponding period since its formation. As one example of importance, it may be stated that the total capital invested in private and government-owned railways in the year 1895 amounted to $485,360,121, whilst in 1913 the capital employed in railways operating in the Argentine Republic reached $1,210,475,331, of which over ninety per cent is British. In 1895 the foreign capital invested in the Republic, including, at that time, about $400,000,000 of External National Debt, barely exceeded $1,000,000,000. An official estimate of foreign capital invested in the country at the end of 1910 gave the following figures:

$_Gold_

1. Loans and various Argentine Bonds 691,831,000 2. Railways 804,413,000 3. Banks 37,541,000 4. Ports 22,164,000 5. Street car lines 91,576,000 6. Freezing plants 8,392,000 7. Gas and electric companies, water works and sanitary works 58,035,000 8. Land and loan companies 160,800,000 9. Other companies 41,650,000 10. Mortgages and properties 150,000,000 11. Commerce and credit 200,000,000 -------------- Grand total $2,266,402,000

GOLD RESERVES

The vast increase in exports during latter years has naturally attracted considerable imports of gold; and, as showing the wealth and stability of the Republic, it may be mentioned that the Conversion Fund created by law in 1901 to secure the national issues of paper and nickel currency (which was then to consist of appropriations from certain sources of revenue until a total of $30,000,000 had been obtained) showed at December 31st, 1913, gold reserves in the Caja de Conversion to be $233,197,727, or considerably more than 60 per cent. of the entire issues of paper and nickel currency.

CUSTOM HOUSE REVENUE

The Custom House Revenue on import duties for 1903 amounted to $37,191,857, and in 1913 to $98,978,745.

When it is remembered that the Argentine Republic covers an area of about one-third of the United States and that up to the present time not nearly one-fifth of its productive soil has been placed under cultivation, the figures relating to its production will leave little doubt that the world, in the not distant future, will find in that favored land one of the main sources of its food supply. But it is not alone in the development of the agricultural and pastoral industries that the great advance of the Republic is to be noted. In every form of national activity the forward march of the Argentine Republic has made itself felt far beyond its own borders; while from a purely commercial point of view it has become a centre of universal interest and has added materially to the enrichment of the commerce of many of the countries of Europe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ONE OF THE RECEPTION ROOMS OF THE ARGENTINE PAVILION AT THE PANAMA PACIFIC EXPOSITION]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ANOTHER INTERIOR VIEW OF THE ARGENTINE PAVILION AT THE PANAMA PACIFIC EXPOSITION WHERE THE ARTISTIC RICHNESS OF THE MURAL DECORATIONS CAN BE APPRECIATED]

In legislation there have been many notable advances during the past twenty years and, in some cases, examples worthy of being followed by older communities. Amongst the most important legislative measures, those dealing with immigration, colonization, electoral reform, land settlement, education, labor, animal and sanitary laws, may be singled out for special mention. The immigration laws have been framed, since their inception, with a view to inviting foreigners to share in the development and enjoyment of the national wealth. No restrictions are imposed upon the entry of immigrants other than those which have for their object the exclusion of the criminal cla.s.ses or persons who are physically or mentally unsound. Not only can the immigrant acquire rich government land on conditions unequalled in other new countries, but provision is also made for the supply of the necessary funds to furnish the colonist with implements and other equipment to enable him to reap an ample reward for his labors. The naturalization laws impose no difficulties in the acquisition of citizenship, although there is absolute freedom on the part of the alien resident to hold land and property and to enjoy all the privileges conferred upon inborn citizens, except that of voting at Congressional or Presidential elections. Even certain public positions may be held by foreigners without naturalization. In electoral matters, the law recently pa.s.sed to enforce compulsory voting at elections has already produced excellent results and has succeeded in removing attempts at coercion and the exercise of undue influence in the return of candidates for elective offices; and most of these legislative reforms have been effected during the past twenty years.