The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-11-26
Chilli.

recent article in the Fo,fRigJity Rerieic gives
an account Of Chill which is interesting to u.s. if it
does not bear directly upon the conditions of our
own country, holds up a banner emblazoned with
a legend which we might well take to heart
There is certainly lesson to be learned from the
concluding lines. Corruption to great extent
has crept into the methods of Hawaiian Govern
ment.
1.-The seat of the government is Santiago. The
political constitution of Chill consists of the pres
ident, and Legislature or National Congress- COM
posed of an Upper and a Lower House, the
former renewed one-third every three years. the
latter elected triennially The president is elected
every five years by the people, and is not eligible
for reelection except after interval of one term
Under lin are five ministers and Council of
State, composed of eleven members, five of whom
are chosen by the president himself under certain
regulations, and the other six elected by the Con-
gress, their term of Office being for three years.
The salary of the president is eighteen thousand
dollars year, the present holder of that office be-
ing Don Domingo Santa Maria. The ministers
receive six thousand dollars year, and the menu
bers of the Council of State give their services
gratuitously. The various provinces are ruled by
intendentes tgOvernors) named by the president,
and removable at his will. Tho departments are
administered by governors appointed in the same
way, and there are sub-delegates, who are unpaid,
corresponding to our unpaid magistracy. The
members of Congress, of whom thirty-seTen be-
long to the Senate ard one hundred and eight to
the Lower House, are, like the members of Parlia-
ment, chosen from among the richest and most
influential men in the country. Although Chill is
called republic, it is governed in very conserv-
alive manner. The change of parties there means
simply the retirement from office of one set of
rich men to be succeeded by another set of rich
men; both parties holding much the same views,
and being absolutely in accord as to the para
mount necessity of peace and order. Chill is the
only South American country possessing an I'M
paid national Legislature, and to this must be
attributed in no small degree her singular immu-
nifty from corruption. In no other South Ameri-
can country are the members of the Legislature
of higher standing and position than those of
Chilli, and in no other country is property safer,
the people more orderly, or the standard of patri-
otism higher than in this one. The fact that po-
lticdl services are unpaid is great damper to the
professional politician, whoa familiar figure in
most of the other American communicates ready
to support anybody or anything SO long rs the
result of his election is SO much year to himself
American nations had been governed as Chill is,
by those who having their wants supplied as far
as mere money could supply them, were less &C
cessible TO the debasing influences of corruption,
they would have made greater advances, and the
large external debts which not only have impov-
erished the lenders, the unfortunate bondholders,
but have actually impoverished the people to
whom the money was lent, would the most part
never have been incurred. If the heads of the
government are corrupt, and make their hundreds
OF thousands ont of some gigantic financial job if
the representatives of the people make traffic of
their opinions and their votes, how are the minor
officials expected to be honest? Is it TO be antici-
pated that the customs-house officer will be proof
against bride. or the judge do Justice without
favor? 1t thus comes about that in many of the
South American States, though in theory there is
where the INSCRIPTIONS of wealth gives greater
weight and influence"