Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-02

] eminent. assisted by a local Project, whose
Office corresponds somewhat to that Of
Mayor. Both Projects and Governors are
supposed to be elected directly by the peo-
| pie; but it often happens that the Presi.
dent elects men who are bound to serve
him, even though he has to send down
strangers from the Federal capital.
The executive power is most emphati-
cally in the hands of the President. The
| Constitution says that he shall be elected
by the people, but that myth is even more
delusion here than in most Republics
That yenerated document, which processes
| to be modelled after the Constitution OF
the United States of North America, also
says that to be eligible. Presidential can
| didate must be born in the country. but
does not specify whether of Indian, Cholo
Spanish or mongrel parentage; and il
there are two or three candidates in the
field. whose claims cannot be decided by
| vox populi, Congress shall settle the mat
/ ter by its vote. The truth is, however,
that should such an emergency arise, the
adherents of each party would get up a
revolution against the others; and the
candidate who could command the most
money, and consequently the most men,
would seat himself whatever Congress
might have to say about it.
Since all things political are controlled
by the leading few, there is rarely but one
candidate in the field; his election is a
foregone conclusion; and except by means
of revolution, the people have no means OF
voice in the matter. A President is elect
ed for four years, and cannot legally serve
two consecutive terms; but in this part of
the world, where might is right, Presi-
dent may succeed himself for an indefinite
period, as long as he can maintain control
of the army. On the other hand, it some
times occurs that two or three revolution
ary leaders make themselves Presidents
| during the term allotted to one man; and
it is not impossible that the present in
cumbent. who has yet more than half his
term to serve. may soon be ousted by the
rebel leader, General Camacho, who is
now at arms against him. That was wise
President in the past who, having learned
that his Cabinet were conspiring with GER
tain revolutionists for his overthrow, gave
grand state dinner, to which they were
all invited, together with several leading
malcontents. In the midst Of the banquet
in stalked a squad of soldiers, and at a
given signal each shot his man; so that on
the morrow a new cabinet had to be APP
pointed.
No matter what Congress may legislate,
nothing becomes law without the Presi-
dents signature According to the revised
Constitution, capital punishment has been
abolished except for two crimes, assassina-
ton or rebellion against the Government
Though the barbarism of hanging up men
by the neck until they are dead is not per-
petrated here, they are shot as traitors on
the slightest pretext, if inclined to differ
with the powers that be. That blessed
fable, the Constitution, also says that there
can be no confscatien of property for any
ofense; that letters are inviolate; guaran-
tees civil liberty and equal rights to all
and invites the people of all nations to
come to Bolivia and be happy.
There can be no such thing as equal
rights in country where three-fourths of
the population are kept in subsection by
the remainder. After the struggle of 1926
human slavery was abolished in all the
South American Republics; but that men
and women are bought and sold to-day
may be inferred from an advertisement in
a late Bolivian paper, to the effect that
a chincona plantation was TO be disposed
Of at public auction, and among other
goods and chattels enumerated for sale to
the highest bidder were $50 poems, or In
dian laborers.
The civilized Indians of this country, es-
pecially those located on the vast estates,
are slaves to all intents and purposes, as
much as were negroes in the United States
in antebelIum days. For constant and
arduous labor they receive the merest
pjttance, barely enough to keep soul and
body together, and if one of them has the
temerity to rebel, the whip is brought
into requisition until he is thoroughly
subdued Most of them were born to their
present condition, their parents and grand
parents having gotten into debt with the
owner of the estate and given himself, that
is, the labor of his hands, as security for
payment. Once in debt there is no getting
out of 1t with the scanty wages an Indian
receives. So he takes the woman who
would be his wife, if he ever had money
enough to pay the marriage fee, and goes
to live in a cane or adobe hut near the
scene of his labors. Their children grow
up around them, in due time taking their
places in the fields, the mines or as house
servants, and all are known as Senior So
and SOS poems. Thus it goes on from gen.
Grafton TO generation, neither debtor nor
creditor, master or man, showing any de-
sire to change his relations toward one an
other.
Whenever the Bolivian Congress passes
a new law, or the President issues an edict,
it is published in the official newspaper,
although the vast majority of the popula-
ton never sees it, and could not read it if
they did When there is occasion for es-
pecial haste in the matter a regiment of
soldiers is sent out, preceded by band,
who stop at every street corner, where the
commanding officer proclaims the law in a
loud voice.
This is no field for missionaries, though
in all Bolivia there is not Protestant
church. The Jesuits, who have been BAN
ished from nearly all civilized lands, are
welcomed here. They are now building a
splendid monastery at La Paz, and one Of
their number is Cabinet Minister.
After South America gained her indie
pendence from Spain and the republics
were being mapped out, Bolivia was given
a little strip of land between Chile. and
Peru in order that she, being inland,
might have pathway to the sea. 1t lay
between the sd and 25th parallels and
was recognized as belonging to Bolivia on
all the maps of Chile, as well as those Of
other countries II was a barren and
'waterless desert, supposed to be worthless
in every respect, until some years ago rich
deposits Of silver and pirate of soda were
discovered therein. When this became
known Chile suddenly ascertaincd that
under some ancient grant this strip o.
land belonged to her, and she kindly
offered to divide it with Bolivia, but
in such way that all the silver and nj
trate were left on Chile's side. OF course
Bolivia resisted, and having treaty Of
offense and defense with Peru, she called
upon the latter nation to assist in the de
Tense Of her rights. This was the rea