The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-04
REPUBLIC But IN NAME.
The Argentine an 0ligarchy Of Men
Who Make Commerce Of
Politics.
Rapidly Acquired Wealth the
Ideal Of That Country at
This Day.
sons but Rarely One OF Prln-
ciples.

The Argentine is republic in name onl,
in reality it is an oligarchy composed O
men who make Of politics commerce
writes Theodore Child in Harper's. In tn
old days the sole object of the conquista-
dores was to acquire wealth rapidly, ane
such remains the ideal of the Argentines o.
to-day. In the colonial days the Spanish o.
creole population Of the towns lived as func
tionaries and parasites, proAting by the labo,
of slaves and subdued Indian tribes, and
their aim was wealth. and never civilization
Hence We look in vain in the old provincial
capitals for traces of past spendor or FOL
monuments such 10 testify to the collective
civic care of the common veal In the pro-
vincial capitals we find the Offices of the rep.
resentatives of the authority of Spain and q
church on which no superduous adornment
has been wasted; but We see no bene6cent
or educational foundations, and no evil
dences OF unselfsh social sentiments. After
the declaration Of independence the intes-
tine strife which for years agitated the coun-
try had rarely other than motives of selfish
ambition, for to hold power in Spanish
America has always signifed to possess the
means Of rapidly acquiring wealth.
After the cessation Of the wars of FEEDER
alists and Unitarians, and the formation Of
the actual republic. with its constitution
sol disant on the model of that of the Unit
ed States, the race for wealth became all
the more furious as the development of the
commercial relations of the country helped
to create the great fortunes of the creole
jealousy, other creoles threw themselves in
to politics and becams venal functionariee.
the aim being always personal enrichment
at the expense of the nation. Nowadays
the Argentine Political men, with very few
notable exceptio n, that might be counted
the f1nnora r p oro hand fr0v, Ahn
dent down to the humblest local dealer, are
venal without concealment and without
shame. They are rapacious parasites, like
the conquistadores. like the colonial func-
tlonaries. and like the ambitious adventur-
ers who furnished the dictators and tyrants
Of the first half Of the present century.
Only at rare intervals does good, patri-
otto man spring up and do something for
the country, which in the moral and mi
quitous state of things prospers not on ac-
count of its government, but in spite of it.
Inc citizens, as We have seen, are always
take no means to change their condition.
Why do they not act instead of talking?
This question is natural. The answer is
not easy to give in few words. Briefly,
we may say that the citizens do nothing
and can do nothing against their parasite
cal rulers, because they are not organized
and not prepared or educated for republi-
can institutions. In the political struggles
there are rarely questions Of principles
but always questions of persons. President
succeeds president, but the aim of all is
equally selfish, and even If the opposition
were transformed into the government, the
whole result would be that one set of para
sites would take the place of another, In
the hve south American republics that 1
have just visited-the Argentine, Uruguay.
Paraguay, Chilli, and Peru-the political
conditions are more or less the same; they
are ruled by presidents who are as alb
aolute autoc, ats as the car of Russia. and
even more SO, because they are safe from
the intrusion or influence of European crit
lclsm. The president of the Argentine or
the president of Chilli is master Of the whole
administrative organization of the country
SO completely that no legal and constitu.
tiona! means can be brought to bear efica-
c1ously against his personal will or caprice.
be not only disposes of the armed force OF
the country, but the entire administrative
personnel is his creature and at his deyo-
ton. Thus the manipulation of the whole
electoral machinery is under his control.
and the citizens enjoy in consequences
right OF voting that is purely platonic. They
may vote, it Is true in many cases, as much |
as they please, but no account is taken of
their sutfrages. The whole apparatus of
republicanism in these countries ia a farce.
and in spite Of the sonorous speeches Of
after dinner orators, they have not vet be-
gun to enjoy even the most elementary no.
litical liberty. -