Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-12
SUFFRAGE VERY LIMITED.
A School System That Will Soon Be
Recognized as the Best.
THE POLICY TOWARD IMMIGRANTS
Politicians Are Not Wire Pullers and Cor
ruptiOn Is Very Rare.
RELIGIOUS SECrs ON AN EQUAL BASIS
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1spArcH.1

CooUIMBo, CHILE, March 15.-When
most Of US went to school there was in South
America both Patagonia and TERRA del
Fuego; but nowadays there are no such
countries-at least none with an autonomy
OF their own. Some years ago the stronger
Republics Immediately to the northward,
Argentine and Chile, took forcible possess
sion of the whole territory, including all
the outlying islands, and then divided il
between themselves. The line Of division
cuts in twain what used to be Patagonia,
aud runs straight down through the middle
OF st. Charles Island, the largest of the
TERRA del Fuego archipelago; and, by the
way, there is likely to be war in the near
future concerning these boundaries, because
aggressive little Chile, though she secured
the lions share in the first place, now de-
maad's more from her big, slow neighbor.
This brings Chile's domain down to the
very tip-end of the continent, extends it
southwark to the southernmost limit of the
farrhest island, and takes in on the west q
vast number of other islands, everyone Of
them a mountain-scattered remnants of the
n
termination befitting its grandeur.
Along Strip of Land.
Between these heights, the winding ocean
passages known TO seameL as SmyLh's chan
mel and the strait of Magellan, present
scenery that battles deseriplion-the maguif-
cence OF utter desolation. wild, gloomy and
awe-inspiring. All this, including the
Tarapaea territory wrested from Peru and
the bit OF Bolivia acquired at the same time,
gives Chile a length of considerably over
1000 miles, while its breadth is barely 120
miles. The summit Of the Andes forms its
eastern boundary, their slopes on the At
lartic side belonging to the Argentine Re-
public, and their western slopes to Chile.
The long, ribbon-like country, stretching
between the snow.covered Cofdilleras and
the mighty Pacific, is separated into 10
provinces, counting Araucauia, the desert
plains, dark forests and deep mountain
gorges occupied by sthe still, unconquered
Indians, whom the early explorers described
as race of giants, and Sir Francis Drake
reported as "MenDe of such bigginess that
it seemed as though the Treese of the Forest
were uprooted and walKing away" Most
of the provinces reach from the mountain
tops to the sea, and are separated from one
another by some natural boundary, such a.
a river or chain OF transverse hills.
The System Of Government.
The provinces themselves are divided
into departments according to their size and
population. Thus the Province OF Co
quimbo has 6 departments; those of Val.
diva and LanquIhue, only 2 each; San
tiago, the most densely populated of them
all. has 8; and Valparaiso, L. The depart
ments in their turn are divided into town
ships, of which there are upward of 400;
and these townships are again divided into
districts, which are the smallest political
divisions
Chile's Constitution was patterned after
that OF the United States, and closely re-
sembIes it in the letter of the law, if not in
the spirit of its administration. There are
four distinct powers of government-ths
executive, INFESTED in the President; the
legislative, in two Houses OF Congress; the
judicial, in the Judges Of the various
courts; and the municipal, whose influence
Is confded to the provinces. The Pres
ident, however, exerts a controlling infu-
ence over them all, or is supposed to
do so in times of peace, the tendency being
strongly toward Capitalization aud unifca-
tion of power. A President is chosen every
five years, and in 1871 the law was passed
which makes him ineligible TO reelection,
except after an interval of one or more terms.
He has five cabinet officers, and is other
wise assisted by Council of State, COM
posed of IL members, 8 of whom he names
to suit himself, the other being elected by
Congress.
Doesn't Fare So Well as Harrison.
The Presidents salary is 900 per an
mum in Chilean silver, which is worth a
good deal more just now than the paper Of
the country. There is no white House.
set apart for the Executive and his family,
but they are permitted to reside in the
Treasury building, portion of which has
been luxuriously fitted up for the occupa-
tion of Chiie's rulers. The Cabinet officers
each receive $4,000 year; while the men,
bers of Congress serve for nothing but
glory, and Sind themselves"
Every province is governed by an In
terdente, who is appointed by the President
to be at the head of municipal affairs and
Mayor of the capital city of his section.
His power is extremely limited, be having
no authority in any matter Independent Of
the will of the President. His salary is
S4, 600 year, with residence furnished.
The departments are presided over by
Governors, who are also named by the Pres.
ident. Some Of them receive q salary Of
g, 500, and others not more than s., 900 per
annuIn, according to the wealth and i'm
portance of the department. The townships
are presided over by the sub-delegates, ap-
pointed by the Governors; and the districts
by inspectors, appointed by the sub-dele-
,ates-all serving without pay.
A Very High Glass Of Voters.
The members of Congress serve three veark
md there are 108 of them, elected from the
various departments. The Senate is COM
posed of 81 members. elected by the people
If the provinces-or rather by the compara-
lively small proportion of them who can
'ead or write, and have an income not less
han 5000 per annum, no other persons be-
ng permitted to vote.
The six Judges who compose the Supreme
Court reside in Santiago, and are mostly oc-
.upied with cases concerning real estate, war
.lsims and criminal affairs of magnitude.
The Municipal Authority-composed of the
Intendentes and City Councils, il so limited
hat it has not the power to ex-
,end 500 without the consent OF
he President. Every department has
me or more Justices of the Peace,
Who are dignifed by the title of Judge"
md some departments have five or six OF
hem, according to the population. There
ire but four Courts of Appeal in the whole
in Santiago, one in Concep-
zion, and one in Serena. There are up
ward of 1000 miles of railway completed in
Chile, and more in process OF construction.
There are 257 postofices, over G, 900 miles Of
lines, and q eablegraph from Val-
,araiso, connecting with the United Statss
md Europe, via Panama. Eightssn daily
papers and no end OF weeklies are published
a the Republican rather there were, bs-