The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-08-24
KErCHUM IDAHO, SATURDAY. AUGUST "a, 1885,
BRAZII'S NEW CAPITAL.

BRAZu'S NEW CAPITAL.
The Proposed Site Selected by
the Government Commission.
Popular Demand fer the Removal Of ON
cial Headquarters from His de Ja-
nefro-A Project That Looks
Very Unpromising.
After leisurely searching for more than
two years, the scientific commission ap-
pointed to find q site for the new Bra
lillian capital has reported. And as mo-
body except themselves knows any
thing about the chosen locality, their
data, if not their conclusions, will, no
doubt, be received with all the respect
due to so well discussed question.
Naturally, the first point to be consid-
cred is whether Brazil needs new
capital. In Rio de Janeiro it has q
splendid city, of historic fame, with all
the buildings and other offices required
for seat of government, so that to
people less endowed with mania for
brand-new constitutions than the
quondam subjects of Dom Pedro it may
seem as needless for the Brazil
ian federal rulers to leave Rio
as it would be for the monarchial
ones to leave London for the Wolds,
Of Yorkshire. But Brazil ''enjoys"
home rule to such an extent that every
state or province is in itself little re-
public, which-as the world is by this
time aware-is at intervals struggling
to break loose from the rest of the con-
federation Each of the provincial capi-
tails is naturally jealous of Rio, and OF
the splendid opportunities which the
local politicians of that city have for
place, and pelf, and pronunciamentos.
Hence the outcry, says the London
Standard, for more centrally situated
capital, the inhabitants of which shall
be less subject to corrupt influences
than those of great city like the pres
ent metropolis. The result was the
appointment of commission of geolo-
gists, engineers, meteorologists, doctors,
to report on some desirable locality for
this ideal capital, with goodly guard
of soldiers to protect them, in case the
wild Indians of the interior might en-
tertain prejudice against the disturb
ance of their primeval forests. Twenty
thousand pounds was voted for the ex-
penses of the party. the consequence OF
whose impedimenta required the serv-
ices of one hundred and eighty horses,
L,.o7 7;1 &c hnyuavnr
SO large land that, had the explorers
received rowing commission. they
might have died of old age, of ''yellow
jack" OF by Indians, long before they
had examined 1.-THE of the possible
sites suited for the purpose indicated.
Their attention was, therefore, devoted
to the Brazilian highlands northwest
of Rio-a rolling country covered with
stunted trees and grass, inhabited by
poor-spirited race, reputed to be too
lazy to either rob or murder, and too
few to be of any account, if forced to
fight for their birthright. It is in this
region that the commissioners have
found the sought-for site, on plateau
four thousand feet above the sea level,
well-watered, free from yellow fever,
and naturally-this point is made much
OF, as it is eighteen hours BY railway
from Rio-not liable to be bombarded
the next time the fleet revolts or the
republic feels it necessary to fatter
the electors by insulting European
power.
And there the scheme is likely to
end The report will be printed, and
possibly debated. But it is quite GER
tain that the new capital is to-day as
far off as it was before the commission
ers set out on their travels. For to
build even the bare outlines of a gov
ernment city would cost more millions
of milreis than Brazil can obtain credit
for on the money markets. Railways
must, in the first place, be constructed
to the chosen spot. Offices for the state
business, legislative buildings, and a
host of similar necessities must be pro-
vided, even if private enterprise erected
hotels and houses, and municipality
which does not exist undertook to lay
out roads, make drains, erect gas and
water works, and generally constitute
this capital in the outer world fairly
habita ble And, of course, barracks
would have to be built, otherwise a
change of government might be sud
denly precipitated by the opposition
playing Cromwell on a large scale, by
not only turning out the legislature,
but-what would be much worse-by
putting the late officials in Jail, and
their adherents in the posts recently
filed by them. All this, it may be
added, is apart from the endless polite
al difficulties inherent in the proposal.
all of which are perfectly well known
to those concerned.
Turk and Armenian.