The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
ELECTIONS In THE ARGENTINE
ARE HELD IN THE CHURCHES, AND
THE BALLOT BOXES ARE STUFFED.
Government Railroads and Their An
lice, Lawyers and Courts.

the Argentine. He has been in Office only
a few weeks, but his strong right hand is
already felt in every part of the republic.
He has begun a settlement with the Chileans
as to the boundary question, and has at
the same time ordered new war vessels from
Europe in case the settlement should not
come off. President Julio A Roca has long
been noted as one of the strongest men in
South American politics. He has been Pres
ident before, has been minister of and
has made himself noted as a general in the
Argentine army. 1t was largely due to him
that Patagonia was thrown open to settle
ment, and he has the reputation of being a
great Indian fighter When he was minister
of war, now more than twenty years ago,
he led an army to Patagonia against the
Indians and conquered them. L have heard
it said that the victory was easily won and
that the fighting was mere butchery on the
part of the Argentines, the so-called savages
making no resistance. However this may
be, President Roca got great fame from his
campaign, and he is to-day looked upon as
the General Grant of the Argentine republic.
Roca has been compared to Grant in char
acter. He is the still strong man of the
country, with enough nerve to carry out
his ends without regard to who goes down
possesses the golden gift of silence, and be-
lieves in the old Spanish proverb which
states that flies will not so into a shut
mouth
Roca's election means that matters will be
stable in the Argentine for six years to
come. The President is, you know, elected
for six years, and he reigns that long pro-
vided there is no revolution. Roca has the
army behind him, and he will not tolerate
opposition. He has always been a fighter.
He has at the same time been a diplomat,
and his Cabinet has been chosen with the
idea of harmonizng the factions. He has
the confidence of the foreign capitalists, who
believe that he will maintain peace, and
peace in the Argentine means progress.
President Roca is now fifty-five years of
age. He comes Of a good family being a
native of the province of Tucuman, in the
northern part of the republic. lie is q.
straight, well-formed broad-shouldered
man, with a face that would not look for
eign in Washington or London, although it
would be striking anywhere. President Roca
is more like an Englshman or an American
than an Argentine. You would imagine him
a descendant of Anglo-SaXons rather than
of Latns. His face is almost fair. The
forehead is high and broad, the eyes bright
and piercing, the nose large and the under
jaw strong. He is simple in his dress and
manners and walks about the streets of
Buenos Ayres like an ordinary citizen. He
has never cultivated the arts of the salon.
nor has he pronounced literary tastes, al
though he is well read in history and keeps
posted on political matters. He is more of
a statesman and a soldier than a carpet
knight, and he has been called the past mas
fap Of no f no ro nc
ELECTIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA.
General Roca was chosen President This
means that he was the strongest man of
the small coterie which runs the Argentine
Republic There are no such elections in
South America as in the United States The
country is supposed to be a republic and the
people to have the right to vote. But the
truth is that a few families coptrol every
thing political and that the ballot boxes are
always stuffed. Elections are held on Sun
days in the porches of the churches. Out
| side the church door there are three or four
| tables, about which sits a seedy looking
! crowd of men, who are the receivers of the
| election. The ballots paper and are
dropped through Sits in the boxes Many
| of the voters hand their ballots to the re-
ceivers and tell them to vote for them. The
| same man often votes over and over again,
declaring himself to be some other man each
| time. The receivers recognize the fraud, but
| as the matter is all cut and dried beforehand
4 they do not object. The better classes recog-
nize it also and do not vote Buenos Ayres
is a city of 10000 population. AT the last
| election for senator there were only 1900
| votes cast, whereas at one vote to each
| family of five there were 10000 possible
votes. The election lists are scanned by
| the candidates beforehand and added to or
| taken from as is desired. Not long ago the
mayor of Olivera was looking over such a
list with a friend of mine. At last he came
| to a name which we shall call ''Munyoz"
| when my friend said: 'Why, mayor, Mum
| yoz is dead Don't you remember we We're
together last month when the report of his
death came in?"
"Oh, yes, 1 remember" replied the mayor.
''But if he is dead that is all the better.
He can now make no fuss as to how his
vote is cast
AN OVERGOVERNED COUNTRY.
This corruption in politics extends
| throughout the Republic. Every province
has its political factions. the most of which
are connected with the ring in Buenos
Ayres and take their cue from it. The gov
eminent is entirely in the hands of the ma
tive Argentines, who are natural politicians
and who work the business for what it is
worth The country is overgoverned. 1t
has all told only 100000 people, of whom
one-fifth live at the capital. Still every
/ State has its own Senate and House. and its
own minor officers. The result is that in a
country which has a population about that
Of the State of Ohio. there are, in addition to
a horde Of federal officers, fifteen Senates,
fifteen Chambers of Deputies and fifteen
sets of revenue collectors. There are small
officials without number. all of whom re-
ceive a salary. and most of whom add TO
this in some way or other not sanctioned
by law All Of the provinces are in debt,
and only a few Of them pay their interest.
The internal debt of the country now
amounts to more than $1OO 100000, and in
1895 the provincial debts. including unpaid
interest, amounted to more than o000
IN gold. AT present the city debts foot up
more than s24,000o0o gold. while the coun-
try has a national debt of more than $50
Oa0o0o A large number Of the provinces
have to be annually assisted by the general