Evening star., 1898-12-24

with stone or pressed brick, but with cost
ly porcelain tiles. Every tile was imported
from England. l have seen the tiled walls
and roofs of the palaces of the emperor at
Pekins, but the water works building at
Buenos Ayres has finer covering. The
building has cost about as much as our
National Library at Washington, and it's
only use is to hold twelve great iron tanks,
through which is filtered the water of
Ruenos Ayres. The tanks themselves cost
S2OOo,0OO. They are worth seeing. Each of
them weighs IA, 900 tons, and they fill the
great building from floor to mansard. The
water flows in from the river through pipes,
SO large that they can carry 20,000,O00 gal
Ions in twenty-four hours. The tanks will
hold 15.OG0 gallons at one time, but con-
tinuous stream of water is tltering through
them, so that they contain much more than
this amount in day. 1t was charged that
there was big job in this building, and
that the government officials who secured
the contract We're able to put in the neigh
borhood of 81 100000 into their own pockets.
JObbery in Railways.
There has also been considerable jobbery
in government railroads, l am told, and, in
deed, the government finds that it cannot
afford to hold on to its railroad property.
There are annually deficits where there
should be dividends The lines are rapidly
passing into the hands of the English.
Those which are still controlled by the gov
ernment have such poor rolling stock that
the private companies will not allow gov
efnment cars to pass over their rails. They
pr iefer to transShip. Appointments on the
government railways are commonly made
without regard to efficiency or previous ex-
perience. Politicians after q job apply for
the places. One prominent man recently
asked to be made assistant manager of the
central Argentine system He was ques-
TONED as to his experience. He replied
that he knew all about the railroad, for he
nad Travelled over it as passenger several
times. "'
The government lines are generally In had
condition. All sorts of jokes are made
concerning them, d common charge being
that they should put COW catchers on the
rear r',a OF the trains to Keep the cattle from
running over them The private lines, on
the other hand, make money. They are
"el managed and economically run.
The Matter of Justice
theoretically the judicial system of the
Argentine Republic is beautiful one
Ihere Is supreme court of five Judges.
winch IS also court of appeal There
Is an attorney general, who is supposed
TO bring criminals to the bar and there
are number of inferior and local courts.
According to the constitution trial by Jury
must be given in criminal cases, and each
state has its own judicial system In 1Sa5
1850 criminal cases were tried in Ruenos
Ayres, and there were during this wear
1000 arrests for breaches of the peace.
You 1nd policemen on every corner in the
Argentine capital. They are well dressed
carrying swords, with which they are ready
70 cut down any one who resists them
On opera nights company of mounted
police upon prancing steeds guards the
streets leaolng to the opera house, and gen.
eraliy you Will md that order in Buenos
Ayres is as well kept as in any city of the
world. The matter of police appoint
ment, however, is one of political influence,
ana the police are very careful whom they
n ha n iCfi Il
class of young men may get as drunk as
he pleases and 1T is rare that he will be
arrested, while a poor Italian or Spaniard
VIII be quickly taken to Jail. In the courts
the rich stand a much better chance than
the poor. There are, of course some lust
judges but the man who will accent a
bribe is in the majority. Prominent Ar
gentines are awarded the preference in
the courts where the matter of right Is
at all equally balanced, and as a rule the
man who sees the judge first has the best
chance Of decision in his favor There
IS no lacK OF lawyers. for the young Ar
gentines OF good families as a rule adopt
the law as profession, many of them not
expecting to practice. but only to have the
title OF doctor before their names There
are some that are very good at the law
source.
1t Was All in the Signature.
Speaking Of the morality of high Areen-
tine officials. heard the other day a story
OF President Celman in connection with the
national bank, Of which I have already
written. The influence Of the president was
such that a note from him would usually
result In the holder getting the loan. The
president was overwhelmed with such re-
quests, some coming from men whose Ill.
will he could not afford to have. He never
refused to grant such favors. He would re-
ceive the men cordially. and tell them they
could have the money. He would even
write letter to the directors of tho bank.
saying: Il know this man is all right. and
l wish you could grant him the Loan He
would sign such letter, and the man
would go at once to the bank, and be sur
prised to find 1t refused The truth was
that President Celman had an understand
ing with the directors of the bank as to his
signature, according as certain curves were
made this way or that. If the final ''n."
for instance, was elongated into a scrawl.
1t meant that the man was to have the
money, whereas, If it was cut off short. the
directors would know that the president
meant. II am just writing this letter to get
rid Of the man, and 1t would be a favor to
me If you would refuse him."
FRANK g. CARPENTER.
ssTIe died of a comnljcatfon of dssa,,a.