Evening star., 1901-04-16
SOCIAL SCIENTISTS
Features of the Second Session of
Their Annual Convention.
SOUTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS
Notable Contribution by Former
Secretary John w. Foster.
OTHER INSTRUCTIVE PAPERS

OTHER INSTRUCTIVE PAPERS
Interesting and instructive to high de-
gree were the proceedings of the second
session of the American Social Science AS
sociation, whose annual convention is now
IN progress in the lecture hall of the Co.
lumblan University, corner of, 18th and I'll
streets northwest. There was a good at
tendance, including a noticeably large pro-
portion of ladies, and it would have doubt
less been greater if the general public
knew that the meetings are open to all who
wish to be present, and that every one
moreover will be cordially welcome The
morning was devoted to the department of
Jurisprudence, Of which Francis Wayland
LID, of Yale College is chairman and
Prof. Isaac +. Russell, D. c. L., is secre-
tary Three addresses were delivered the
last and most notable of which was that
OF John w. Foster, LII. D., former Secre-
tary of State, whose subject was The
Latin American Constitutions and Revolu-
t1ons In beginning. his comprehensive
and scholarly review of the important
theme Mr.. Foster said:
ON attaining their independence the
Latin-American republics modelled their
forms Of government after that of the
1Iiteu SldleS LII almost All tne1r cOnStl-
tutions the article relating to the execu-
tive power, like that of the United States,
contained no prohibition against the re-elec-
tion of the President But a bitter and
bloody experience has caused them. with
nearly the same degree of unanimity, to
revise their constitutions in this respect.
Instructive Summary.
THE provisions of the existing constitu
tions Of those countries relating to the ex
ecutive may be briefly enumerated fol-
lows: In Mexico the president is chosen
for four years by an electoral college, and
no prohibition exists against a reelection.
The cause of this exception to. the general
practice will be referred to later. The sec
retary of foreign relations succeeds to the
presidency on the death or disability of the
president and orders new election In the
five Central American states the provisions
vary as to the manner of election and term
of office, but in most Of them the president
is made ineligible for reelection. In CO.
iombia the president is chosen by an elect
oral college, for period of six years, and
is made ineligible for reelection. Ecuador
elects its president by the direct vote OF
the people for the term Of four years, and
he cannot be reelected.
THE vice president is elected for the same
term, but two years after the president.
Peru elects its president by a direct popu-
lar vote for four years, and he is made
ineligible for the next four years. Two vice
presidents are elected. Bolivia has the same
PROVISION DIS TtCu III SIlle the DTSSlutnl Is
elected by delegates chosen by the people
for the term Of five years, and is made in
eligible for the next term. The Argentine
Republic elects its president by electors
chosen by the fourteen provinces for six
years, and both the president and vice pres
ident are declared ineligible for reelection.
In Uruguay the president is elected for four
years, and made ineligible for the succeed
ing term. In Paraguay the president is
chosen by direct vote of the people for
four years, and both president and vice
president are non-eEgible for eight years.
Brazil, the last of these countries to assume
a republican form of government, and prof
iting by the experience of its neighbors,
provided for the election of its president by
a direct vote of the people for four years
and made him ineligible for reelection. Its
constitution also contains a provision that
the candidates must not be related by blood
or marriage to the outgoing president or
vice president in the first second degree.
In Venezuela the choice of the chief execu-
tive is somewhat complicated. Congress
consists Of two houses, the representatives
being elected for two years by the people,
and the senators for four years by the state
legislatures. A federal council of nineteen
members is chosen every two years by the
congress- who elect a presiding officer from
their own number, and he is president of
the republic for the two years. Neither
the president nor council can be reelected
for the next term.
Personal Ambitions.
Continuing, the speaker said that when
these countries first essayed republican
government they found that the greatest
danger to their institutions arose from the
disposition of the chief executives to pro-
long their power and to continue in office
in violation of constitutional provision. He
instanced Iturbide, the first president of
Mexico, who betrayed his trust. declared
himself emperor, and dissolved the congress
by force, precipitating the country into rev.
oiution, and paying the penalty with his
life.
Simon Bolivar, the most renowned of the
Spanish American patriots and the one who
did the most to achieve the independence
of the South American countries, marked
his entire career by overriding their con-
stitutional provisions as to the executive
and by assuming dictatorial powers.
The Case of Mexico.
Mr. Foster sketched at length the history
of Venezuela. the most turbulent, and Chile,
the most conservative of Spanish-American
countries, and then paid attention to Mex
leo, as follows:
II have referred to the fact that one of
the exceptions in existing constitutional
prohibitions of election is to be found in
the fundamental code of Mexico. The cir
cumstances which have brought this about
are peculiar and interesting. The conStf-
tuition Of 1857. still in force, contained no
such prohibition. Gen. Porfirio Diaz was
twice candidate for president against
-JuafeZ, and he CLAIMED tlaC he was the
peoples choice, but had been counted out
by the administration officials who had
control of the elections. Lerdo, the head
of the cabinet, became president upon the
death Of Juarez, and when the time APP
preached for the election upon the expira-
tion of Lerdos S term DiaZ announced to the
country that 1t was useless to stand a
candidate, because Of the absolute control
of the electoral college by the government.
He, therefore, issued a pronunciamento de-
claring for amendment of the constitu-
ton, and with the cry of no reelection
he organized q revolution which was sue
cessful. Lerdo and his cabinet fled to the
United States, Diaz assumed the presiden-
cy, ordered a new election. and was unani-
mously chosen. The constitution was in
due course amended SO as to prohibit the
reelection of the president until four years
after his first term had expired. At the
end of his term Diaz was retired from Of
flee, and his favorite general was elected
his successor.
1.-The latter proved so inefficient and dis
honest that at the end of his term all
classes clamored for the return of Diaz,
whose first administration had been quite
successful one. His second term was even