Evening star., 1909-06-14
BRAZ|L'S CHIEF DEAD
President Penna's Illness
Terminates Fatally.
END EVIDENTLY SUDDEN
No 1ntimation of Ill-Health Until
Last Night.
ADVISERS CALLED TO PALACE
Elected to the Head of the Republic
in 19O6-Peace and Progress in
His Administration.
CALLED TO PALACE

Penna of Brazil died at 7:3O o'clock this
morning. according to a dispatch received
at the State Department from the Ameri-
can ambassador at Rio de Janeiro.
The death of DIR. Penna. president of
Brazil. evidently was sudden. Other than
a dispatch received from Rio Janero last
night saying that he was gravely i'll and
that as a consequence the ministers had
been summoned to the palace, there has
been no intimation that he has been in i'll
health. The last report of his doing con-
cerned the opening of the Brazilian con-
gress May and his message TO that
body. and two weeks later his refusal to
accept the resignation of the Brazilian
minister of finance.
Election to the Presidency.
DR.. Penna was elected to office by uni
versal suffrage in the twenty federated
states in 1906. and assumed Office Novem-
ber Is of that year. His term expired
in 1910. His success was the outcome
of coalition of the principal states
against San Paulo. which had supplied
all the past presidents. DIR. Penna was
one of Dom Pedros ministers who accept
ed and supported the republic after its
proclamation.
The vice president of the republic to-
day is Milo Pecanha.
Among the important acts of DIR. Penna
was the authorization of the tifty-million-
dollar naval loan, the reduction of the
duty upon American products. the raising
of the duty on sugar and the signing of
an arbit itration treaty with Argentina
DIR. Penna received the officers of the
American battleship fleet its cruise
around the world in January of 1908.
June 10 it was announced in Rio ia
neiro that Marschal Hermes Fonseca was
a candidate for the presidency in sue
cession TO DR.. Penna.
Educated as a Lawyer.
DR.. Penna was born in Santa Barbara
state of Minas Geraes. Brazil November
80, 1917. He was educated at the Col
legio de Garaca, and in 1866 entered the
law school of Sac Paulo. graduating
from there in 1870 While pursuing his
law studies he with his friend and fell
low-pupil DR.. Rodrigues Alves. founded
the lmprensa Academica a political and
literary journal.
After graduating he returned to Minas
TO take UP the practice of law in his
native town of Santa Barbara after
ward settling at Barbacena.
In 1879 he married Maria Guilhermina
de Oliveira Penna. His political career
began the year previous to his marriage,
having been elected deputy to the pro
vinCial assembly for the term of 1S14-'5.
He was twice reelected. serving from
1915 to 1877 and from 1878 to 1879. He
was affiliated with the liberal party
which came into power with the Sinmbu
ministry January >, 1878 He entered
the general assembly as deputy from the
third district of Minas and was re-eect-
ed. serving consecutively from that
year up TO 1850, when the republic was
proclaimed
Under the Martinho Campos ministry
he occupied the war portfolio and dur
ing the Lafayette ministry, the portfolio
of agriculture and public works. Dur
ing the second Saraiva cabinet. DIR. Pen
ma was called to preside over the de-
partment of justice, and it was while he
chief of that department that the
law of September -. 1885, was passed.
granting freedom TO all slaves over sixty
years of age.
In 1883 he was invited to become a
member of the committee appointed to
dra wup the civil code
After the proclamation of the republic
DIR. Penna retired to private life for a
short time, but soon again entered the
political arena. He was elected deputy
to the legislature of the state of Minas
Geraes and was charmn of the com
mittee appointed to draft the state con-
stitution.
Chosen Governor of Minas Geraes.
In 1892 he was elected by a unani-
nous vote governor of the state of
fee he founded the city of Bello Hori-
zonte, and removed the capital from
Ouro Preto to that city. He also found
ed the first law school in the state Of
Minas Geraes.
In 1895 he accepted the presidency of
the Bank Of the Republic which office
he held until 1898. In 1902 he was ap-
pointed to substitute Silviano Brandao
as vice president of the republic.
During President Penna's term of Of
Gee chief executive OF Brazil that
country has enjoyed an era of peace and
progress.
No Disturbance Looked For.
Il do not believe that the sudden death
of President Penna will be followed by
any disturbance in Brazil" said Vasco
Ahreu OF the Rio Janeiro Journal OF
Commerce this morning. 1T is my opin-
ion that the vice president of the repub-
lie. Senor Pecanha, will complete the un-
expired term of DR.. Penna. at the con-
clusion of which will occur the elections
as scheduled. The country has no desire
for political conflict; ii wants peace and
| opportunity for the continuance of its de-
velopment and progress.
Continuing. Mr.. Abreu said the strong
est candidate in the next election prob
ably will he the recent minister of war.
| Marschal Hermes Fonseca. Although
Gen. Fonseca is popular and man q:
great ability and high standing there
/ Is nevertheless. according to Mr.. Abre,l
! a certain opposition to him arising
| from the fact that he is regarded as
purely military man. The Fonseca
family has been long prominent in the
affairs of Brazil, and one of the present
candidates ancestors proclaimed the re-
public. Gen. Fonseca was a member of
the Brazilian commission that went t.
Germany recently at the invitation oc
! Emperor William to witness the ma
/ neuvers OF the German army and he has
/ done much 10 advance military mat
| ters in the republic.
| Another candidate for the presidency
| may be Baron de Rio Branco, the pres
| ent minister of foreign affairs.