Evening star., 1914-04-19

the main dependencies OF the country :
They are becoming greater every year,
but mining and manufacturing prothise
to develop with rapidity. -
Induce Dr. Naon to discuss the poiI.
ical <sy stem of Argentina an dyou VIII
open up an interesting topic Inc Arsen-
tine constitution. established IN iSes. is
nodded largely upon the American Ion
sfitution. but with notifications. These
notifications. DIR. Naon holds. are In the
nature of developments.
For example, members of the cahinet
have a voice on the floor of the iegisla-
tive branch of the government and are
subject to Interpretation. as in the Brit
ish system, but. unlike the Briush sys-
tenn, the are not members u the ieeis.
lative body Further, there is an annual
aoyernment budget. as in England. Both
of these notifications were adFoc;tteu
for the United States by President Ia1t
when he was in Office and by Secretary
Stfrnson and others
the election of the president ana VIC
president indirectly by electors chosen py
the people, as in the United states, put
both of these executive officers are elecl-
ed for six-year terms and neither may pc
elected for a second term immedlatei!
following their ihcumbencl- Another IN
stance of where Argentine has something
which has been urged but never aoopeeo
in the United States
Senators in the national legislative
body are elected for nine years ana rep
resentatives for four years Again souls
thing that has been urged here IN the
interests of stability
:; ):
By national law, which has been on the
statute books only few years, No,lils
lis compulsory in Argentina Such iaM
long has been advocated in the Uniteu
States. Manhood suffrage exists, with
citizen attaining his majority at efghteeli'
and agitation for woman suffrage IS ho.l-
existent. The penalty for failure TO Eote
is a fine for the first onense. a doupieu
fine for the second offense and disfran
chisement and the removal or cltizeh
rights for the third
Two definite effects already have been
shown by the operation of the law Inc
first is to raise the normal vote cast from
between 80 and ~ per cent OF the aEail-
able votes to at least as per cent The
second Is a marked growth III tne i'doied-
and socialiStic vote
Students of the operation of the law at
tribute this second result to the fact that
the normally non-voting element in any
population is made up of the pessiHistic.
the radicals, the discouraged and those
who are constitutionally against the gov
ernment Compel them to vote and they
vote against conservatism and the estab-
lshed order of things
But this is no evil in the political phi
losophy of men like DIR. Naon. A healthy
opposition is the safeguard OF free insti-
tutions. II compels serious attention 10
new problems and new proposals in gov
ernment on the part of those in power
who might otherwise be prone to maintain
a laissez faire policy
And certainly, according to the picture
Of Argentine political conditions thus pre-
sented. laissez faire is the last thing Of
which the Argentine government can be
accused.
Somehow one leaves the Argentine lega-
tion. after a discussion of Argentine pol
itics and movements. with an impression
that. after all. Argentina is rather more
American possibly than even the United
States.
A further impression one takes away is
that this virile, magnetic. practically
aitruistic statesman-diplomatist, with his
comparative youth and evident strength.
is Just the sort OF a man a republic like
Argentina would select for even higher
political honors than have come to him.
ASHMUN BROWN.