Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-29
NE|GHB0R[Y HINTS
Lessons From South America
in City Building.
SOUTHERN IDEAL CAPITALS
Examples Set by Great and Beautiful
Buenos Aires and Rio.
MILLIONS SPENT ON CITIES
SOUTHERN IDEAL CAPITALS
MILLIONS SPENT ON CITIES
Nations Tenderly Considerable Of
Capitals-Avenues de Mayo,
Central and Pennsylvania.
BY THEODORE W. MOVES.

By THEODORE W. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star.
To generalize In contrasting differen
natfonalities and races of men is full o.
danger Of blunders. even when the at
tempt is made on the basis Of thorough
study Of and full acquaintance with the
subject. But even a superficial inspection
Of the Latin Americans Of South America
a3 home in comparison with the Anglo
Americans Of North America fastens or
the mind two distinct and strong impress
sions which all the indications seem t.
confirm.
The South Americans as builders of rep
resentative republics. obedient to the Law
and ruled by ballots and not bullets. are
as yet inferior to the North Americans
On the other hand. In city planning an6
huilding, In wise development Of the city
beautiful. the" South Americans are Jus
AZ distinctly our superfors. AS republic
builders they fall short; as city builders
they excel.
Lack Of Genuine Republicanism.
In travel around and in South America
last autumn there were suggestion.
everywhere of lack of appreciation
Of the principles Of representativ.
government. of the failure Of both In.
and Outs to sustain and obey the ballo
and the law, of popular unrest. discomfort
and distrust and of revolutionary tenden.
cies on the surface or latent. In PERT
revolt was in the air. Our steamer was
searched by Peruvian soldiers at Mol
lendo, the last Peruvian port before cross.
ing into Chile, for a revolutionary leader
the son Of Gen. Pierola, who headed
the latest revolution) who was accused Of
melting an uprising In southern Peru
near Cuzco. and who was suspected Of
plotting to embroil Peru with her neigh
bors, Bolivia and Ecuador In Chile tn.
nary struggle In Balmaceda's administra
ton. Every one has had for the moment
a surfeit OF fighting. and the public sui
leniy accepts the arbitrary and aristo
cratic rule Of the great families, agains
which Balmaceda fought The revolu
surface. In Areentina. where there !:
wonderful material development and pros
perfty. the fairness Of the elections i.
publicly questioned, or rather their un
A revolution had just been quieted tenn
pofarily in Uruguay by concessions t
the revolutfonists- 1t was recognized al
only q luli in the storm. In the harbol
OF Rio lay the two battIeships WHOSE
nutinous crews had Just killed certain
obtained amnesty from the Brazilian leg
islature on threat of bombarding the city
These incidents do not either singly Of
together prove what I have suggested
about political instability in South Ameri
ca; but they are. like recent events II
Spanish-American Mexico. straws sug
costing the direction Of the wind.
There Is no indication that the Ins II
any South American republic, II as Ions
intrenched in power. for instance, as thu
republican party In the United States
would think for a moment Of turning oveI
the government to the opposition because
the latter cast few more ballots thar
it's own in a national election, as the re
Of coursesR the 1912 verdict should b.
against It. Such procedure as the sub
stitution Of an electoral commission To-
war. as was followed in our contested
election Of 1876, Is almost inconceivabl'
in any South or Central American re
public.
Excel as City Builders.
On the other hand, in building up OF
attractive sites cities beautiful and vel
regulated, Latin<America puts to shame
tn northern neighbor. whose cities. as &
rule, are ugly and whose municipal gov
ernments are in SO many instances thu
conspicuous blots on our political record.
Many South American cities emphasize
the superiority in the past Of our neigh
bors' handling Of municipal affairs and Of
their artistic taste and appreciation Of
the city beautiful. but the lesson IL mos
pointediy taught by Buenos Aires ant
Rio de Janeiro. %
The hints given by these cities to Amer
lean municipalities in general have a epe
eial application to Washington, for both
Buenos Aires and Rio are, like Washing
ton, national capitals In federal districts
The southern republics adopted this fea
ture Of our Constitution: but have i'm
proved upon their model showing in thei
treatment of the capital from its birth
greater wisdom, greater fairness ant
greater national pride.
OF recent years America. In sharp con
trsst with IT'S neglect OF the infant CAPT
tai. has developed Washington into thu
most attractive OF American cities
Afgent.na and Brazil have never Ill
treated or starved their capitals. but hav'
couststentty treated them with proud ant
afrectionate consideration. While spend
ing millions to develop and adorn ant
maintain the national cities, they have
not - . condition Of such appropriation,
deprived the people Of the federal district!
OF representation in the national govern
ment. or of the increasing means Of self
support which accompany growth a.
prosperous commercial and industrial
Aires and Rio as business cities. Argen
tina and Brazil have foetered their capt
tai0 tndustrtally and commercially. in
ereaSiug their wealth and taxable values
While retaining control OF the nations cit!
q N national hands these nations have no
fo0nd II necessary In protection of thei
control to disfranchise their residents an,
to shut them out from participation II
either the national or municipal govern
nsnt While thus treating the peopl
- ~ 70 -AedDnA
or Braxiltans the South American repub
lies have not used this fairness as q pre-
text for Sinking financial responsible.
in respect to the national cities. Argen
tina and Brazil have spent millions 4
create and improve and maintain tn
national cities. without once referring 4
the people Of Buenos Aires and Rio a
Ynendicants or deprfv'ng them as defec
tive Argentines or Braziiians OF any o
the rights or privileges of nations
cttf3mshiD.
Bueuos Aires and Avenida de Mayo
The greatest works Of capital buildin
in Buenos Aires have been done sine
1880, with wonderful results that spea
for themselves to every observer. Yer
lately an expensive improvement. whic
WIN appeal especially to Washingtonian,
has been perfected. 1t consists in the de
struct1on Of whole rows Of buildings to RI
construct and broaden one end of tn
Avenida de Mayo. the Pennsylvania ave
nue. Of Buenos Aires. and to make an er
y1Yonment worthy OF the imposing ne,
capitol building with its lofty marbl
dome. The Avenida de Mayo, like Penn
syivnnia avenue, connects the building
OF the executive and legislative branche
OF the national government. The ne,
capitol stands out in tbs vista at one en-
81 II: the Casa Rosada, corresponding I
our White House, dominates the othe
end. Tho avenida, unlike PennsyIvani
avenue. Is lined consistently and harmon