The sun., 1919-07-07
CHILEAN PRESIDENT
ASKS SCHOOL LAWS
Improvement Of System
Urged by Executive.

The first of June the President of
Chile, the Hon. Juan Luis Sanfuentes.
delivered the customary speech before
both branches of the Congress. Among
the several matters Of Importance with
which the message deals the improve
inent OF tho school plants Is one of the
national activities to which particular
proclamation OF the compulsory primary
school law the. state is making earnest
efforts TO put the schools on a level with
the needs which will be thus created.
Special funds provided last November
are financing the building OF several
modern schoola, providing at the same
time for the furniture and material
adapted to the new educational methods
The number of teachers available for the
new requirements IL steadily increasing
another great high school building ia
which can he found ever convenience, ac-
cording to the most progressive plans Of
teaching. There are housed In this new
building a day school. a night school, and
other activities will be added to these
such as 5 social entertainment for tho
parents OF the pupils
Buildings OF the same capacity will be
ready In Santiago two being now near
completion, one in Valparaiso and an
other In Conception. besides number of
country schools, So far eight of those
grammar schools have been provided for
by law. with a capacity for 500 pupils,
H. 81.
capacity for 1900 children. There Is
noticeable a great increase for enroll
ment In the high and professional
schools
The national public library in SAM
.tiago. which contains more than half Ia
million volumes and valuable manu-
scripts. will soon move from the Colonial
Building, which 1t now occupies, to a
magnificent construction now erected on
the Alameda.
&. The national budget has for the last
year. a surplus Of 22.33T 900 gold pesos
and about 100000 pesos In current
paper money. or this sum 100000
pesos we're destined to redeem the treas
ury- bonds, and the rest will cover the
expenses of several public works. The
present fiscal year will call for a budget
Of 100000 900 pesos and AZ, 100000 gold
pesos. to cover which an income of 90
100000 gold and 36,000,000 pesos is
expected.
Tho nitrate industry produced last
year 64,S0o,00O Spanish quintals 600
pounds TO the quintaD. At the
end of April there was a stock OF u.s.
900, 900 quintaTs in the northern ports
of Chile. The national debt has been
reduced to f2o,?S6,540. The con-
version fund for he guarantee of the
paper money amounts TO 1ll.272.2S7.45
gold pesos. of which 47.o54 .l3o.s4 are in
London, 64.o0o,000 In the Chilean Mint
and 21s.1o7.45 on the way TO Chile.
The portion OF this fund that was de-
posted in Germany was shipped entirely
to Chile. The foreign trade of Chile in
>I9iS reached 1926. 69e.4s2 gold pesos. of
which 45s.014,OS5 represents the imports.
The exports carry tho balance OF 49,
625. az. Tho imports increased s,997,-
o3s. and the exports S7,536,SS9 over
those OF the previous year. After cover
ing the service OF the debt a fund
amounting to f2.5oo.Ooo and sl,437.-
500 is at the disposal OF the Chilean
treasury abroad. this last sum being de-
posted in American banks.
The message deals with accounts OF
important public works such as the i-ri-
cation canals Of the south the working
mems homes and the improvement OF the
material on the State railroads. which
Represent more than 20 per cent. OF tho
total mileage Of the country.