194 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DOM PEDRO II. 



condition sine qua non of all real and lasting progress. It is, therefore, 

 not surprising that during Lis journey bis attention should have been 

 especially directed to this branch of public administration. After adopt- 

 ing the methods and programmes of study which seemed to him the 

 best, he caused a number of really palatial buildings to be erected, with 

 spacious gardens attached, to be used as public schools for children of 

 both sexes; and in order to render study agreeable, the luxury and 

 provisions for comfort in these establishments were so great as to be 

 condemned as extravagance by those opposed to the projects of the 

 Kmperor. 



In the high schools, reform was introduced in the regulation of exam- 

 inations. These were rendered so much more difficult as to excite the 

 manifest hostility of the students; but the increased rigor was really 

 necessary, as the diplomas conferred by the scientific corporations had 

 ceased to be regarded with much confidence. 



The central school was reorganized and converted into a polytechnic 

 institution, similar to the Belgian schools for engineers. Lastly, a school 

 of mines was formed in the province of Minas, the richest in precious 

 minerals, and now it is proposed to found at Eio a university, with due 

 consideration, however, for the faculties of law and medicine existing in 

 the provinces. 



The reform of the electoral law is one of the greatest benefits Brazil 

 has received from the very hand, so to say, of the present Emperor. The 

 old law was full of flaws, which might allow a party in power to remain 

 so continually, were it not for the prerogatives accorded the Emperor by 

 the constitution. No party at the head of the administration had desired 

 to reform this law, precisely because of the advantage to be drawn from 

 its defects, but once in the opposition, there was no want of condemna- 

 tion of the frauds and violence committed by the agents and friends of 

 the government during the elections. 



The greatest inconveniences resulting from this defective law were, 

 on the one hand, the impossibility of knowing whether the parliamentary 

 majority represented really the opinion of the people, and on the other 

 the want of any security that the minority w T ould be represented. Also, 

 every dissolution of the houses of parliament was followed by a unan- 

 imous chamber, evidently the creation of the minister; and even if this 

 had not the general support, it could always exercise great influence upon 

 legislative decisions, because of its power over a large number of public 

 functionaries; that is to say, on account of the number of public offices 

 at its disposal. 



For the purpose not only of putting au end to the complaints of par- 

 ties not in power, but also and principally to govern in accordance with 

 the real desires of the nation — the first duty of every honest govern- 

 ment — Dom Pedro determined to reform the electoral law, and on the 

 occasion of the opening of parliament in 1874, entered into a formal 

 engagement to prevent, in the future, electoral abuses. 



