ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



33 



comes the town of Rio Cuarto, with its 10,000 

 inhabitants, and which, now that the railway is 

 completed, having been opened to public traffic 

 July 17th, is destined to be a place of much 

 note in a very short time. The public schools 

 of Cordoba are among the most prosperous 

 in the country, although of recent establish- 

 ment. The state of agriculture, quality of the 

 soil, its varied vegetation, and valuable nat- 

 ural productions, are justly praised ; among 

 these last, many precious dyes and medicinal 

 plants are indigenous : indigo, the cactus on 

 which the cochineal feeds, the tobacco-plant, 

 inaiii. and many others, are in great abundance; 

 the apples and walnuts are not, it is assured, 

 surpassed by those of any other country; 

 while peaches, grapes, pumpkin*, melons, etc., 

 are yielded in great plenty ; and the potato is 

 as fine as the best of Europe. The province is 

 particularly favorable for grazing, as, even in 

 seasons of drought, excellent grass is to be 

 found on the elevated table-lands of the C6r- 

 doba Sierra, and black-cattle and sheep thrive 

 admirably. A thorough system of irrigation 

 having been introduced, an abundance of 

 lucern is to be had for feed during the win- 

 ter. Manufacturing industry is. however, at a 

 low point, and is confined to the branches of 

 brick-making, lime-burning, and the weaving 

 of a few woolen tissues, such as blankets and 

 coarse cloths. The numerous mines are not 

 worked, for want of capital and experienced 

 engineers; if these elements were found, the 

 mines would be remarkably productive, labor 

 being very cheap, and transport exceedingly 

 commodious, being by rail to Rosario, and 

 thence by steamboats to Buenos Ayres. As a 

 mark of the commercial importance of the 

 province, it may be mentioned that it has no 

 lew than three banks. There is one railway 

 complete, and two others in course of construc- 

 tion from the capital, and a number of tele- 

 graph-lines. 



Two hundred square leagues of fiscal lands 

 have been destined for the reception of immi- 

 grants, and the (lovernment has been author- 

 ized to spend KIO hiinl dollars in the purchase 

 of seeds and implements for each family arriv- 

 ing in the province and resolved to devote it- 

 self to airricnltural pursuits, on the sole condi- 

 tion of paying a tax of $5 on receipt of the 

 title-nVcils of the land. 



The product of this tax is to be employed in 

 promoting the education of the children of the 

 settlers, tin- Letter being exempt from all other 

 provincial imposts for the term of five years. 



I lie Argentine CongreM was opened on the 

 llth of May l,y President Sarmiento, with the 

 usual message, in which he said: 



Tli pa-<t vear has been one of tranquillity for all 

 nation*, anJ partipuliirly for ours ; ana the Wesin|r 

 oft 1 in tin' increased wealth, 



and t.lio '-xtr i"n];ii:iry value 'if Inml ; t.ho accumula- 

 tion of capital, development and extension of in- 

 dustry, in.1 larjre iw.-nuc* ; aii'l we miiy, without 

 exaggeration, state that our country ahowl for the 

 greater material progress than any other. 



TOL. XIII. 3 A 



Our relations with foreign governments are of the 

 most friendly nature. Several treaties have already 

 been concluded ; and others now await your vote. 

 All our troubles with Brazil, arising out of the 

 Triple Alliance, have been terminated by a special 

 envoy, and nothing has since occurred to disturb 

 our cordial relations with that empire. With Chili 

 the question of the straits is still pending ; but 

 the Government of that republic and our own have 

 agreed to leave it to arbitration, following therein 

 the example of two of the most powerful nations in 

 the worla. To Paraguay a special minister has been 

 sent for the arrangement of a treaty which, despite 

 the disturbance in that country, will, we believe, be 

 concluded. Nothing has as yet been done with 

 Bolivia, and it would be well to send an Argentine 

 minister there. With I'rutruay we are now treating 

 in regard to custom house and quarantine rules. 

 The postal treaty with the United States is in full 

 force, as is likewise the extradition treaty with 

 Brazil ; but the postal convention with the latter 

 countrv, as well as the treaty of amity and commerce 

 with Sweden and Norway, is still pending. The 

 inundations caused much damage in the provinces, 

 four of which have received assistance from Govern- 

 ment. 



The death of the Governor of San Juan has called 

 for national intervention in that province, which has 

 already had four interventions in the course of the 

 vcar. New elections have been ordered; the party 

 has refused to vote ; and the Government has refused 

 its approbation of the election by a single faction. 

 Telegraph and railway lines, though already numer- 

 ous, are still on the increase, especially the latter; 

 as it ha* been found expedient not to grant any new 

 concessions for the former at present, the Govern- 

 ment being apprehensive that a further extension 

 of such lines might be hurtful to public interests. 

 I in migration, especially from France, Spain, and 

 Italy, i rapidly increasing, and with it our commerce 

 with these countries. 



Many are the improvements proposed for 

 the city of Buenos Ayres, but none more 

 needed than the two following, which, it is to 

 he hoped, for the sanitary and commercial 

 welfare of the capital, will be promptly car- 

 ried into effect, namely, a perfect system of 

 drainage and water-works, and a good port 

 for shipping. The vital interests of the deni- 

 zens are hourly menaced by the lack of the 

 former ; and the urgent need of the latter is 

 apparent to all who are aware that the entire 

 river Plate offers nothing more than an open 

 roadstead for the ever-increasing maritime 

 traffic, which has nearly doubled within the 

 last two years, and is now over 1,500,000 

 tons. 



The attention of the political world has been 

 and continues to be chiefly engrossed by the 

 probable issue of the presidential election. 

 The two most popular candidates are Dr.'Al- 

 sina. the present Vice-President, regarded as 

 another Rosas aiming at dictatorial power 

 and gaucho supremacy; and General Mitre, 

 the representative of a conservative and pro- 

 gressive republic. Dr. Avellaneda, Minister- 

 of Public Instruction, is a formidable riv.il of 

 both, but this popularity seems to be confined 

 to the cities of the interior. Riots took place- 

 in several localities, and at Chivilcoy ten per- 

 sons were killed by the mob. 



An attempt was made to assassinate Presi- 

 dent Sarmiento, who was shot at by an Italian. 



