90 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



power to declare war and make peace. He 

 (with the consent of Congress) appoints the 

 members of the Supreme Federal Tribunal and 

 the diplomatic ministers. No- minister can 

 appear in Congress, but must communicate by 

 letter, or in conference with commissions of 

 the Chambers. Ministers are not responsible 

 to Congress or the Tribunals for advice given 

 to the President of the Republic. 



The franchise extends to all citizens not un- 

 der twenty-one years of age, duly enrolled, ex- 

 cept beggars, "illiterates," soldiers actually 

 serving, and members of monastic orders, etc., 

 under vows of obedience. 



There are six Secretaries of State at the 

 head of the following Departments : 



1, Finance; 2, Justice, Interior and Public 

 instructions; 3, War; 4, Marine; 5, Foreign 

 Affairs ; 6, Industry, Communications and Pub- 

 lic Works. 



In 1885 a bill was passed for the gradual ex- 

 tinction of slavery, and on May 13, 1888, an 

 act was passed repealing all former acts on the 

 subject, and abolishing slavery from the day 

 of the promulgation of the law. 



Local Government. -According to the new Con- 

 stitution each State must be organized under the repub- 

 lican form of government, and must have its adminis- 

 trative, legislative, and judicial authorities distinct 

 and independent. The governors and members of the 

 legislatures must be elective ; the magistrates must not 

 be elective nor removable from office save by judicial 

 sentence. The Federal executive cannot intervene 

 directly in the local government of the States. In cases 

 of obstinate infringement of the Federal Constitution 

 by State authorities the only resource of the central 

 power is an appeal to the Supreme Tribunal of Federal 

 District. The Federal District is administered by a 

 council elected by the citizens of the District, the munic- 

 ipal executive authority being exercised by a Prefect 

 appointed for four years by the President of theRermb- 

 lic. There are in Brazil 892 municipalities and 1,886 

 parishes. 



Religion. The established religion under the Empire 

 was the Roman Catholic, but under the Republic the 

 connection between Church and State has been abolished, 

 ;i nd absolute equality declared among all forms of reli- 

 gion. The Federal Government continues to provide 

 for the salaries and maintenance of the existing func- 

 tionaries of the Catholic Church. The population in 

 1890 contained 14,179,615 Catholics; 143,746 Protestants; 

 3,300 of other faiths; and 7,257 of no religious profes- 

 sion. 



Brazil constitutes an ecclesiastical province, with a 

 metropolitan archbishopric, the seat of which is at 

 l?aliia, 11 sull'ragan bishops, 12 vicars-general, and 2,000 

 curates. For the private instruction of the clergy there 

 are 11 seminaries. 



Instruction. Public instruction is divided into three 

 distinct forms or classes namely, primary ; secondary, 

 or preparatory; and scientific, or" superior. The higher 

 education is controlled by the central Government. 

 There are two schools of medicine, four of law, four 

 military and one naval school, a school of mines, and a 

 polytechnic. In 1890 these schools had, in all, 2,916 pu- 

 pils. There are, besides, the Lyceum of Arts and Trades 

 with 2,277 pupils, and five other special schools with 575 

 pupils. Connected with the observatory at Rio is a 

 school for astronomy and engineering. The two estab- 

 lishments for secondary education, called jointly the 

 Gymnasia A'acional (old Pedro II. college), confer a 

 degree, and are controlled by Federal Government. 

 The States Governments are allowed t found g\ innasia 

 with similar organization and privileges, and to a cer- 

 tain extent control this branch 01 instruction. All 

 other secondary schools are private. Examinations arc 

 always official. Primary instruction in the Federal Dis- 



trict is under the charge of the municipality, and in the 

 States under the municipal and State anthoritiec 

 cording to the Constitution education is, at all - 

 under lay management, and primary education is \ir,< 

 tuitons. The central department complain that tli< 

 can get no data from the States on public instruction. 

 It seems that education is nowhere coinpul-ni \ . , 

 Brazil. In 1889 there were, it was officially stated. 7 .: 

 public and private primary schools, attended by ;;(KI.IIH., 

 pupils in all. The number of illiterates is returned . i 

 8,365,997, or 84 per cent, of the population. 



Justice. There is a supreme tribunal of Justice nl 

 Rio de Janeiro; and a court of appeal in the capital oi 

 each State. There are courts of first and second in- 

 stance, both in civil and criminal cases. Judges are a, - 

 pointed for life. There are also municipal magistral - 

 and justices of the peace, who are elected, and whose 

 chief function is to settle cases by arbitration. 



CHILE. 



The Republic of Chile threw off allegiance 

 to the Crown of Spain by the declaration of 

 independence of September 18, 1810, finally 

 freeing itself from the yoke of Spain in 1 s ! v 

 The Constitution voted by the representatives 

 of the nation in 1833, with a few subsequent 

 amendments, establishes three powers in tl. 

 State the legislative, the executive, and tl; 

 judicial. The legislative power is vested i i 

 the National Congress, consisting of two a> 

 semblies, called the Senate and the Chamber 

 of Deputies. The Senate is composed of mem- 

 bers, elected for the term of six years, in tin- 

 proportion of one Senator for every three Dep- 

 uties ; while the Chamber of Deputies, com- 

 posed of members chosen for a period of three 

 years, consists of one representative for every 

 30,000 of the population, or a fraction not less 

 than 15,000; both bodies are chosen by t he- 

 same electors the Chamber directly by <!<'- 

 partments, and the Senate directly by pn>\ - 

 inces on the cumulative system of Toting. Elec- 

 tors must be 21 years of age, and be able to read 

 and write. In 1887 there were 134,119 regis- 

 tered electors, or 1 to 18 of the population. In 

 the election of deputies in March, 1888, S!!.!77 

 citizens voted, or 67 per cent, of those who h;id 

 the right to vote. Deputies must have an in- 

 come of 100/. a year, and Senators 400/. Til-- 

 executive is exercised by the President of (lie 

 Republic, elected for a term of five years, by in- 

 direct vote, the people nominating, by ballot, 

 delegates who appoint the President. A re- 

 tiring President is not re-eligible. In legisla- 

 tion the President has a modified veto ; a bill 

 returned to the Chambers with the President 's 

 objections may, by a two-thirds vote of the mem- 

 bers present (a majority of the members beiiii; 

 present), be sustained and become law. Tin: 

 day of a Presidential election is June 25 of tin* 

 last of the five years of a Presidency, and lh<-> 

 inauguration takes place on September 18 of 

 the same year. 



The salary of the President is fixed at is.- 

 000 pesos, with 12,000 pesos for expenses. 



The President is assisted in his executive 



