The evolution of the Argentine Republic of to-day from the position of
an obscure Spanish dependency laboring under the disabilities of
colonial government, into one of the great countries of the world whose
watchwords are "progress" and "freedom," may be said to date from May
25, 1810, when the people of Buenos Aires declared their independence
and established the United Provinces of the River Plate. From that date
forward, until May 25, 1853, when the Federal Constitution of the
Argentine Republic was proclaimed at Santa Fe and even to a later
period, the history of that country bears many points of resemblance to
the early history of the United States. Just as the United States had to
subdue savage Indians, to enter into war and to offer great sacrifices
to develop the resources of vast uninhabited territories in order to
establish the principles of liberty and justice, the Argentine Republic
has successfully conquered the same difficulties and, to-day, is
inviting the rest of the world to add to its developments and to share
its wealth. In the disposition of its territories, in its form of
government and in its constitution and laws, the Argentine Republic has
modelled its policy upon that of the United States.
Situated in the southern portion of South America, the Republic, which
is divided into fourteen Provinces (States) and ten National
Territories, is bounded on the north by Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil; on
the east by Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay; and on the south and west by
Chile. It embraces the most important sections of the vast estuary of
the River Plate, with its entire line of coast on the Atlantic Ocean.
Within its extensive areas, covering about 1,150,000 square miles, the
possibilities of production are practically unlimited owing to the
wealth of the soil and the variety of its climate, which includes the
sub-tropical, the temperate and the cold regions. Yet, in none of these
is to be found the extreme, as may be judged by health statistics and by
the figures of the rates of mortality and longevity, which are
respectively lower and higher than in any country of Europe.
Geographically, the Argentine Republic may be divided into three
sections: the western, or Andine, the Pampean, and the Mesopotamian. The
western is mountainous and comprises the long strip sheltered by the
Cordillera of the Andes and its ramifications. It contains numerous
valleys of varied character and abounds in mineral wealth. The northern
and Andine provinces and the western part of the southern territories
are included in this division. The Pampean section embraces the southern
and central part of the Republic from the eastern portions of the
Province of Salta, with the Territories of Formosa and the Chaco, down
to the territories in the south; they include the plains stretching
south and extending through the rich Provinces of Santa Fe and Buenos
Aires. This section, as its name indicates, is one vast plain rolling
towards the south-east. It is crossed by innumerable rivers and streams
which descend from the Andes, and either lose themselves in the Pampa,
or become tributaries of the great river system of the Parana, or flow
on till they join the Atlantic Ocean. In this section there are some few
isolated ranges of hills, besides numerous lakes and lagoons with swamps
and salt marshes, while a rich and varied vegetation gives sustenance to
millions of cattle. The Mesopotamian section lies between the Rivers
Parana and Uruguay and comprises the Provinces of Entre Rios and
Corrientes, and the territory of Misiones. At its southern extremity is
the beautiful delta of the Parana studded with islands of rich soil and
fertile vegetation. Advancing northwards, the land becomes undulating
with tree-clad hill slopes, intersected by a network of rivulets and
streams which water rich meadows and woodland and stretch to the north
over a great part of the Province of Corrientes. Here the land dips in a
remarkable manner, forming great lagoons and marshes and once more
changes its character in the Territory of Misiones, where hills abound,
covered with forests which extend far inland. There are also various
systems and ranges of mountains, the principal chain being that of the
Andes, which extends from north to south as far as Tierra del Fuego, and
constitutes a giant boundary wall between Argentina and Chile; but even
the barrier created by this great chain of mountains--at some points of
a height approaching 15,000 feet--to rapid communication between the two
countries has been removed by the opening of railway communication which
now permits of the journey from one side of the mountains to the other,
to be performed, during the greater part of the year, in a comparatively
few hours.
Other physical features of the Argentine Republic have been so much more
fully referred to elsewhere in these pages that it is merely necessary
for the purposes of this brief sketch to make some reference to the
Constitution in its relation to national progress.
As stated above, the Federal Constitution of the Argentine Republic is
almost a counterpart of the American Constitution and is based upon the
broadest principles of liberty and justice, with even fewer limitations
in regard to foreign residents than are imposed by the Constitution of
the United States. Nor is there any doubt that in an almost equal degree
to its great natural resources, the remarkable development and advance
of the Republic is due to its liberal Constitution and to the
legislation enacted in terms of its provisions. The principles it
embodies have been carried into practice in all its laws. In that
Republic there is perfect religious and civil freedom; there are no
restrictions upon healthy immigration, or upon the nationality of land
owners. The right is accorded to every inhabitant, native or foreign, to
engage in any lawful commerce or occupation, to petition the
authorities, to enter, remain upon, travel over, or leave Argentine
territory at will; and to use and dispose of property and to form part
of any society or association having lawful purposes.
[Illustration: THE ARGENTINE PAVILION AT THE PANAMA PACIFIC EXPOSITION]
[Illustration: INTERIOR VIEW OF THE ARGENTINE PAVILION AT THE PANAMA
PACIFIC EXPOSITION]
Under its provisions the right of property is inviolate and prerogatives
of blood, of birth, or titles of nobility are not recognized, all men
being equal under the law. The composition of the judiciary, the
executive and the legislative branches of government, differs only from
that of the United States in that all judges are appointed and not
elected.
Each of the fourteen Provinces of the Republic has its own Constitution,
which cannot be in conflict with the Federal Constitution which provides
a necessarily limited degree of autonomy in the government of the
Provinces. The Federal Constitution prohibits the State Government from
usurping such functions of the Federal Government as entering into
treaties with foreign Powers, enacting laws affecting interstate or
foreign commerce, navigation, citizenship, naturalization, the coining
of money, or the establishment of custom houses. The organization of its
tribunals and the creation of its own laws and forms of procedure is an
absolute State right; but the Federal, Civil, Commercial, Penal and
Mining Laws are in force throughout the Republic, the Custom Houses and
Tariffs being also under the supreme control of the Federal Government.
These restricted autonomous powers were wisely provided to prevent the
conflict of laws which is of frequent occurrence under other Federal
systems. The protection of the moral and material interests of foreign
residents of the Republic, or of foreigners having interests therein, is
scrupulously enforced by the Courts according to the Constitution where
such questions are involved; and frequent decisions have been given by
the Federal Tribunals in that direction in order to maintain the
inviolability of the Constitution which was framed in the interest of
the Argentine nation and of "all the people of the world who may reside
in Argentine territory."