Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/700

 344 ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. (Republica Argentina.) Constitution and Government. The Constitution of the Argentine Republic, formerly known by the name of ' Provincias Unidas del Rio de la Plata,' bears date May 15, 1853, with modifications in 1860, when Buenos Ayres joined the confederacy. By its provisions, the executive power is left to a President, elected for six years by representa- tives of the fourteen provinces, equal to double the number of senators and deputies combined ; while the legislative authority is vested in a National Congress, consisting of a Senate and a House of Deputies, the former numbering 30, two from, the capital and from each province, elected by a special body of electors in the capital, and by the legislatures in the provinces ; and the latter 133 members elected by the people. By the Con- stitution as revised in 1898, there should be one deputy for every 33,000 inhabitants. A deputy must be 25 years of age, and have been a citizen for four years. The deputies are elected for four years, but one-half of the House must retire every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, have been citizens for six years, and have an annual income of 12,000 dollars. One-third of the Senate is renewed every three years. The two chambers meet annually from May 1 to September 30. The members of both the Senate and the House of Deputies are paid for their services, each receiving 12,000 pesos per annum. A Vice-President, elected in the same manner and at the same time as the President, fills the office of Chairman of the Senate, but has otherwise no political power. The President is commander-in-chief of the troops, and appoints to all civil, military, and judicial offices, and has the right of presentation to bishoprics ; he is responsible with the Ministry for the acts of the executive ; both President and Vice-President must be Roman Catholics, Argentine by birth, and cannot be re-elected. President of the Repuhlic. — General Julio A. Roca ; assumed office October 12, 1898. Vice-President. — Norberto Quirno Costa. The Ministry, appointed by and acting under the orders of the President, consists ot eight Secretaries of State — namely, of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, War, Justice, Agriculture, Marine, and Public Works. The President has a salary of 36,000 dollars, the Vice-President of 18,000 dollars, and each of the five ministers of 16,800 dollars per annum. Local Government. The Constitution, with certain small exceptions, is identical with that of the United States. Such matters as affect the Republic as a whole are under