Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/786

 734 CHILE.

(Republica de Chile.) Constitution and Government.

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 Spanish rule in 1818. The Constitution voted by the repre- sentatives of the nation on May 25, 1833, with a few subsequent amendments, establishes three powers in the State — the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.- The legislative power is vested in the National Congress, consisting of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate is composed of 37 members popularly elected by provinces for the term of six years, in the proportion of one Senator for every three Deputies ; while the Chamber of Deputies composed of 118 members chosen directly by depart- ments 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 ; the present number of deputies was determined in 1910 on the basis of the census results of 1907. Both bodies are chosen by the same electors. Electors must be 21 years of age, and able to read and write. The executive is exercised by the President of the Republic elected for a term of five years, by indirect vote, the people nominating, by ballot, delegates who appoint the President. A retiring President is not re-eligible. In legislation 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 members present (a majority of the members being present), be sustained and become law. The day of a Presidential election is June 25 of the last of the five years of a Presidency.

President of the Republic. — Senor Don Arturo Alessandri. Born Decem- ber 21, 1869. Assumed office December 23, 1920.

The salary of the President is fixed at 1,3842., with 9232. for expenses.

The President is assisted in his executive functions by a Council of State of five members nominated by the President, and six members chosen by the Congress, and a Cabinet or Ministry divided into six departments, viz., Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice and Public Instruction, Finance, Defence, Industry, Public Works and Railways.

Local Government.

For the purposes of local government the Republic is divided into Provinces, presided over by Intendentes ; and the Provinces into Depart- ments, with Oobernadores as chief officers. The Departments constitute one or more municipal districts each with a council or municipality of 9 members, inhabitants popularly elected for three years. The police of Santiago and of the capitals of departments is organised and regulated by the President of the Republic at the charge of the national treasury.

Area and Population.

The Republic is divided into 23 provinces, subdivided into 82 depart- ments, and 1 territory (Magallanes). Departments and territories are sub- divided into 905 sub-delegations and 3,229 districts.

In 1884 the provinces of Tarapaca and Tacna were ceded to Chile by Peru. The cession of Tacna was originally for ten years, at the end of