Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/493

* BRAZIL. 435 BRAZIL. removed from the seat of the central Govern- ment. The States are divided into 102.3 municipali- ties whose affairs are controlled by a council and a prefect. The term nninicipality does not bear the usual meaning of a civic corporation, but denotes rather a district, or territorial division, for we find that included within these 1023 municipalities are 22.t cities, 468 villages, and «iS4 communes. In Rio Janeiro the municipal head is appointed by the President of the Re- publ ic. Justice is administered in the first instance by justices of the peace (elected l)y the municipali- ties) in civil disputes, and by the commissioner of police in criminal cases. Appeals are made to courts of second instance, which are composed of trained jurists, and from them to the courts of appeal, of which there ii one in the capital of each State. The criminal code lias been re- vised very recently (1893 — ), but the main body of civil law is still identical with the old Por- tufruese Code. Arniu. — The standing army is recruited by voluntary enrollment, but conscription by lot is resorted to whenever the established quota can- not be obtained through enlistment. All Brazil- ian citizens are bound to take up arms for the defense of the nation. Wars of aggression are forbidden by tlie Constitution. For further details as to military equip- ment, see section Modem Armies, inider Armies, and section Modem Xuvies, under X.wiES. Weifjhfs and Measures. — The metric system has been in vogue since 1862. The gold railreis is worth 54.6 cents ; the paper milreis about one- fourth of that. Finances. The financial conditions of Brazil are not better than those of any other South American country, if indeed they are not in a worse plight. Reckless extravagance or un- scrupulous handling of public funds by the po- litical parties in power, a too liberal use of the printing-press for turning out paper money whenever the needs of the hour make it impossi- ble to obtain money in any other way, and a general disregard of tlie simplest rules of public finance — all combine to create a financial condi- tion verging on bankruptcy. This, too, in a country hardly having its equal in the world for the wealth of natural resources, salubri- ous climate, and other conditions which make for prosperity. The first example of extrava- gance beyond income and of shiftlessness in management of public finance was given early in the Nineteenth Century by King John VI., who fled with his Court to Brazil after his overthrow in Portugal. In the course of time matters became somewhat improved under the monarchy, but the inaiigtiration of the republic brought about a new rOginie of reck- lessness fanned by party feuds and political up- heavals. It must also be added, in justice to the republic, that the enormous debts piled up as a result of the costly wars carried on under the monarchy left no small burden fur the for- mer to shoulder. However, the expenditures were allowed to increase beyond the revenue from year to year, and the deficits were covered by fresli loans on new issues of paper money. The degree of extravagance reached in tint practice may 1k' seen from the follnwing illustration: The number of persons engaged in the navy in- creased from 11,427 in 1890 to 14,286 in 1900, or 2,5 per cent., while the expenditures increased more than 155 per cent., being less than 9.000.000 milreis in the former year and over 23,000.000^ in the latter. Similar figures could be quoted for the other departments, the result for the total budget being an increase of about 40 per cent, in the number of persons employed by the Government and 175 per cent, in the expenditure. In other words, the providing of political ollices for the raeniliers of the party in power, coupled with unreasonable additions to their salaries and excessive prices jiaid by the Governmcut fur all kinds of supplies, was resj)onsible for the great increase of expenditure: and as the revenue meanwhile continued to fall behind, the national debt rapidly increased. In 1901 the total gold debt was 421,945,449 milreis; in 1897 it "was 606,575,000; the paper debt increased in the same period from 503.222,000 to 1.398,403.97-2 milreis. In 18S9 the gold and paper debts were- interchangeable at par; in 1897 the rate of e.x- change rose from 4 to 1. In 1S98 the Government found itself unable to meet its obligations, and to avoid suspension of payment negotiated with the London hotise of Rothschilds a new funding debt, limited to .$.50,000,000. This loan is of great importance for the possi- bilities, embodied in its terms, of a permanent improvement in the financial conditions of Bra- zil. According to these conditions the Govern- ment was to retire an amount of paper money equal to the new debt. A new sinking fund for the ultimate retirement of the bonded debt was provided for. This fund, to be begim in 1911, is to be formed from yearly deposits each equal to one-half per cent, of the existing debt. The effect of the new provisions is already making itself felt. The total amount of paper money in circulation, which had swollen from 186,000.- 000 milreis in 1889 to 702.000,000 in 1897, was reduced to about 700,000,000 in 1900. The more business-like administration of finances which followed brought about a surplus in 1900 ex- ceeding .$14,000,000 in United States money, in spite of the retirement of a considerable amount of paper money. The chief sources of revenue under the new regime are import duties, which furnish one- half the total revenue: ne.xt in importance are excise, railways, stamps, posts, and telegraphs. PoptL.TiON. Previous to 1872. when the first full census was taken, the estimates were based upon the odicial returns of 1817 and 1818. In 1850 the population was supposed to be about 7.000.000, and in 1860, 8,000,000, In the follow- ing table the figures for 1872 include about 250,- 000 wild Indians, The figures for 1890 are from the census returns of December 31, 1890. The population of Brazil is the largest of any country in America except the United States. The average density of 4.5 persons to the square mile is, however, far behind that of some of the Spanish-.merican countries, Mexico having 17.6, Chile 9.3, and Colombia 7,7. As in nearly all countries having a considerable immigiation, the number of males is in excess of females, the respective numbers of the last census having been 7.237,932 and 7,095,983. Less than one- half of the people are whites: one-third are half-breeds: one-seventh negroes; and less than one-tenth Indians, nearly one-half of whom are practically savages. A considerable proportion