The Argentine Republic

by Anonymous

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

The Universities of Argentina maintain the traditional faculties of Jurisprudence, Belles Lettres and Philosophy, Pure and Applied Science, to which recently have been added such departments as Pedagogics, Agriculture, and other newer departments. The enlargement of the activities of these Universities, especially the creation of the University of La Plata, is proof of Argentina's advancement in this field. The La Plata University has been instrumental in the exchange of Professors and has encouraged in many ways the visits of public men of note of Europe and North America, thus recognizing the desirability of maintaining and fostering the most pleasant relations between Europe and the United States of America.

Recent statistics show that the University at Buenos Aires had on its register 1,051 students in the Law Faculty; 210 in that of Philosophy and Letters; 2,501 of Medicine; and 602 of Exact Sciences. The La Plata University, according to the same figures, had 2,184 students, and the University of Córdova 584.

In point of fact, in all the liberal arts and professions, the Argentine Republic takes one of the first places. Literature, Music and Art are also at a very high standard and it is perhaps appropriate to mention here in regard to music that not only is its study general throughout the country but, that in Buenos Aires alone, there are upwards of sixty Conservatories of Music where instruction is received in the higher branches.

In regard to the national defences, Article 21 of the Constitution provides for compulsory service by all Argentine citizens in defence of the country. The regular army, though comparatively small, has attained a high state of efficiency, which may also be said of the reserve forces. During latter years considerable and important additions have been made to the Argentine Navy, notably by the recent construction in the United States of the Rivadavia and the Moreno, which, to-day, without doubt, are among the finest battleships afloat. In other naval matters, such as gunnery, dry docks, naval bases, armaments, repairing shops and technical instruction, there has been a remarkable advance in the last twenty years.

While the figures given here in connection with Argentine exports indicate increased production for home consumption, it is also desirable to demonstrate the progress made by the Republic in latter years in the establishment and development of national industries, as well as in exported articles. The new era of industrial expansion which set in about the year 1903, shows equally remarkable advance in regard to industries already then established and the creation of others which in time will assume considerable importance. Metallurgical industries have made rapid strides not only in numbers but also in the value and extent of their production; and, there is little doubt, that as the exploitation of the many iron and copper mines to be found in the Republic is proceeded with, this branch of national industry will attain still greater proportions. Other new industries for which the Republic offers a most suitable field are those of Cotton, Tobacco, Textile Fabrics, Oils, Rice, Silk and Forestal productions. Some of these have been largely extended during the last ten or twelve years, notably those pertaining to the production of hard-woods and their extracts, furniture and other wood manufactures. The latter industries especially are likely to receive a great impetus through the action of the Government in devising efficient means for new methods of exploitation and conservation of the forests, as foreshadowed in the Message of the President to Congress in 1913.

To demonstrate the extraordinary development of the stock breeding industry, it is only necessary to state that according to the last Agricultural and Livestock Census taken in 1908, the Republic was shown to possess 29,116,625 head of cattle, 67,211,754 sheep, 3,945,036 goats, and 7,531,376 horses, being an increase over the census of 1895 of approximately 30 per cent in the number of head of cattle and of nearly 50 per cent in the number of horses. This numerical increase, however, does not fully express the high degree of development reached in this national industry and particularly in regard to cattle and horses. In the years intervening between those two censuses, hundreds of millions of dollars were expended on the purchase and importation of pedigree stock, which have placed Argentine bred animals on a standard of equality with many of those raised in the old countries. This may be seen by the values stated in the respective years named. In 1895 the stock of cattle was valued at $221,000,000 and in 1908 at $410,000,000, whilst the horses were valued in the first census at $26,000,000, the value given in 1908 was over $90,000,000.

The founding in 1858 of the Argentine Rural Society by a group of social spirited breeders and land owners, was the starting point of the expansion of this industry and owing to the ideas and methods introduced by that Association, it was found necessary in more recent years to create the Ministry of Agriculture, which includes within its sphere of operations not only the governmental control of the agricultural and pastoral industries, but also the entire range of the Republic's foreign commerce. The annual shows of the Rural Society in Buenos Aires attract visitors from all parts of Europe and it has been conceded that for the variety and all-round quality of the animals exhibited, they excel the regularly established shows of Europe. At the 1913 exhibition of the Argentine Rural Society, the locally-bred champion Short-horn Bull, "Americus," created a world's record by realizing the unprecedented price of about $35,000 ($80,000 currency), whilst even larger sums have been obtained for yearlings produced in the country. Nor is this surprising when it is stated that Argentine breeders have paid the highest known prices for pure pedigree stock, in which general statement may be included the payment of more than $150,000 each for three famous Derby winners. The breeds of cattle most encouraged in Argentina are Shorthorns and Herefords, Lincolns predominating in Sheep and Clydesdales and Percherons in Horses. Still, there are hundreds of millions of acres of rich pasture lands not yet stocked, so that when the time comes to place these vast areas under cultivation, the number of animals that could be maintained is almost illimitable. It should be further added that the climatic conditions of the country permit of all its animals being reared in the open; and as showing the possibilities awaiting those who enter this field of national industry, it may be pointed out that in hundreds of cases where land has been rented and cultivated for the purpose of fattening cattle, the lessees have been enabled within a very few years to become absolute owners of the land as a result of their profitable operations.