4. GOVERNMENT. The form of gov ernment of Argentina is a representative re publican-federal one, modeled after that of the United States of North America, and in ac cordance with its historical antecedents every province keeps its own peculiar autonomy, drawing up its own constitution, fixing the number of its magistrates, the organization of its municipalities, and administering its prop erty without the intervention of the national government.
The executive power is vested in an officer bearing the title of President of the Nation. The terms of office of the President and Vice President are six years, and they cannot be re-elected until after the passing of a presi dential period. The Ministers are eight : In terior, Foreign Relations and Worship, Treas ury, Justice and Public Instruction, War, Navy, Public Works, and Agriculture, Industry and Commerce.
The legislative power is vested in two bod ies or chambers, that of the deputies and that of the senators. The former are elected by a majority of the votes of the people, and the latter by the legislatures of the provinces, thus ensuring two senators for each Federal State and two senators for the capital elected by the people.
The judiciary is vested in the Supreme Court of Justice, Federal Chambers of Appeal in the capital and also in the cities Cordoba, Parana and La Plata; Federal courts in the capital and throughout the provinces and terri tories; Chambers of Appeal in the capital for civil, commercial, criminal and correctional cases. Each province has its own judicial sys
tem with a Supreme Court and several minor courts. Penal, civil, commercial and military laws are national laws, uniform throughout the republic and codified under national codes. The provinces can only enact such laws of pro cedure as do not affect the national laws.
The seat of the national government is Buenos Aires, the Federal capital of the Re public. The national territories are ruled by governors appointed by the Executive Power, with the consent of the Senate.
The governors of the provinces are elected by the people. Foreign citizens can hold real estate.
Article 14 of the Constitution provides for the absolute freedom of the people of the na tion in the exercise of their religious faith.
There is no state religion though in accord ance with the Constitution the state contributes to the support of the Roman Catholic religion, the expenses of which are about $1,000,000 in gold per year; but it likewise contributes aid for the support of educational or charitable in stitutions established by other denominations. In 1884 civil marriage was established.
The ecclesiastical government consists of an archdiocese and seven dioceses, under the patronage of the national government which authorizes or prohibits the carrying out of papal decrees. ERNESTO NELSON, Director-General of Secondary, Commercial and Industrial Education of the Argentine Republic.