Ramón J. Cárcano
Encyclopedia
Ramón José Cárcano was an Argentine lawyer, historian and politician who served as Governor of Córdoba
from 1913 to 1916, and from 1925 to 1928.
in 1860 to Honoria César and Innocencio Cárcano. His father, who descended from a family of landowners in the Lombardy
Region of Italy
, emigrated to Argentina for political reasons in 1849. The younger Cárcano attended the Colegio Nacional de Monserrat
, and later enrolled at the University of Córdoba
Law School, graduating in 1881. His doctoral thesis, "Of Natural Children, Adultery, Incest and Sacrilege," advocated equality between legitimate and illegitimate children, and sparked public debate, as well as ad hominem attacks by the Bishop of Córdoba.
He began his career in public service in 1880 as private secretary to Governor Miguel Juárez Celman. He taught as Professor of Commercial Law
at the University of Córdoba from 1882 to 1884, when he was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
for the province. Governor Olmos appointed Cárcano Minister of Justice, Culture and Education, and Juárez Celman, who was elected President of Argentina
in 1886, appointed him Director General of Post and Telegraph Office the following year. Cárcano initiated plans for a new central post office
for the rapidly-growing city of Buenos Aires
, and in 1888, the President signed a congressional bill for its construction. The structure, ultimately completed in 1928, served as the Buenos Aires Central Post Office
until 2005.
He married Ana Sáenz de Zumarán in 1887, and they had three children. Following Juárez Celman's resignation in 1890, Cárcano toured Europe, returning in 1891 to his estancia
on the banks of the Tercero River
. There, he introduced Polled Durham
cattle, a vaccine against anthrax
that had been prepared at the Pasteur Institute
in Paris, and an imported steam plough (becoming the first landowner in Argentina to use these innovations). Cárcano wrote numerous historical works during this period, notably El general Quiroga y la expedición al desierto (1882), Perfiles contemporáneos (1885), La universidad de Córdoba (1892), Historia de los medios de comunicación y transporte en la Argentina (1893), Estudios coloniales (1895), and La reforma universitaria (1901), and was inducted into the National Academy of History of Argentina
in 1901. Named President of the Agricultural Education Advisory Commission in 1907, he joined the Higher Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, becoming the school's first dean upon its 1909 incorporation into the University of Buenos Aires
. Among his best-known works outside the subject of history was Evolución histórica del régimen de la tierra pública, a study on eminent domain
.
Cárcano was again elected to Congress in 1910. He served as President of the Constitutional Convention of the Province of Córdoba in 1912, and briefly as Federal Receiver
of San Juan Province
in 1913. He was then elected Governor of Córdoba, and took office on May 17. His administration, which lasted until 1916, promoted agricultual mechanization and improved the provincial road network. He continued to write, publishing among others La misión Mitre
en el Brasil (1913), De Caseros
al 11 de Septiembre
(1919), Del sitio de Buenos Aires al Campo de Cepeda
(1921), and Juan Facundo Quiroga
, for which he won a National Literary Prize in 1931. Cárcano returned as Dean of the University of Buenos Aires School of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine from 1921 to 1924, and twice served as President of the National Academy of History.
He was re-elected Governor of Córdoba for a three-year term in 1925, during which tenure the provincial seal of Córdoba (based on a design first used in 1573) was instituted. A conservative politician in the National Autonomist Party
tradition that typified most Argentine landowners, Cárcano joined the center-right Concordance
alliance as a National Democrat
, serving in the Agustín Justo administration as Chairman of the National Council of Education in 1932, and as Ambassador to Brazil
between 1933 and 1938. He then retired from public service, and published his memoirs, Mis primeros 80 años (My First 80 Years), in 1943.
Cárcano died in Córdoba in 1946, at age 86.
Governor of Córdoba
This is a list of the Governors of Córdoba. The Governor of the Argentine province of Córdoba is the highest executive officer of the province.-See also:*Politics of Argentina*Córdoba Province...
from 1913 to 1916, and from 1925 to 1928.
Life and times
José Ramón Carcano was born in Córdoba, ArgentinaCórdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
in 1860 to Honoria César and Innocencio Cárcano. His father, who descended from a family of landowners in the Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
Region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, emigrated to Argentina for political reasons in 1849. The younger Cárcano attended the Colegio Nacional de Monserrat
Colegio Nacional de Monserrat
Colegio Nacional de Monserrat is a public college preparatory high school in Córdoba, Argentina. Patterened after the European gymnasium, the school is the second oldest of its type and one of the most prestigious in Argentina.-Overview:...
, and later enrolled at the University of Córdoba
University of Cordoba
The term University of Córdoba or Cordoba could refer to the following:* Cordoba University * National University of Córdoba * University of Cordoba * University of Córdoba...
Law School, graduating in 1881. His doctoral thesis, "Of Natural Children, Adultery, Incest and Sacrilege," advocated equality between legitimate and illegitimate children, and sparked public debate, as well as ad hominem attacks by the Bishop of Córdoba.
He began his career in public service in 1880 as private secretary to Governor Miguel Juárez Celman. He taught as Professor of Commercial Law
Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law that governs business and commercial transactions...
at the University of Córdoba from 1882 to 1884, when he was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
for the province. Governor Olmos appointed Cárcano Minister of Justice, Culture and Education, and Juárez Celman, who was elected President of Argentina
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
in 1886, appointed him Director General of Post and Telegraph Office the following year. Cárcano initiated plans for a new central post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
for the rapidly-growing city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, and in 1888, the President signed a congressional bill for its construction. The structure, ultimately completed in 1928, served as the Buenos Aires Central Post Office
Buenos Aires Central Post Office
The Buenos Aires Central Post and Communications Office is a public building and landmark in the San Nicolás district of Buenos Aires.-Overview:...
until 2005.
He married Ana Sáenz de Zumarán in 1887, and they had three children. Following Juárez Celman's resignation in 1890, Cárcano toured Europe, returning in 1891 to his estancia
Estância
Estância is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 62,218 and its area is 642 km². The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Estância....
on the banks of the Tercero River
Tercero River
The Tercero River , also known as Ctalamochita, is the river of the Córdoba Province with the most important water flow...
. There, he introduced Polled Durham
Shorthorn
The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. The breed was developed as dual purpose, suitable for both dairy and beef production; however there were always certain blood lines within the breed which emphasised one quality or the other...
cattle, a vaccine against anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
that had been prepared at the Pasteur Institute
Pasteur Institute
The Pasteur Institute is a French non-profit private foundation dedicated to the study of biology, micro-organisms, diseases, and vaccines. It is named after Louis Pasteur, who made some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine at the time, including pasteurization and vaccines for anthrax...
in Paris, and an imported steam plough (becoming the first landowner in Argentina to use these innovations). Cárcano wrote numerous historical works during this period, notably El general Quiroga y la expedición al desierto (1882), Perfiles contemporáneos (1885), La universidad de Córdoba (1892), Historia de los medios de comunicación y transporte en la Argentina (1893), Estudios coloniales (1895), and La reforma universitaria (1901), and was inducted into the National Academy of History of Argentina
National Academy of History of Argentina
The National Academy of History of the Argentine Republic is a non-profit learned society established to foster the study and dissemination of Argentine history.-Overview:...
in 1901. Named President of the Agricultural Education Advisory Commission in 1907, he joined the Higher Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, becoming the school's first dean upon its 1909 incorporation into the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
. Among his best-known works outside the subject of history was Evolución histórica del régimen de la tierra pública, a study on eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
.
Cárcano was again elected to Congress in 1910. He served as President of the Constitutional Convention of the Province of Córdoba in 1912, and briefly as Federal Receiver
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
of San Juan Province
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
in 1913. He was then elected Governor of Córdoba, and took office on May 17. His administration, which lasted until 1916, promoted agricultual mechanization and improved the provincial road network. He continued to write, publishing among others La misión Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez was an Argentine statesman, military figure, and author. He was the President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868.-Life and times:...
en el Brasil (1913), De Caseros
Battle of Caseros
The Battle of Caseros was fought near the town of Caseros, more precisely between the present-day train stations of Caseros and Palomar in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas...
al 11 de Septiembre
Manuel Guillermo Pinto
Manuel Guillermo Pinto was an Argentine general and lawmaker.Pinto was born in Buenos Aires, and studied at the Royal College of San Carlos. He completed further studies in Spain, but returned to fight during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata, in 1807...
(1919), Del sitio de Buenos Aires al Campo de Cepeda
Battle of Cepeda (1859)
The Battle of Cepeda of 1859 took place on October 23 at Cañada de Cepeda, Santa Fe, Argentina. The Republic of the Argentine Confederation army, led by Federal Justo José de Urquiza defeated the Province of Buenos Aires forces, led by Unitarian Bartolomé Mitre.-The battle in context:Before the...
(1921), and Juan Facundo Quiroga
Juan Facundo Quiroga
Juan Facundo Quiroga was an Argentine caudillo who supported federalism at the time when the country was still in formation.-Early years:...
, for which he won a National Literary Prize in 1931. Cárcano returned as Dean of the University of Buenos Aires School of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine from 1921 to 1924, and twice served as President of the National Academy of History.
He was re-elected Governor of Córdoba for a three-year term in 1925, during which tenure the provincial seal of Córdoba (based on a design first used in 1573) was instituted. A conservative politician in the National Autonomist Party
National Autonomist Party
The National Autonomist Party was an Argentine political party during the 1874-1916 period. Created on March 15, 1874 by the union of the Autonomist Party of Adolfo Alsina and the National Party of Nicolás Avellaneda...
tradition that typified most Argentine landowners, Cárcano joined the center-right Concordance
Concordancia (Argentina)
The Concordancia was a political alliance in Argentina. Three Presidents belonging to the Concordance were in power from 1931 to 1943, a period known in Argentina as the "Infamous Decade."...
alliance as a National Democrat
National Democratic Party (Argentina)
The National Democratic Party, or Partido Demócrata Nacional was an Argentine conservative party created in 1931 which disappeared after 1955. It was generally known simply as the Conservative Party, or Partido Conservador...
, serving in the Agustín Justo administration as Chairman of the National Council of Education in 1932, and as Ambassador to Brazil
Argentina-Brazil relations
Argentina–Brazil relations are both close and historical, and encompasses all possible dimensions: economy, trade, culture, education and tourism...
between 1933 and 1938. He then retired from public service, and published his memoirs, Mis primeros 80 años (My First 80 Years), in 1943.
Cárcano died in Córdoba in 1946, at age 86.