Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-26

and cattle which it feeds 1t will produce
; three or four crops of grass per year, ant
renders prolific yield of wheat, oats ant
corn when its occupants can he induced to us,
the plough and allow the seed to have fail
play. The instruments for breaking the sol
have been of the most primitive kind until {
recent date. OF late modern ploughs have
come somewhat into use. Though for som,
time civil war on large scale for the size O
the country has been and is still a fact one
English firm in this city has sold four hundreo
United States poughs the past year. For az
ricuture and commerce no country could be
more favorably situated.
GROWTH AND PoprLATroN
| In 1885 the population of Uruguay was
! 10000. 1t is now estimated at 450 900 to
| 100000. More than half of all the property
in this country is owned by foreigners residing
here, very few of whom have become citizens.
More than half of all the population is made up
of persons Of foreign birth and their families,
part of whom may have been born here. OF
the foreign owners of so large proportion OF
property, the English probably have the
of Spain nearly as much as the French, and
the Italians not much less than the Spaniards.
Of the persons offoregn birth the sons of Italy
are the most numerous, there being in Monte
Video alone 10000. Contrary to what is
widely believed, these Italians are Il very in
dustrous, economical and money saving class.
They own very large proportion Of the nu-
merous small vessels that do business on the
Rio de la Plata, the Uruguay, Parana and
Paraguay. The principal cities and large
towns of this country are Monte Nideo, with
a population of S0,000 to 10000; Pysandu
$4,000 to $4,000: Salto 10000; San Jose
Jose 10000; Mercedes 5000.
INDEPENDENT NATIONALITY.
By treaties signed in 1928 urauguay became
an Independent nationality. The constitution
was proclaimed in 1881. The Legislative
power is in two Houses-the Senate and
Chamber of Representatives and the regular
session of these bodies extends from February
10Th to the end of June. In the interval be-
tween the sessions, a Committee Permanent,
composed of two Senators and five Represen-
tatives, assume limited degree of legislative
power, and exercise a kind of general control
of the administration. The Executive, 10y
the Constitution, is President elected by the
two Houses of Congress, for the term of four
years. and he cannot be reelected until the
expiration Of four years after the close of his
first term. A Vice President is elected for
four years, and he is the presiding officer of
st,, tt,n III
err, except in case of resignation, removal, or
death of the President, when he assumes the
| office of the Executive. The President is
| assisted in his functions by Council of four
| Ministers, who have charge of the Depart
ments-Foreign Relations, War and Marine,
Treasury, and Interior. Its judiciary is COM
posed of Supreme Court Court of Com
merce, and local Judge in each department
The Supreme Court is composed of eleven
Judges, with liberal salaries. There is a
large amount of business in the Courts, and
the old Spanish legal principles and decisions
prevail, in some respects modified by the
Civil Code of the country. Litigation is
very prolonged and expensive.
INTERNAL GOVERNMENT.
/ Urauguay is divided into thirteen Depart
ments, and these modelled after the
| French forms and methods, instead of the
municipal system of the United States and
England. At the head of each Department
is Political Chief, appointed by the Presi-
dent, and holding his Office at the discretion
of the President. The Department Chief
dominates his Deputies, subject to the ap-
| proyal of the President. Thus the questions
OF taxes, roads, streets, bridges, schools,
wharves, and gas are under the control of the
| Executive and the Chiefs Of the Departments,
| in respect to which, the National Legislature
exercises some power, not very clearly de.
fined. Monte FideO cannot light its streets
without consulting the National Government.
Thus real Municipal Life and develop
ment, as understood in the Il nited States,
does not exit in this country. How many Of
! the evils which affiict South America are the
result Of this want Of the municipal principle
| Of local self-governme Mt, il is the Office Of
| the calm thinker to decide. The tide Of woes
which have resulted from the Departmental
system of France, that fearfully suffering land
can testify.
| PROGRESS.
Notwithstanding the numerous civil war.
that have prevailed during the last thirty five
years, this country has greatly improved in
that time. The population has multiplied
si1 fold. Commerce and wealth have in
creased in corresponding ratio. The aver
age property to an inhabltant is fully equal tc
the average in the United States. Situate al
the gateway of this vast system of rivers
its opportunities for trade are very superior
Its commerce with Europe is admirably or
ganzed by reason of numerous lines OF
Steam Ships and English, French, Spanish
Italian and German houses. Its connection
with the United States should at once be call
ed for by our Congress. What would moi
permanent peace accomplish in this land, sc