Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12

Uruguay. declares that tie Rio de la Plata is by
no means the ideal river that many believe.
Says ne: After every strong pampero you may
count wrecks aud ships aground literally By
the score. For want of port prote ction of
any kind all business - interrupted while the
pampero Is blowing. communication being i'm
possible between the shore and sElls anchored
in the road. The necessity of loading and m
loading by means Of tugs and lighters renders
the operation exceedingly expensive. so tina. in
many cases the cost of landing goods at Monte
video Is equivalent TO the freight on the goods
from Havre. Hamburg or Liverpool. During
nv visit in 1890 no less than twenty-ope costly
projects were submitted to the department of
pubic works. but the well informed considered
that none of them were likely to be accepted.
Two grave objections were made 70 al of them
first. the enormous cost and, second, the
fact that all the projects were based on the
gaining of land as principal object. o. course
with q view to luCra tive SPEC uIations after the
example OF the Dor and dock works at Buenos
Ayres.'
HOW ITS REVENUE Is DERIVED.
Fully two-rhirds Of Uruguay's revenue is de-
rived from customs dues. the rest from trade
licenses, stamps and taxes on property. Since
the beginning Of the present century the value
of both exports and imports has increased
twenty fold and the former has always been
largely in excess of the latter. few years
ago CruSu&yss commerce was practically coa-
trOllcd by England, the imports from that
kingdom alone amounting 70 nearly one-half of
the whole and about one-third OF all the ex-
ports went to England. But nowadays much
OF the produce that was sentformerly to British
markets goes to Havre. Hamburg Antwerp
and Bremen. and the time is not distant when
the United States will receive a respectable
amount OF it in spite Of the local misre resenta-
lions OF our Jealous English cousins
Though Uruguay constitution was patterned
after that Of the United StaIes it necessarily
differs from IL III some essential particulars
because-whateyer sentimeutalists may say to
the contrary-the fact remains. proven again
and again by sad experience. that the more
volatile Latins and especially those with a pre-
ponderance of Spanish blood. are not capable
OF seif-sovernment, and therefore republicism,
pure and simple, does not meet the realire-
ments. The government of Uruguay il divided
into the usual three departments-executive
Judicial and legislative. The president ia
elected by majority of the general assembly
for four years and is not eligible to two con-
secutive terms. The five ministers composing
the cabinet are appointed by the president and
are responslbis TO him alone-a minister Of
foreign affairs. OF finance, of the interior, of
war and marine. of justice, education and pub
lie works.
HOW THE REPUBLIC rs DIVIDED.
The little republic is divided into nineteen
departments, which answer for the states in
ours; and each department sends one senator
to the upper house" of the general assembly.
The lower house has ffty-three members
who are elected every year directly by the peo-
pie. proportioned according to the nullber of
voters in each department. Thus Montevideo,
the most thickly settled portion. has twelve
representative. while all the other depart-
ments but one have only two each The con-
s'ltutiou regulates the annual session Of the
legislature from January to June, but renders
that wise regulation practically null by pro-
viding for extra sessons-greativ to the dis
gust of the country members, who are kept at
the gay capital nearly the year around by the
majority residing in MonteviGeo, and find liv-
Ing there so Expensive that none but rich men
dare aspire to the Office
judging from the few sessions have attended
the lruguayau congress seems to conduct its
routine business on about the same plan as
that at Washington. Indeed, looking down
from the gallery upon the rows of shiny
bald heads a.ld listening TO the spread eagle
nights OF rhetoric called forth on slightest
proyocation-such az chartering q tramway or
bridging bacA-country creek-one might
easily fancy himself under the big dome
capped by the bronze Goddess Of Liberty were
1t not that Spanish is spoken here instead of
AmeTicanized English. South Americans in
cline by nature to eio4uence AS ducks TO water
and ofatoEiesi gifts are rated higher than any
other. In no country of like Compass and pop
uiation can one Lear on every hand and read IN
the local papers so much high-sounding but
empty glsh concerning republican simplicity
p&ternal government, equal rights veneration
OF habeas corpus and similar humbues as in La
Banda Oriental
The state religion is Roman Catholic. but
otner sects are toleratod-au except the Door
yesuits inndels. Mohsmmedans Jews and
neathen are welcome TO come to Uruguay and
proclaim their peculiar faith. or their lack of
any, at will; but the sister sect once 40 rovsr
fnl rival. without whose pioneer efforts among
the aoorigines the government of TODAY voni3
never lave existed. are most bitterly tabooed
Telegraph lines traverse most Of the denart.
ments, submarine cables connect Monteyideo
with Buenos Ayres and Rio de Janeiro ana
thence communicate with Europe Ths rail-,
ways are comprehended N three main system.
central, eastern and western. There are fev
public highways. but one can drive almost ANY,
where over the level, grassy plains.
| EDUCATION or THE MASSES.
OF late years the Urug'iayan government has
paid unusual attention to the education OF thu
masses. 1t required q hard struggle to separ
| ate the schools from denomipationsl Central
but the late President Santos accomplished il
| by measures that at the time seemed brutal
but are now generally acknowledged 10 have
been for the public good. Rudimental educa-
ton u gratuitous and compulsory upon chill.
dren between the ages OF six and fourteen
| Though the total population Of the republic is
barely zoo, 600, there are no less than $50 public
schools, with an average daily attendance of
3, 800 and stan Of go teachers two-thirds Of
whom are women. Sixty-two Of these echools
supported by the state, are in the department
Of Montevideo. Besides these. The little rspub-
lie has about 500 private schools, with SO teach
! srs, end pupils officially sstimatsd st 2A.Al2