Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-10-16


The capital of Uruguay is built on the left
bank of the mouth of the River Plate practically
opposite Buenos Aires. Between the two cities
there is a service of splendid steamboats,. which
perform the Journey generally at night through
the silvery waters of the River Plate in seven
eight hours. From Rio de Janeiro and other
parts Of Brazil the Journey is much longer and
can only be made comfortably in the transatlantic
liners which, on their way from Europe to
BUenos Aires, touch at Brazilian and Uruguayan
ports. Thek long-projected railway, however,
from San Paulo to Montevideo a distance of
about $500 klometers, will soon be completed,
and with the regular schedule proposed, the
splendid equipment and the route Of the line,
which crosses the rich Brazilian states of Parana,
Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sui the road
should largely help the further progress of Mon
tevideo.
In Uruguay there are two political parties, the
Whites" and the Reds" and the ambitions of
these rival factions have often stood in the way
of national advance To such extent has this
been the case that NJ CIemenceau has stated
that when a boy is born in Uruguay he is given
a white or red ribbon, which he is enjoined to
defend and hand down to his progeny
AS illustrating in some measure the harmful
effects of revolutionary movements upon the in
dustries and commerce of the country it may be
interesting to point out that even the process Of
refinement of native stock has been retarded in
past years by revolutionary outbreaks. An ex-
PLANTATION of this is to be found in the military
code of the republic which provides for compen-
sation TO owners of stock which has been COM
mandeered during period of revolution That
code, which has since been changed, fixed an
arbitrary value upon each animal not taking into
account the higher value of improved stock with
the result that cases frequently occurred In
which the loss of valuable pedigree animals was
compensated for utterly inadequate scale
Hence during the many years over which revolu-
tonary outbreaks of frequent occurrence
prominent
operations.
The railways which unite Uruguay with some
Of the adjacent republics and widen the sphere
Of labor are being extended with great vigor in
all parts of the country. Among the many rail-
roads now under survey or construction one of
the most important viii be that stipulated for in
a contract with the Pan-AmeTican Transeontinen-
tai Railway company, from the northern frontier
of the republic to its southern border.
In foreign commerce each year shows a sub
stantial increase over the previous corresponding
period, and foreign capital is rapidly flowing in
to further develop the national resources
Education, which is obligatory in its elemen-
tary form. is highly advanced High schools are
distributed through all the large centers of the
republic, and the University of Montevideo has
a large number of faculties, which include agri-
culture, commerce. and the social sciences The
government likewise maintains schools of arts
and trades and a national military college
Through the increased immigration the number
Of schools has been largely added to- but the
government is now further extending its educa-
tional efforts by establishing primary schools
throughout the republic, that there will be at
least one school for every thousand of the in
habitants.
The generous ideals, the progressive spirit and
the patriotism of Uruguayans render it possible
for Uruguay to be regarded by the countries of
EUROPE and of the rest OF the world as an exam
pie OF the energies and the aptitudes of South
America, and as land of the future for the my
RAD Oh immigrants who leave the eongested spots
of the old world in search of a new horizon
new country, q new home.