The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-18
SCRAP BOOK FOR TO-DAY

Three cheers for the banner with the blue and white stripes. Hurrah for liberty, freedom. independence. and the constitution! Why all this enthusiasmf ? Because today is the festival of the ratification sf the congtitution.t the great patriotic holiday of that glorious nation
 Uruguay.
 It was eighty-three years ago today that the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, or Banda Orientale, promulgated it's constitution, which, with few minor changes, continues in force to this day. The anniversary has ever since been celebrated, and Montevi- deo and the smaller cities are blazes of color and af1ame with patriotism on each Eighteenth of July.
 Since the discovery of the country just four centuries ago, six flags have waved over its capital. Dor over gal fought over the country. which was successively occupied and evacu- ated by their troops In 1877 the territory was definitely ceded to Spain. In 1907 the British flag was raised over Monteyideo, but the occupation continued only @ few months, and the city then reverted to Spain. The spirit of revolution was then in the air, however, and in /1811 the Span ish forces were routed by the Uru- guayan general, Jose Artigas the great popular hero of Uruguay. For a time Uruguay was a part Of Argen- tina, then called the United Province of Rio de Ia Plata, but this claim was disputed by Brazil, and the emperor of that country sent troops to occu- py the country, which he incorporated with Brazil as the Cisplafine State. Tax tines. defeated the Brazilians in 1925. After a war between Brazil and Ar gentina, both countries agreed to the independence of Uruguay.
 Following the ratification of the constitution on July Is, 1880, Gen. Jose Rivera was elected as the first president of the republic. Although the smallest of the independent states of South America, Uruguay is now one of the most prosperous and sta- ble.
 Uruguayss population is nowsabout a million and a quarter, over a fourth living in the capital city. Montev1deo. Although overshadowed to some ex- tent by it's giant neighbor, Buenos Ayres, the Uruguayan capital is a modern and beautiful city. In size it compares with Washington and New Orleans. and is larger than Montreal or Minneapolis. Its situation at the month of La Plata river is a splendid one. Its buildings, parks, bou1evards and streets are far more beautiful than those of most North American cities of the same size.
 Under the constitution, UruguaysS s president is chosen for term of four years, and he is not eligible for re- election for a Consecutive term The Senate has one member from each of the nineteen departments into which the country is divided, and the Cham T.l T9l- of about seVenty-fve members. Con gress holds annual sessions, that for this year ended this week. During the interval between sessions the leg islattve power is vested in 9 permanent committee of two senators and five representa- tiveS.
 Uruguayss trade is largely with Flu rope, but trade with North, America has wonderfully increased in the last few years. In 1905 the imports from the United States amounted to less than two millions, while last year they were; worth nearly seven millions
 The first daily overland mail coach arrived at St. Joseph, Mo, ffty-two years ago to-day, seventeen days from Sacramento. The overland stage was the successor of the pony express that had been established between St. Jo- seph and Sacramento the preceding year. and which provided a through mali line from New York to the Pa cif1c coast. Between the Missouri river, the western terminus of the rail road. and Sacramento the distance was traversed by fleet horsemen each of whom went sixty miles. The rid CTS were paid $1,200 a. month, but the danger from hostile Indians was great. The building of a telegraph line to the Pacific put the pony ex- press out of commission. and the com
 
 railway acress the continent ended the usefulness of the picturesque but com paratively slow overland stage coach system. As a feeder to the railroad however, the stage continued to have a wide sphere of usefulness for many years, and has not yet entirely disap- peared.