The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-15
Just Past IS, Head of
the Mission to the
United States, AL
ready Is Presiden-
tial Candidate
THE Uruguayan Minister Of Foreign
i Affairs, who headed the Uru-

uayan special commercial mission to this
.ountry-thus sufficiently demonstrating
his importance in the public life of his
own nation-was 35 years old on June Is.
He is at the present time a candidate
for the Uruguayan Presidency. Few
statesmen of his age have gone as far.
He was born in the Department of
Artigas, Uruguay, on the frontier of Bra
il. His father, a wealthy planter, still
occupies the homestead. The boy received
his education in the Polytechnic Institute
of Salto and the University of Monte
videO, where he took the degree of Doctor
of Laws in 1908. While an undergradu-
ate he was secretary of the committee
which organized the first Congress of
American Students.
Upon his graduation he made an ex-
tensive tour of Europe, and returning
hung out his shingle in Salto, where he
at once became active and conspicuous
in local politics. He was elected to the
municipal board and became its president,
rising while in that office to the impOr-
lance of local leader of the Colorado"
party.
Selected as the Spokesman.
In 1910 he was delegate from Salto to
its convention for reforming the party
charter and proclamation of candidate
for the Presidency Of the republic, ard
the convention selected him to be spokes-
man of all the delegates of the interior
as 10 their Presidential preferences.
In 1913 DR.. Brum, barely 80, received
a Cabinet portfolio, though he had to wait
little until his birthday was passed in
order to be qualified. He became Min
lister of Public Instruction and Justice
and continued in that post until Febru-
airy, 1915, meanwhile introducing impor-
tant measures for reforms of Uruguayan
secondary and higher education, also of
the primary schooling of the children of
the poor, on whose behalf he created new
institutions. He likewise improved the
judicial codes and the administration Of
justice.
From February, 1914, to the end of
his tenure he had provisional charge of
the portfolio of Foreign Affairs as well,
and signed number of international con-
ventions, including Uruguay's so-called
Treaty of Ample Arbitration with Italy.
He promoted the erection in Monte
video of a memorial to Rio Branco, one of
the national idols in the history of Brazil,
and was active in the homage to Jose
MART, the leader of the Cuban revolution.
In. March, 1915, when Dr. Viera became
President of Uruguay DR.. Brum was ap-
pointed Minister of the Interior. He re.
tanned that portfolio only a few months,
but had time to do lasting constructive
work in transforming various public ser
Wees.
Hit by a Falling Cornice.
In April, 1916, Dr. Brum had narrow
escape from death, and sustained an in
Jury that retired him from public life for
several months. He was paying an oili-
cial visit to the town of San JOSE and
cornice falling from a building struck
and all hut killed him. On his return to
public life he secured the sanction of the
Uruguayan Congress for laws making
national holidays July IA, in homage to
the Rights of Man; May as ''the Fete OF
Labor" and October II as "The Day Of
America" He also framed the Fright to
Live" law, which guarantees food to every
person without means of support.
During the absence of the Minister of
Finance on an official visit to the United
States in 1915 Dr. Brum had charge
of that portfolio, making the fourth Of
the national Cabinet of which he had
practical experience before he was SO.
After the Ministerial crisis of August,
1916, DR.. Br,rm received a fifth portfolio,
the one he still holds In his first year as
Of tureign Affairs be signed
about thirty treaties, including treaties
embodying the principle of ample arbitra-
ton with Rrazil Roliyia op1 por,, II,