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Show I. May Do Away With President and Have a Commission Instead: Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec. 27. (Correspondence (Cor-respondence of the Associated Press.) Legislation of the most radical character char-acter is being discussed by congressional congres-sional commissions which have been regularly in this capital for the iast few weeks. The ordinary sessions of congress are fixed by the constitution to be held between February 15 and June 15 of each year, but the radicals have forced the issue and their advanced ad-vanced ideas are being considered at this time. The most revolutionary of the proposals pro-posals is that Uruguay shall change its form of government so that a commission commis-sion instead of a president will be vested vest-ed with the executive power. Uruguay, one of the richest and best governed, though one of the smallest of the South American republics, has a population popu-lation of less than 1,500,000, which the supporters of the commisslo.n plan say would lend itself to the new idea. Its nineteen departments, corresponding to Btates in the United States of North America, are so closely welded by railways rail-ways and waterways that the governmental govern-mental TimhlPTri 1c Rfmnlcr r tho Hftlo I republic than In any other entity of the southern continent. The proposed commission would consist of seven members, one to act as executive chairman for the period of a year, to be replaced nt the expiration of this time by another member of the commission. com-mission. The retiring chairman would leave the post to be replaced by a new member to be selected by the legislature. legisla-ture. Only those who had served on the commission for a period longer than a year would be eligible to the chairmanship. Power Vested In President. Under the present constitution the executive power is vested in a president, presi-dent, who is chosen by tfie general assembly as-sembly for a term of four years and who is forbidden to be a candidate for re-election for the term immediately following his own tenure of office. Dr. Feliclano VIera, who heads the present pres-ent Uruguayan government, is a pronounced pro-nounced radical, but it is political gos-fiip gos-fiip that the program of the extremists of his own party has taken him off his feet and he is doing what he can to Btem the tide. Already the insurance business and the electric light and power business of the capital have been taken over by the government and enthusiasts are calling for state-owned state-owned railways, bakeries and street car systems. Here they have met the opposition of the British owners of the railways, who have threatened to withdraw with-draw their capital if the proposed laws are put into effect. Easy Divorce Law. Recently the sociologists have become be-come active and Domingo Arena, one of the most prominent lawyers of the country, made a speech before the i commission advocating the enactment of a divorce law by the provisions of which, a woman might be released from the matrimonial contract upon a mere request to that effect before a properly proper-ly constituted magistrate. Under the proposed law a woman would not he re quired to give any cause whatsoever. In the case o the husband, a long Hat of limiting causes is enumerated. The j author of this measure declared that the peculiar conditions in Uruguay called for such radical remedial legislation. legis-lation. His speech was at first ridiculed, ridic-uled, but is now receiving the serious consideration of the lawmakers. Senor Battly Ordonez, who preceded preced-ed Dr. Yiera as president of Uruguay, and who Is one of the present chief executive's ex-ecutive's closest friends, is a leader of one of the most advanced of the radical radi-cal wings. Through his efforts the i j eight-hour law has already been adopted adopt-ed in practically all parts of the republic. repub-lic. Tho fact that the present government govern-ment cannot follow the proposed, program pro-gram of this leader and. that of Senor Arena has threatened" to cause, a split in the Radical party. This could mean that the opposition might come in to power after 'being out for a half of a century. It Is to avoid this very thing that the compromise of a commission form of government has been proposed, propos-ed, the idea being to find places for all wings of the Radical party. Paper Currency at Premium. Uruguay Is the only country in South America where paper currency is today to-day at a premium, measured in terms of American or English gold. The republic re-public has a gold standard, but has never coined any gold pieces. Those I which are in circulation come from for-1 elgn natiohs. The unit value of its paper pa-per peso, however, is $1,034 and at the money changers' office it takes $1.05 American currency to buy one dollar's worth of Uruguayan paper. No matter how radical hais been tho program of any government, the lawmakers have always been extremely jealous of the republic's reputation for financial stability. |