Most people are accustomed to think of all the South American republics as _opera bouffe_ affairs. Unfortunately there has been too much foundation for that reputation in the past. This has probably been the greatest obstacle to advancement hitherto. Paraguay is still in that condition, and Uruguay has its almost annual struggle between the _blancos_ (whites) and _colorados_ (reds). These uprisings are generally trivial affairs and do not deserve the importance given them. There are, as a rule, no great principles involved, and the struggle is primarily for the control of the government between different leaders. They are usually of short duration and attended with little bloodshed. They are due to that mediæval idea so strongly intrenched in the Spanish character that changes can only be brought about by fighting. The idea of settling these questions at the ballot box has not been fully developed. The writer was in Uruguay during one of these revolutions, and Montevideo was as quiet as one could expect to find a city of that size. A great many young men had fled for fear of conscription in the army. The only way in which he was discommoded was by the necessity of going to the authorities to get a permit to leave the city, as no one could embark on a steamer without this government passport. This revolution was the most severe one that they had had for five years. There had been several conflicts in the interior between the _blancos_ and _colorados_, and some blood shed. Argentina was blamed by the press for the trouble, as it was alleged that Argentina wanted to create disorder and then seize the country on the plea that only in that way could property interests be protected.