From 1910 until last week Uruguay acted like South America's model republic. Long trained to die in annual revolutions against dictators, Uruguayans had since 1910 had no revolution, no dictator. Their secret was a unique Constitution that split executive power between the President and an elected National Administrative
Council of nine. Proof against embryo dictators, this constitution leaked no power. Only leaks were heavy graft and heavy taxation of private business. The taxes hit Montevideo, Uruguay's only sizeable city and one-quarter of its population. The graft kept the Colorado Party fat....