Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-11


stood the Test OF $500 Years--How
II is Governsd--Its standing Army OF
Thirty Men, A Nation without .
Press.
La Republica di San Marino, the
roots OF whose history run down to the
days OF Charlemagne, lies about twelve
miles southwest from Rimini, and
about four miles from the shores OF the
Adriatic. in Italy. A correspondent
writes
The republic proper stretches over a
territory seventeen miles long and about
half that width, and has population,
all told, of about 5000 people, the cap
ital. where we were, having about 900
of them. They were governed by Il
council of sixty, which is close corpo-
ration, nominally composed OF twenty
princes, twenty of the middle class, and
twenty of the peasant class, but in
point of fact, rs j afterward learned
and, indeed, rs might be inferred from
the fact that they themselves filled all
vacancies. and the people had no more
to do with the choice of the members of
coSgress-all were mobiles and if you
were to address one otherwise than as
"nobilissimo," you had better not have
addressed him Mt all. | gathered that
the real distinction was that twenty
were taken from the landed gentry,
twenty from the town gentry, and
twenty promiscuously from any part of
the territory.
This council. independent of all hu-
man control from above or below, elects
two executive officers, who are called
captains-regent; il designates all execu-
tive committees, imposes taxes-in fact.
conducts the government. The regents
receive no pay-another evidence that
San Marino is not a republic, after els
Atlantic ideas ut any rate.
My readers are doubtless already i'm
patient to know something of the army.
which for l 300 years has defied the man
ifold elements OF disorder that have been
fatal to so many dynasties and dismem-
bered so many larger and more popu-
lous territories in Europe. The mill
tary defense, then, of the republic of San
Marino is committed TO n regular army
of thirty men, who are supposed to be
always ready to respond to the call of
honor or of patriotism.
A police consisting of five or six per-
sons protects the property of the terri
tory, and gives peaceful slumbers to its
honest burghers In emergencies the
militia of the country may be called in
aid OF its unconquered legions. They
have two judges. who are, however, re-
quired by law to be taken from without
The territory, and are changed every
three years. But all cases of appeal are
decided bv the court of causation. or
review, in the ncighboring cities of Boil
ogna, Padua, Turin or wherever that
tribunal may chance to be sitting ut the
time.
The currency in use among them also,
Is that of the Italian government They
had once some sous coined, the equiva-
lent in value ofour cent-my host mt the
inn gave me two or three of them; but
they were not coined in the republic.
Their number was very restricted, and
they are rarely TO be met with except
in the collections of numismatists.
1t is certainly one of the eccentricities
which distinguish San Marino from all
other countries that it puts its litigation
out, as some families put out their wash
ing. and trades exclusively with the cur
rency OF foreign states. The country
which buys and sells with n currency
over which it has no control, and sub
mits its differences TO foreign tribunals
tor adjustment, gives pretty heavy bonds
TO keep the peace with its neighbors.
whatever be the title it gives to its form
OF government.
The expenses OF their government will
not seem large to an American. They
never exceed $4,000 francs-say $4,000
army, navy. postofiice. education,
prisons, police. diplomatic service, rep
rcsentation, all included. The revenue
Is raised out of the profits realized by
the government from the purchase of
some 500, 600 pounds of tobacco in the
leaf. which it manufactures to sell Mt a
small advance; from the sale of about
500 sacks of salt, and trifiing stamp tax
nf three cents on uotarial, judicial and
other legal documents.
The health of the republic is looked
after. by one physician and one surgeon
employed by the state, who are required
to attend and prescribe for all who send
Tor them, but who are not expected to
resent the offer OF "a gratuity from those
who can afford to pay for their advice.
These iunctionaries receive $500 year
each from the state. The judges re-
ceive the same. San Marino has not
only never been afflicted with news
paper, but no printing press has ever
stood upon its territory. This is linn
ltatioT upon its capacity for manufac-
turing money which distinguishes il
more than anything else from republics
OF .esser longevity.
- I'm the Ontv Man IN Your Side "