The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1890-02-07
MONTENEGRO.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND WAR
LIKE PEOPLE.
NeUse for Cowards in That Country
The Monastery of CettinJe-
Light Punishment for
killing a Turk.

The traveller who, coming from the
west lands at Cattaro, in Montenegro,
and looks around him, fancies that he
mnst he dreaming. The widest caprces
of s,yiss mountain scenery are here sur
nassed E7erytlling seems fantastic ana
unreal. ohs almost expects to see .he
Ma 81 co!5sal footlights, and 10 ma
a mammoth curtain slowly descending
over the scene
No vshiclss. and few beasts Of burden
are zen The MontenegTin IS too busy
- war 10 make roads; but he does
49,, -, care far Isninals. because they can
' ~ 10 hasr aims and make war on the
Turks -.
enter the little principality, are borne in
On fhs hacks of men and women. Some
var, W. "a seo tie Prince ordered large bill
lori tsble-the first that had ever en-
tered tbe country-for use in the pal
ace.
The peasant warriors were 50 aston
ished al the advent of this new piece Of
f,,rniturs that they ranged themselves be
s;dethe paths to see It come in, and to
this day they cali the palace-into witch
tbev saw the billiard table borDe-Bigh-
Montenegro was formerly part Of Il
lvris and Of New Epirus. In the Middle
Aces it was comprised in the great en-
pire o. the Serbs, under the name Of the
Principaiity of Zenta-
In 1855. Ivan, the ruling monarch,
founded IN small valley, amply pro-
tected by nature against sudden incur
sious. the monastery Of Cettinje, which
he made the seat of his domination and
the residence Of the bishop. The Mon
tenegrins, ike the Russians, profess the
Greek Catholic faith.
This monastery among the peaks be-
came the centre Of the dual military-ec-
cIesiasticsl government Of Montenegro.
In 1916 Prince, who had no children,
left Montenegro and went to spend his
declining years in Venice, after abdicat-
ing all his rights in favor OF Germans,
who was then Archbishop.
Thus began the sacerdotal power,
which was continued to 1880. The Via
dika, or Prince Bishop, had entire pos
session Of the Civil, military, and religions
power Of the country. The last of the
Vladikas died in Is51, and the last was
as poPular as the ffst, although the
medieval Institution has iiaally giFea
way before constitutional forials
Fiery old fellows were those Prince
Bishops, who wore silver breastplates
over their saeerdotal robes, and cut off a
Turks head with the same JUNCTION that
they made a sign Of the cross.
A Montenegro priest who would not
Join. even to-day, IN a border foray
against the Turk, would run the risk Of
Coming under the article Of the code
which Is taught even to young children,
and which says:
eIf one turns coward, his weapons
shall be taken away, and he may never
wear them again, nor shall he receive any
cousideraE from his fellows. Awoman's
apron shattee tied about him, to indicate
that mans heart does not beat in his
bosom"
The code contains another article ex-
prcssly stating that Moutenegrin shall
be held guiltless for killing a Turk, ''if
the Turk has struck him with his hand
or with his pipe''-a pleasing illustration
OF the local manners which prevailed
until q few years ago.
The Montenegro Of to-day is bounded
on the north and northwest by the Her
zegovina; on the northeast and east by
Bosnia; on the southeast by Albania, and
on the southwest by the Dalmatian
provinces Of Austria.
Until after the Russo-Turkish war OF
1877, it had no outlet upon the Adriatio
Sea. and could only reach deep water by
permission OF Austria, which held the
lovely seaport Of Cattaro. But now
Montenegro owns the port Of Dulcigno,
and may count as a maritime power.
The population, which twenty years
ago was scarcely 20, 600. Is now 230, 900.
and, If it would turn away from war to
agriculture and the care Of its herds,
might be prosperous.
Because Of the disposition for fighting
rather THAI for plsating and sheep
raising. famine falls upon the people
every few years. At the present time
thousands Of Montenegrins In the deep
valleys are in danger OF starvation.
Russia has just sent the Prince a very
large sum with which to purchase grain.
Russia and Austria are both generous
helpers Of the pluolly little province,
and the &5nteHegTius today owe Austria
millions for money advanced for food.
When Austria helps Montenegro Russia
Is jealous, and when Russia helps, AUSTRIA
accuses her Of IuFthering her political
ambitions.