The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-03
ET is SAN MARINO, AND 1T HAS AN
ABUNDANCE OF OFFICERS,
while Exciting Elections Often Occur
A Community That Has Been In
dependent for Centuries.
Philadelphia Telegraph.

IOunO6Q Dy a monk named
early in the fourth century. The monastery
became rich, accumulated property on the
plains below, but during the wars which
attended the downfall of the Roman en-
pire the monks were forced to employ a
band of soldiers to defend their mountain
home, and although history is not very
clear this point, there is good reason
to believe that the soldiers concluded that
it would be better business to take charge
Of the monastery themselves than to receive
a pittance of pay for protecting the monks,
so they turned out the good fathers and
assumed the ownership and direction of
the monastery and it's property. Instead.
therefore. of a convent, the top of the
mountain held a fort, and the community
thus established increased until 600 or 700
years ago, when the town attained its pres
ent size and has suffered no material alter
alton either in extent or in population.
Whatever may be the details of it's his
tory, however, there is no doubt about its
independence, for the little republic, the
smallest in the world, save Monaco and
that is not really independent, being a
French protectorate, holds its own now as
it has held its own for fifteen centuries.
San Marino has no railroads, the nearest
line being that along the east coast Of
Italy; therefore tourists who wish to visit
the town leave the train at Rimini where
about fifteen miles from Rimini, and the
diligence or stage leaves the latter city
every DAY, after the trains arrival to trans
port the mails and chance travellers to the
Republic. There is but one stage, and it
has only six seats, so that Rimini is not
popular resort; in fact, it is the reverse.
About half way between Rimini and San
Marine, when the outlines of Mons Titanus
begin to take definite form, the diligence
crosses a bridge n which
stands pillar bearing the pontifcal arms
on one side and the arms of the republic
end Of the bridge the diligence is stopped
and the frontier guard performs his per-
functory duty by making a pretense Of
searching the conveyance and interrogating
Its passengers as to their purpose in visit
ing the republic He is easily satisfied,
however, by peaceable strangers, but visit
their arms. No Italian soldier wearing
weapons is permitted to cross the frontier
deposit his saber at the frontier. The re-
public leVies small duty on imports in or
der to relieve the pressure of tax on the
citizens, but the import duties are very
light; as light, in fact, as the imports, for
the wants Of the people are few and mostly
supplied from their own fields and vine-
yards.
FOUNDED ON A ROCK.
About three miles from the town the road
leaves the plain and begins to wind up the
side of the mountain. There is only one
road to the summit, and that, by the skill
of medieval engineers, was ingeniously
contrived so as to present many points of
defense. The town was practically impreg
nable ere the days of artillery, for, on three
sides of the mountain on which it is built,
the precipces show sheer descent of five
or six hundred feet. while on the fourth the
road winds to and fro by successive turns
at each of which there formerly was a gate
walled 06fenSe 1nCTG0lnlG
tience and labor the road has been hewn
out of solid rock, and at nearly every point
in its course is commanded by positions
above it, in many places the overhanging
crags enabling defenders, themselves unseen
and secure. TO annihilate an attacking par
ty. Nearly one hundred little castles or
fortified gates command the road, and, al
though most Of these are now in ruins, sew
eral are in state suitable for defense in
case there should be any attempt by for
eign power to violate the territory of the
republic. The diligence stops at the gate
be used in its streets, which are generally
too narrow and in many places are simply
flights of stone steps connecting the differ
The city is literally founded upon a rock,
gigantic mass Of limestone, underlaid with
the older rocks, and lifts it's head several
thousands of feet above the level of the sea.
The highest peak is Della Rocca, whereupon
was formerly the castle, now converted into
a prison and palace of justice. Second
terms are. rare among the criminals of San
Marine, for nothing drearier can be con-
ceived than a term in Della Rocca. The
busiest part of the town is quiet enough,
but the business portion of San Marino is
roaring thoroughfare compared with the
quiet of the prison. There are seldom more
than two or three prisoners at a time in
Della Rocca, and it is a tradition among
the population that as soon as a prisoner
ends his term and is at liberty to go he
moves out of San Marine with all possible
expedition and returns no more, for once is
enough for him in Della Rocca.
Being an independent state. San Marine
has, of course, sovereign rights and its con-
venience as a rerfuge for criminals and po-
litical offenders has more than once brought
it into difficulty with Italy, its only neigh
Dor for the territory of San Marino is com
pletely surrounded by the Italian provinces.
In lS49 GaribaIdi, fleeing from the Papal and
Austrian troops, took refuge in San Marine;
the republic was summoned to deliver him
and his companions up to justice, but re-
fused The Austrian general protested and
threatened but threats and protests were
alike lost on the stout-hearted people of
the crag, who manned their walls, placed
detachments of troops to guard the road,
and declared that as Garibaldi had come to
them a stranger, and they had taken
him in, he should be protected. The Aus
trian general prepared to storm the heights,
but a brief examination satisfied him that
he would lose hundreds, perhaps thousands,
of men in the attempt, and he gave up the
idea of forcible occupation, and while ne
gotiations were in progress Garibaldi and
his companions escaped. the leader going in
disguise to Rimini, and from there crossing
the Adriatic Since then a more definite ar
rangement has been arrived at with the
Italian government as to the extent TO
which San Marine may offer a sanctuary
to fugitiveS, and now there is treaty which
defines the respective rights of italy and the
republic.
A CURIOUS GOVERNMENT.
The government of San Marine is a curl
Gus mixture of medieval and modern ideas.
1t is vested in a Sovereign Council, COM
posed of sixty members, of whom twenty
are mobiles, twenty bourgeois and twenty
artisans. All are elected for life, and when
one in any class dies the remainder elect
his successor The Sovereign Council dele
gates a large part of its functions to a
Council of Twelve" and the executive pow
er is vested in two captains regent, who are
elected every six months, general election,
therefore, being a Semi-annual affair in San
Marine. Every voter casts his ballot, and
for whom he pleases. The ballots are sorted,
the names of the six highest candidates are
taken in pairs on three slips of paper; these
are rolled up in small pellets and inclosed in
new captains regent to take their places,
the former regents, with their guards of
honor and cortege of all the officials of the
republic, proceed, in solemn state. TO the
cathedral where mass is heard TIE Deum
is sung then the three brass spheres are
placed in vase and presented by d priest
to little boy, commonly of the nobility,
who draws out a sphere and hands it to the
priest. who presents it TO the captains
regent: the two halves composing the little
globe are unscrewed, the slip of paper in
closed is taken out. the names of the two
captains regent for the next six months are
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