Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-19
An Hour With The Prince d Monaco
SOMETHING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL MAN WHO ONE DAY CHAM
PIONS THE CAUSE OF THE DO WIN TRODDEN DREYFUs AND THE
NEXT BUILDS AN ADDITION TO HIS GREAT GAMBLING HOUSE OF
MONTE CARLO.

In challenging the prince of Monaco,
the Court de Castellane found a foe wor-
thy his blood, for the prince is, in a way,
the most powerful living man in Europe.
Rich beyond the dreams of mine own
ers, powerful above the desires of poten-
tates, INDEPENDENT as a bird and lord OF
a great part of creation, the prince Of
Monaco is a man to whom a challenge
means nothing; and who can afford to
accept or, as he has done in this case. to
refuse, for his position is such that he
can do anything.
When the prince of Monaco wrote to
Madame Dreyfus placing his Mediterran-
can home at her disposal after this sad
affair is over he invited the Inflated
captain and wife to one OF the loveliest
spots in the world. Knowing the i'm
portance which would inevitably attach
itself to an invitation OF this kind the
Count de C%astclane resented this favor
1ng of a man in the position of Dreyfus,
and SO sent his challenge to the prince OF
Monaco. The prince replied by refusing
to fight on the ground that the count
was a man unworthy his steel; His title
is an assumed one,' declared this prince
Of Monaco.
The kingdom ruled by this singular
man is probably the smallest in exist
ence. 1t consists Of exactly eight square
miles. and it lies on the shores of the
Mediterranean between France and Italy.
You can easily pass Monaco and not
know it. for it is smaller than any state
in the union.
For some strange reason Monaco is un-
like any of the surrounding countries.
Lying between France and Italy it shares
the climate of neither, but exists all by
itself. cool all summer, when the sur
rounding countries are roasting, and
warm in winter with a clear. salubrious
warmth that is most invigorating.
The country of Monaco has only one
city Of Importance: and that is the City
of Monaco, which lies upon a plateau
looking down upon the Mediterranean.
From the railway station YOU ride Up
ward to the city. and there you find your
self in what seems to YOU q fairyland.
Beautiful houses set in avenues of green
trees. and scattered over the city are dear
little parks that invite you to stop and
rest awhile.
The man who rules all his country:
yes. and who owns it. is the sovereign
prince of Monaco. His name is Albert
Honore Charles and his titles are sover-
eign and prince of Monaco, duke of Vel
antino.s, baron of something with a long
Italian name and lord and knight Of
more unp%ronounceable orders than could
be stumbled through in half a day. For
convenience he is known simply as the |
prince Of Monaco.
Nine hundred years ago Monaco was
given to the Roman Catholic house Of
Gr.maldi. Through services to the
church this tract of fertile country was
aside for the family Of Grimaldi and
the head of the house was created prince
of Monaco, with a title for all perpetuity.
Since the year 1000 the Gr.maldi house
has ruled Monaco, and .has maintained,
on the whole, a prosperous country.
The prince Of Monaco says that his is
the only absolute sovereignty in Europe.
outside Turkey, and that to serve the
car is an easy yoke. And the people of
Monaco admit this. But they add that,
their prince is a generous, worthy man,
who loves them and is kind and consid-
crate to them: and that they prefer an
absolute rulership by him, rather than a
freedom under France.
The prince of Monaco makes his own
laws When a man offends he is pun
ished by laws laid down by the prince.
These are severe, but the prince VIII tell
you with pride that no man has been sem
fenced to- death IN Monaco in so years,
something which cannot be said of any
other country in which capital punish
ment prevails.
The prince will point out to you the
fields that are covered with fruits and
will tell you that they are all his. The
people hire Of him, but must pay big trib-
ute for rental of the land. He will
name many assistants who administer
the law for HIN, and he will tell you the
names Of the council who administer JUS
tice in Monaco-all his personal friends.
And he will also add that each year he
goes over the laws, making or undoing
them. He manages this without assist
ance; and the laws of Monaco are pre-
c.sely as he makes them. They are
written by the secretary of the prince in
a clear hand, and. the council can consult
them as need arises. When the prince
makes a law it Immediately goes into
effect without the permission Of any one
but himself.