The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-17
LITTLE NATIONS
BUT LITTLE KNOWN.
SMALL KINGDOMS AND RErUDraln
OF WHICH THE PUBLIC RArn
LY HEARS ANYTHING.
Tavolara Has Only Sixty Pssrrs
Andorra, Goust and San n.
Srina Are Each = Tiny Osv. I.
efnmcpts ft5

THERE are a number OF small fepuk
lies in the world about which % Inns z
Is known that not one person 4 4
thousand could tell you anything ahsrS
them, yet each is a little kingdom Il III
self, with a president and council to ~.
ern state affairs and its own pecsIlsr
trials and troubles to worry the peoria
AS regards population, the smalle1t -
pubic In the world is that Of Tavola5s
an island about five miles long, with -
average width of little more than M
mile. situated about dozen miies q
the northeast of Sardinia. The to{si
population of the whole of the repuk1S
does not exceed sixty. but they elect 4
president every six years and Z couucIl &
Of six members, all of whom serve VIM
out pay. The women of this island Is
to the polls and vote with the men, I'D
ever since 1t became a republic a N Il
all public business has been transact
without turmoil. the elections t3ffir
place without any party feeling o. uldiiS
excitement. &
The small half-Frencl and half spsb,il.
republic of Andorra, which lies III a. III.
most inaccessible valley Of the Ea6l1En
Pyrenees, possesses q charter rightl 1Sfss
ing from Chariemagne IN 100. TherS ri.
but one way of getting to And0rrn sfFUW
France and that is by the River Bona
\
carried down by mule over one Of a.
most dangerous footpaths In Eufepk
There are six parishes In the r0pu6Na'
and the whole contains about 600 poo.
pie, the territory covering an AREA 81 ~
miles. The republic is governed b (
general council OF twenty-four membot&
each parish sending four, and Of I'M
council the syndic, or president, u choSsa
for life by the council. The syndic, -.
twssw ~ &tA L.
salary of SIS year and the membefSu(
the council are paid $7.50. Tho repuh1lo
is rather hampered, for, while It elecla
its own officers, collects its own tnxml
and looks after its own army Of 1,loo M
1t has to pay France $50 francs ~
for the importation of corn Into ~
country and is forced to import 4 ffom
France. Twelve months ago Andona
bought q big gun from Krupp and plant.
ed It almost in the center Of the ropuhli1
right between Spain and France. Whm
that gun Is fired either France or gpain
will be hit, for the republic IL seventies
miles across and the gun carries tWeu1ys
miles. sss
Very few people have heard Of ~ wv
istence of the republic Of Goust, WhloH =.
situated on the fiat top OF q mountsln q
the Basses Pyrenees, south of Franoa Il
has but an area of one and = Qn&xtegI
miles, and a population OF 40. - ut
as regards size, 1t can fairly clatm u W.
an older republic than the United Dtozoa
having been in existence since 1el&x1n4
enjoys the distinction Of being recon- ~
by both Spain and France. The prtGs
dent Is elected from an elder collego con-
sisting of twelve peasants who are
chosen every twelve years by the people.
The president is also tax collectcfs ~
SCISSOR and judge. II, however, his T.
cisions are displeasing to the people TIM
Spanish parish down the mountain eldA
and what the bishop says Is Law. GouSti
is certainly unique place, for It has 70
church or clergyman. the people w0nhip-
Ing in churches beyond the limits Of theif
country Neither have they any. burial
grounds, and when death occurs amman
them the body Is slid down to e1ner
terry in the valley below. In this valley
too, all the baptisms and marriagee 49,
place. ss al ~
The republic of San Marina, In Centrsl
Italy, is perhaps the best known Of fhese
tiny republics. It's territory covers about
thirty-three square miles and the p0pulas
ton numbers about $500 souls. TIM
miniature state was founded In the fourth
century by st. Marinus, who, having eu-
braced Christianity, fled here TO; ESCAPE
the persecution under Diocletian: The'
capital, San Marine, is on the crest of u
mountain over 1000 feet high and hss q
population of 1900. 1t Is one of tho mp4
picturesque places in the world bang
perched on perpendicular cliffs
In order to avoid copyright difficulties
there is no printing press in San Marine
and when the mail arrives at Borgt neHs
Is rung and those inhabitants wh0 hAve
their dwellings up on the cli6s yhAye e
descend to get their letters. for. oNine4
to the primitive state of AFFAIRS the posts
man never ascends the rock. Anofhes
curious fact is that the commissary o.
judge and the physician must both =
strangers and are paid out OF the publie
purse--Tid Bits Sf y