The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-21

! South American republics that is not
in blue funk for fear that the land
hunger lately aroused in the breasts or
''los Yankees" may not extend to the
southern end of the continent.
In addition to this they have several
troubles of their own to keep them from
worrying too much about the dangers OF
compulsory annexation. With the eye Of
Germany on Brazil and with the people
IN the State of the Upper Amazonas is
suing declarations of independence as the
Republic of Acre, Brazil has about all
that it can attend to-
A SMALL REPUBLIC.
1t is this republic of Acre that Is the
youngest independent state in the world.
and the best luck one can wish for this
fiedg=ling republic is that it may be for
gotten Just such luck befeu the South
German pFineipality of Liechenstein over
thirty years ago. This little sovereignty
joined its neighboF, Austria, in the war
of 1866, but when the time of reckoning
came it seems to have been overlooked
50 Liechenstein is said to be still tech
nleally at war with Prussia, no treaty
of peace having yet been made.
Another well-nigh forgotten State was
Monaco, until about twenty-five years
ago, it achieved its present notoriety as
the gambling house of Europe. Its gov
eminent, like that of Nevada a few years
ago. was glad to legalize ''sport'' which
other sovereignties had outlawed
For instance, when the gaming resorts
of Germany We're suppressed, efforts were
made to induce the miniature republic of
Andorra, in the Pyrenees, to open its
doors to the refugees, but the simple
mountaineers were not tempted by the
apple of Sodom so invitingly offered
them by the gambling princes As the
result fhp State ad mn Il
1t is, perhaps, fortunate that it did little
to interior with the sentiment of Europe
toward it. for it is sentiment alone that
appears TO have preserved its existence,
until now it is probably the oldest Euro
pean sovereignty, Charlemagne having
founded it in gratitude for aid given him
against the MoOrs-
THEY GROW WEAK
It's nearest parallel in situation is San
Marine, among the Apennines, republic
of which the origin and history are so
uncertain that. as has been said. like
Topsy, it ''just growed-" The various
conquerors of the former States Of the
Church, by which San Marine was sur
rounded. have found it independent and
have left it so. To-day it would not be
difficult to conquer San Marine, and the
time may come when it viii be absorbed.
able to bold its own against an attacking
enemy.
The fact that sentiment is of little
value in preserving a sovereignty from
hostile occupation is shown in the history
of the States of the Church. The Holy
Apostolic See. as IL is designated in the
diplomatic world and in the Almanac de
Gotha- The Pope is still sovereign and
continues to maintain the name of the
State in complete temporal independence.
This has been done at the cost of refusing
an annual subsidy of about a million
dollars, this amount having been kept
intact by the Italian government for more
than twenty-five years
Another sovereignty that has no ex-
istence outside of diplomatic circles Is
the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Almanac de Gotha. More than a cen
last possessions in Malta, but sentiment
cease to exist, and it still retains a
minister plenipotentiary at the court Of
Vienna.
At the present time it looks very much
as if two more independent States would
cease to exist as such before the close
of the year. The battles of the two
South African republics against Great
Britain have been most disappointing to
the citizens of those countries and it now
looks very much as if President Kruger
and President Steyne would yet see their
States absorbed by the power against
which they have been SO vainly con-
tending.