Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-20
MONTENEGRO ONE OF
OLDEST COUNTRIES
IN ENTIRE WORLD

Washington. June 20.-George Hig-
gins Moses, former United States min :
lister to Greece and Montenegro, In q
communication to the National Geo.
graphic Society at Washington. de-
scribes Montenegro as one of the Cd
dest countries in the world. There. the
women are the producers, clothes make
the man, the king is greater than the
ministry, the chamber or the constt-
tuition. and man may be imprisoned
for eating hedgehog. A man who is
struck may kill the striker, provided
it be done at once; If he delays, he Is
punished as murderer.
The writer paints King Nicholas in
glowing colors. In the "a years Of his
reign. he has doubled his territory.
added two Adriatic ports II his pos
sessions and has organised ministries.
the courts. finance, and all the depart
ments Of the government" be says.
Where, when he came to the throne.
only few difficult trails threaded the
hills, today splendid network Of roads
connects all the principle points Of the
king dom. and 1t may be sail OF Monte
negro alone among nations, that
wherever one may go at all in a
automobile. Nicholas has established
posts and telegraphs. so that whereas
once q Montenegrin mobilization was
effected by stentorian halooing from
peak te peak, Centinie is now con-
stantly in touch with all parts Of the
country and with the outside world.
He has modified the laws, task al
ready begun by his predecessor. He is
a statesman at once bold and eau
tious "A diplomatist of many talents, a
capable administrator. and a thought
ful reformer, writes Mr.. Moses. Again
and again he has repressed the war
like ardor Of his mountaineers. and
has led them TO battle only when no
other course was possible.
cat the creation, SO runs the Mon
tenegrin legend, an angel was sent
forth to pick up the superfluous stones
on the earth's surface. He placed
them in a bag. which burst as he was
flying over Cernagora. one OF the
Hottest Of the Black mountains and
certainly the landscape bears out the
tale. European dress has made slight
inroads in this part of the world. A
Montenegrin's habit is as costly az his
purse can buy. and there the apparel
proclaims the man. The baggy blue
trousers are the same for the king or
the peasant, as Is the gaily colored
sash which holds the invariable re-
volver. But from the red Jacket and
the redingote one connotes whether
the wearer be man of substance and
consequence or not. Among the women
there are slighter distinctions
THE women engage In the produc-
tive pursuits. And yet the man has
capacity and when taken from his belli-
cose environment OF his mountain
home becomes one Of the best OF work
ers His 500 years OF freedom have
given the Montenegrin fine sense of
order, and 1t Is q current saying along
the Dalmation coast that when
Montenegrin applying for job is asked
what he can do he invariably an
swers, 'Superintend.'
Respect for age is enJoined by law.
and in the articles regulating pubic
conveyances it is provided that the
traveller NAV have the seat indicated
by his ticket, but it is added. The de-
ference due by youth to age requires
that the former yield the better place
70 their seniors Another article de-
| clares the equality of all before the
law. and lays down the democratic
principle of the universal ownership
of land and the equal right of all to
hold office.
practically the only motor cors In
| Montenegro are those in use by roy
atty, and as the machines purr along
the splendid Soads all the peasants
working in the fields, even the most
distant, straighten themselves and
make deep obeisance as the cal
passes, and at every hating place the
people swarm up in the hope that they
may have the privilege Of kissing the
royal hand"