The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-06-09
FINEST REPUBLIC
IS NOW IN THE WAR
SAN MARlNO WON'T LET AUS
TRAN AviATORs LAND ON
Her SOIL.

San Marine, the worlds tiniest re-
public, a vest pocket edition, has been
brought into the war area by Italy's
declaration against Austria-H Hungary,
says the latest bulletin prepared by
the National Geographic Society
San Marino, despite its midget pro-
portions, is the most venerable, the
most persistent and enduring of re-
publics. For it adds to it's quality of
being one of the smallest states in the
world, that of being the oldest state
In Europe. 1t has weathered violent
storms, storms threatening to extin-
guish even its memory among men, by
the score; and, today, the ancient
midget republic is again on the firing
line of a world CONFUSION.
San Marine is situated between the
Italian provinces of Forli and Pesaro-
Urbino, in the north of Italy, near the
Adriatic coast, within reach of big
guns from the sea. 1t lies about II
miles southwest of Rimini, an Italian
coast city, and well within the zone
exposed to hostile airship and aero
plane attack. The republic has one
town, which lies toward the coast,
about 115 miles due south of Venice
"The little state has an area of 50
square miles, and population Of
some 10000. Its territory is very
hilly, mountainous in the neighbor,
hood of its city, where the Monte I'll.
tano, an offshoot of the Apennines,
reaches the highest elevation in the
republic, that of $3.50 feet. The city
stands at the south of this precipitous
rock, and is sheltered under the de-
lenses of the mountain, whose three
SUBMITS are crowned by Notifications.
These strong positions, like the Black
Mountain of the Montenegrins have
played a significant part in the pres
ervation Of the republic through the.
centuries of war. anarchy neigborly
aggression, and hate of democracy
that the small state has seen since
the year 951, when it adopted it's re-
publican form of government. This
still in force today. The arms of
San Marine are three peaks, each
crowned with a tower The shield is
a silver shield, and, besides the de.
Tended mountain peaks, displays the
patron saint.
"The climate is healthful. Cattle
raising and, wine production are the
chief occupations in the republic,
while lace and embroidery working
are a growing home industry. Many
of the citizens of San Marine earn
their livelihoods outside of the narrow
limits of the Fatherlahd as mechan-
les, the masons trade being the most
popular. Some excellent stone cary
ers come from among this people, and
Inquiries IOl one VI tue cA-
ports.
'The town of San Marine, which
grows around it's mountain, is pro-
tected by wall, and shelters about
1000 people. 1t contains the repub-
lies parliament building, fine type
of public structure much more pre-
tentious that the legislative halls of
number of nations many times as
large. There are five churches and
one or two other interesting archi-
tectural features in the city
1.-THE parliament of San Marino is
a representative body, with so mem
bers chosen for life service from
among the burghers, landowners and
nobility. The executive power reposes
in committee of twelve, chosen from
among the representatives and of two
'reigning captains" selected by the