Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1916-01-13
CURIOUS tND0RRA
Oldest, Smallest and strangest
of All R eubIics.
A PATCH IN H PYRENEEs


This Tiny Nation. here All Men Art
Really Equal, HI Newer Produced 9
Page Of Litsratur1 q Bar Of Music
a Painting Nor q padsr of Men.
For LOO years, 8 ice its foundation
as a republic In s05 hnd no one knows
for how many cent? eries before thaD
curious little Andorf4 has gone Its OWL
strange way utterly oblivious to the
progress Of the other nations Of Eu.
rope. 1t has Its ownIidea of the mean.
ing of life, and 1t 3ives according to
that 4 traveller entering the republic
today will find 1t dxactly as it was
1000 years ago. r
It Is republic which has never
achieved anything fin its long and
vague history; a republic which has
never produced Il pad of literature nor
u bar of music nor a painting. re,
public which has d Ever had y ,place
in the councils Of Europe and has new
er asked for one; aShation which has
never produced an al ambitious man.
Andorra consists d. six counties and
boasts about a dozsp towns. Its en-
tire population is 5Ob0 souls.
The chief occupation Of the people OF
Andorra Is cattle raising, and thou
sands upon thousands Of cows may be
seen browsing in the rich pastures.
vet 1t has never occurred to Andorrans
to milk these cows. and butter and
milk are unknown in the republic
Dairy products are nonexistent The
only cheese made is that from the
milk Of sheep. Visitors find 1t impos.
sible to procure milk or cream for
their coffee. Andorrans themselves
use brandy instead and think 1t Is bet
ter than anything else in coffee.
In SO5 Louis the Debonair laid siege
to the city of Urgel. which Is to the
south of Andorra. The Andorrans. led
by Marc Almugaver, took up arms to
aid the French, and for their assist.
ance Louis gave them charter and
permitted them to be self governing.
As it now exists it is the smallest re-
public in the world. 1t is situated In
the Pyrenees between France and
Spain. 1t is about eighteen miles wide
and sixteen miles long from north to
south. 1t is difficult Of access. as there
Is not q single railroad running through
or near it.
Its capital is Andorra Ia Viella, with
q population of 500 and containing the
Casa de Ia Vail. or house Of repre-
sentatives. This Is large sixteenth
century building at the extremity OF
the town, overlooking the valley to.
ward Spain. 1t is parliament house,
town hall, school. palace Of justice and
hotel for the councillors all in one. 1t
is also used as a temporary prison In
the rare cases Ihai Sprlson is neces.
unknown. oeahhee Pie 81 Ana d.
ing Imprisonment are the smugglers
Of tobacco caught by the French or
Spanish custom officers, and these are
not looked upon as malefactors by
their fellow citizens Smuggling Is re-
garded as legitimate trade.
There is no police department and
no police. Every citizen has the pow.
er to arrest. but this privilege Is rarely
used.
The territory was once densely
wooded and is said to derive its name
from the Moorish Aldarra. the place
thick with trees" but almost all the
forests have been destroyed for fuel.
The climate is generally cold. with
very severe winters. The land Is
chiefly devoted TO grazing for tue nu.
mcrous iocks and herds But on the
Sheltered southern slopes It Is careful.
ly cultivated and produces grain, po-
tntues. fruit and tobacco. The local
Industries are Of the most primitive
kind aud show little or no advance
since the middle ages
The only roads are bride paths,
with the exception Of one municipal
road connecting AudOrra with the high
road to SEQ de urgel and Manreso by
way of tile Ralira valley.
Andorra is perhaps the truest democ-
rlcy in the world. There Is no nobili.
~. aud there Is no class distinctions.
All men are equal. not only In the eyes
Of the law but In the fullest sense OF
the word The first citizen of the land,
the president. is q farmer.
The republic IL governed by twenty.
four representatives. elected every four
years These representatives choose
one OF their number as president of
the republic. His salary IS 80 pesetas
year. or $50. Representatives get
10 pesetus. or $3.50 a year.
There is no such thing rs poverty In
Andorra. Every one has enough and
has no desire for any more. Though
they are hard drinkers, cases Of tntox-
ication are very rare. They speak
their own language, Andorran. but
French is taught at the schools. The
school system Is regulated by the
French. and for this service Andorra
pays annually to the French govern
ment 900 francs. or $50. From this
1t may be seen that taxation Is very
low. Doctors services are absolutely
free, and drug stores supply their pa
irons without charge.
Andorrans drink a great deal. and
they are untidy In their personal ap'
pearance. But they are extremely
honest, and theft is unknown In the
from