Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-01-14
CURIOUS ANDORRA
Oldest, Smallest and Strangest
of All Republics.
A PATCH IN THE PYREMEES.

19 -
For LOO years, since its foundation
as a republic in sos (and no II knows
for how many centuries before that.
curious little Andorra has gone its OWL
strange way utterly obliyious to the
progress of the other nations of Eu-
rope. 1t has its own idea of the mean
ing of life, and it lives according TO
that. A traveller entering the republic
today will find it exactly as it was
1000 years ago.
1t is a republic which has never
achieved anything in its long and
vague history; a republic which has
never produced a page of literature nor
a bar of music nor a painting; a re-
public which has never had a place
in the councils of Europe and has new
er asked for one; a nation which has
never produced an ambitious man.
Andorra consists of six counties and
boasts about a dozen towns. Its en-
tire population is 5000 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.
yet it has never occurred to Andorrans
to milk these cows, n 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 it impos-
sible to procure milk or cream for
their coffee. Andorrans themselves
use brandy instead and think it is bet
ter than anything else in coffee.
In 500 Louis the Debonair laid siege
to the city of Urgel. which is to n
south of Andorra. The Andorrans. led
by Mare Almugaver. took up arms to
aid the French. and for their assist
ance Louis gave them a 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
II sixteen miles long from north to
south. 1t is difficult of access. as there
is not IL single railroad running through
or near it.
Its capital is Andorra la Viella. with
a population of 900 and containing the
Casa de Ia Vail. or house of repre-
sentatives. This is a 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 u temporary prison In
the rare cases when Il prison is neces-
sary. Crime in Andorra is practically
unknown. The only Andorrans suffer-
ing Imprisonment are the SmugglerS
of tobacco caught by the French or
Spanish custom officers, and these are
not looked upon us malefaetors by
their fellow citizens. Smuggling is re-
garded as u legitimate trade.
There is 10 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
~ RNFNAS "AhNSAo ~ AaAA 10
chiefly devoted TO grazing for the nu-
merous hocks and herds. But on the
sheltered southern slopes it is careful
~ cultivated and produces grain. po-
tatoes, fruit and tobacco. The local
industries are of the most primitive
kind and show little or no advance
since the middle ages.
The only roads are bride paths,
with the exception of one municipal
road connecting Andorra with the high
road to SEQ de Urgel and Manreso by
way of the Balira valley.
Andorra is perhaps the truest democ-
racy III the world. There is no nobili-
ty, Il 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 a farmer.
The republic is governed by twenty
four representatives, elected every four
years. These representa- YES choose
one of their number as president of
the republic. His salary is 50 pesetas
a ear, or 500. Representatives get
10 p~esetas. or $3.50 a year.
There is no such thing as poverty in
Andorra. Every one has enough ana
has no desire for any more. Though
they are hard drinkers. cases of intox-
ieation are very rare. They speak
their own language. Andorran. bur
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 800 francs. or $50. From this
it 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