The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-01-22
CURIOUS ANDoRRA
Oldest, Smallest and Strangest
Of All Republics.
a PATCH IN The pYRENeEs.
This Tiny Nation. Where All Men Are
ResIy Equal. Has Never Produced :
Page Of Literature. Bar Of Music
a Painting Nor Leader Of Men.

PAGE Of Literature. Bar Of Music,
a Painting Nor . Leader Of Men. II
For LOO years. since It's foundation
as a republic in 800 land no one knows
FOR how many centuries before that,
curious little Andorra has gone It's own
strange way utterly oblIvicns TO the
progress or the other nations OF Eu'
| rope. II has It's own idea OF the NEAL
Ing az life, and Il lives according to
l that "a traveller entering the republic
to-day will fnd It exactly as 1t was
1000 years ago.
1 IL Is republic which has never
achieved anything la les long and
+, vague history; republic which has
never produced page OF literature nor
a bar Of music nor a painting; q re-
public which has never bad place
IN the councils OF Europe and has new
er asked for one: nation which has
never produced an ambitious man.
Andorra consists OF six counties and
boasts about dozen towns, Its en-
tire population Is 1000 souls.
The chief occupation OF the people OF
Andorra y cattle raising, and thou.
sands upon thousands OF cows may be
seen browsing 80 the rich pastures,
wet II has never occurred TO Apdorrans
to milk these cows, and butter ana
milk are unknown IN the republic.
Dairy products are nonexistent The
only cheese made Is that from the
, milk OF sheep. Visitors find II impos-
slble to procure milk or cream Tor
their coffee. Andorrans themselves
, use brandy instead and think II Is bet
. fer than anything else In coffee.
In sos Louis the Debonair laid siege
10 the city OF Urgel. which IL to the
!. south or Andorra. The Andorrans, led
by Mare Almugayer. took up arms to
aid the French, and for their assist.
a ance Louis gave them q charter an
permitted them TO be SELF geveq hing.
il Asit noyzyG kisH II rs The smallest rs
public,<ffh fhe world. 1t Is situated q
1.-THE Pyrenccs between France ans
"a Spain. II Is about eighteen miles wild
"a and sixteen miles long from north &
an south. IL Is difficult OF access, as Their
Is not single railroad running through
&C. or near Il.
lie. Its capital Is Andorra la vlella, witt
OF a population Of 600 and containing th
X Casa dc Ia Vail. or house OF repre-
sentatiyes. This In large sixteenth
century building at the extremity o
the town, overlooking the valley 10
ward Spain. IL is parliament house
town hall. school, palace OF justice ans
- hotel for the councillors oil In one.
:. Is also used as temporary prison n
the rare cases when prison Is neces
=. sary. Crime In Andorra Is PRACTICAL,
y, unknown. The only Andorrans suffer
:, ing imprisonment are the smugglcr
=, OF tobacco caught by the French o
~ Spanish custom officers. ana these ar,
n. not looked upon as malcfactors b.
he their fellow citizens. Smuggling Is nc
garded as legitimate trade.
m There Is ne police department an,
~ no police. Every citizen has the pow
d. er TO arrest. but this privilege Is rarel,
~ used
an The territory was once .densel,
Iol wooded and Is said TO derive its nam,
50 from the Moorish Aldarra, the plac,
q thick with trees, but almost all In,
- forests have been destroyed for fuel
he The climate Is generally cold, Will
ne very severe winters. rhe land l,
a chiefly devoted 10 grazing for the nu
ia merous nocks aud herds But ON th,
re sheltered southern slopes II Is careful
ly cultivated and produces grain, DO
Is tatbes, fruit and tobacco. The loca
I'd industries are or the most primitiv,
th kind aud show little or no advance
since the middle ages.
a. The only roads are bride paths
rs with the exception or one munlcipa
De road connecting Andorra with the higl
~ road TO SEQ de Urgel aud Manreso b,
at way OF the BaIIra valley.
81 Andorra Is perhaps the truest democ
o. racy ia tho world There Is no noblli
y ~, and there Is no class distinctions
y 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 IN a farmer.
The republic Is governed by twenty
- four representatives. elected every fouI
- years These representa- YES choose
= one OF their number as president Of
q the republic. His salary IL 80 pesetas
- year, or $50. Representatives gel
" !" 10 pesetas. or $3.50 year
III There IN no such thing as poverty IN
:, Andorra. Every one has enough and
: has no desire for any more. Though
/" they are hard drinkers. cases OF lptox
ication are very rare. They speak
their own language, Andorran. bat
French Is taught nj the schools. The
= school system II regulated by this
e French. and Tor this service Andorrs
pays annually to the French govern
y mcnt 900 nancs. or $50. From this
. II may be seen that taxation Is very
! low. Doctors services are absolutely
~ free. and drug stores supply their pa.