Show I v i v A TINY REPUBLIC II r VOANMARINO IN CENTRAL ITALY has the distinction according to a f 0 wrIter In Cassells Magazine of being the smallest and oldest independent independ-ent republic in the world It covers only thirtytwo square miles antI has a population of less than 10000 people onet nth of whom are enrolled In the standing army This tiny republic has existed for some fifteen hundred years and for the last thousand has had practically the same government that it has today It was founded SOme some lime in the fourth century by a mason who went to live a Hermits life on Mount Tltanus During the existence of the San Marino republic fcvery other state In Italy It-aly has been convulsed time and again by revolutions Governments have been overthrown and suites absorbed by others more powerful but in the 1 midst of all this conllict and upheaval San Marino hrs managed to con llnue the even tenor of Its ways its bod governing body is made up of sixty no blcs and thirty plebeians elected for life These > c in turn elect two captains who administer affairs of state hut hold olllce for only six months and cannot can-not be reelected within three years Every one of the Inhabitants of the tate Is said to be a politician and lakes an active interest in public affairs This may account for the long life of the little republic |