| Show THE OLDEST REPUBLIC NESTLED a mong among th the e pyrenean ean mountains between france and spain la Is the oldest republic now I 1 in existence if the average reader were 1 asked about it it would turn out that he was probably unaware of such a place the noaie n aue of it to la andorra i and it dates its establishment from the days of charlemagne its ito area is ig about square miles its population 4 is estimated at about away back in those early days when J ebar charlemagne lemagne was the napoleon of europe he marched against the moors moore of spain in this expedition the andorra people helped him considerably embly in return he deo declared lared the little province a free state and it has so remained ever since a period of 1100 years I 1 the republic to is gov governed arned by a sovereign council of 24 m members embers chosen by the people and the council elects one of its members to be chief executive for 1 life ife in the choice of the judiciary prance france has something to say and also the bishops of urgel the little republic comes before the world in a peculiar way at the present time M blanc who runs the monte carlo gam rambling bling hells and who pa pays swo a year to the local prince for the privilege has been refused a re dewal ew I 1 of his license T this his man blanc now p proposes to buy the republic of andorra and there establish his gambling concerns it is said that he to is being aided by the french in his new project if he succeeds the unfortunate people of andorra will soon find their primitive simplicity a thing of the past their little republic will become the scene of the most licentious orgies and the theatre of crimes of all kinds it is to be hoped that the will wilh be virtuous and steadfast enough to withstand the golden bait thrown out for their temptation |
