Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-11-09

HE ROmanOH dynasty autocracy
which terminated with the c2ar'5
manifesto OF oct. 30, has ruled
Russia for 1872 years or through near
ly four whole centuries, marked by
bIoodshed, massacre, assassination, i'll,
trigue, conspiracy, and war.
In those four centuries the Roman
OFFS fought wars with nearly every
IpeCple in Europe. They fought
the Crimean provinces, overrun Lty-
onu, dismembered Poland, and sent
their Cos5acks like a scourge across
The Caucasus until they had conquered
| tire center of Asia as far as the tomb
OF Tame,lane, and added all of Siberia
&c The realms Of the car.
In those four centuries the Roman
offs fought wars with Sweden, Ems
land, France, Italy, Prussia, Austria,
Turkey, China and Japan, They fought
with ana against Napoleon. They
helped Prussia against France, and
in tuln Joined France IN crushing
Prussia. Three times they tried to
conquer Turkey. Twice they tried
to invade Persia. Their hand has
been against almost every nation, and
ruler, and people in Europe. They
have Necn better hated and better
feared than the members OF any
repning family that ever held a
throne in modern Europe.
And yet these same Romanoffs,
whose throne has been washed with
the blood of a million murdered sub
iects, until its steps were as crimsou
as the velvet canopy above it, found
Russia Il horde of half oriental bar
barians, ard nodded the squat, stupid
mass into modern nation, one of the
recognized powers in the VOL Id. They
developed commerce, established uni
yersites, gridicned the empire with
railroads, fostored religion, cultivated
ant and science, Their ships ply
every sea. Their railroads cross two
continents. They are rivals with Eng
land and the United States in many
lines of commerce. Their lawyers are
recognized in the international courts
of the world, their scientists are
quoted in every laboratory, their lit
erature is in every modern library,
and their music is recognized among
the classics.
The first Romanoff was Michael
Feodorovitz who assembled the throne
In 1913, after the assassination of
Feodor l., last Of the house of Rulik,
which had ruled for 100 years. He
crushed rebellion and ruled until
1915 in comparative peace. He was
succeeded by his son Alexis, who in
his turn crushed rebellion by hang
ing, burning, and torturing 1000
prisoners.
Then came the son of Alexis, Fec
dor H., who ruled from 1876 to 1852.
He left two sons, Ivan V. and Peter
half brothers. They ruled joint
~, the real empress being Sophia,
mother of Peter l. Sophia gave Rus
sia the bloodiest reign history had
ever known up to that time 1t all
GUIDED in 1896, when Ivan V. died.
Then Peter l. asserted himself, and
put his mother in a convent
The history of modern Russia really
dates from the reign of Peter l., for
he was that most famous monarch of
all Russia, Peter the Great He sig
ualizcd his entry into power by be.
heading 5000 Of his enemies. He was
a wonderful. enlerprising broad mind.
ed, clucl, hloodthirsty monarch, who
hanged, burned, tortured and drowned
hts subjects until all Russia was one
vast ORGY Of blood And yet Peter
the Great built st, Petersburg, estab
}ished the commerce OF Russia, intro
duced modern culture, and died afte'
poisoning his own son.
Catherine l., wife of Peter the Great.
succeeded him in 1725 She was as
famous as she was infamous, She
was succeeded by Peter H., aud then
by Anne. daughter of Ivan Anne was
the first ruler of Russia TO Danish
prisoners to Siberia. She thus exiled
80. 900 Of her subjects, and sent To-
600 more to the scaffold.
Anne was followed by Ivan VI, who
was exlled and then assassinated,
A coup d'etat called Elizabeth,
daughter of Peter the Great, to the
throne IN 1871, and she reigned
through twenty years Of intrigue and
assassination.
Peter LII mounted the throne In