Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-11-15
NICHOLAS II

TINE ROmanoff dynasty autocracy
which terminated with the czar's
L manifesto of Oct 80, has ruled
Russia for 1872 years. or through near
ly four whole centuries, marked by
bloodshed, massacre, assassination, in
trigue, conspiracy, and war.
in those four centuries the Roman
offs fought wars with nearly every
people in Europe. They fought
Sweden, subdued Poland, suhmgated
the Crimean provinces, overrun Liy-
onia, dismembered Poland, and sent
their Cossacks like a scourge across
the Caucasus until they had conquered
the center Of Asia as far as the tomb
of Tameilane, and added all of Siberia
to the realms of the car.
In those four centuries the Roman
offs fought wars with Sweden Eng
land, France, Italy, Prussia, Austria
Turkey China and Japan. They fought
with and against Napoleon. They
! helped Prussia against France, and
! in turn 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 been better hated and better
/ feared than the members of any
ireigning family that ever held a
throne in modern Europe.
I And yet these same Romanoffs,
whose throne has been washed with
he blood of a million murdered sub
IS, until its steps were as crimson
as the velvet canopy above it, found
Russia horde of half oriental bar
barians, ard nodded the squat, stupid
mass into modern nation, one of the
recognized powers in the world. The
developed commerce. established mi
verstes, gridironed the empire V III
railroads, fostered religion, cultivat Ell
/ art 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 Romano@ was Michael
Feodorovitz who ascendel the throne
( in 1913 after the ass assination Of
Feodor l., last Of the house of RuIik
which had ruled for 200 years. He
crushed a rebellion and ruled until
t645 in comparative peace. He was
succeeded by his son Alexis, who in
his turn crushed a rebellion by hang
ing, btfrhing, and torturing 1000
prisoners.
Then came the son of Alexis, Fec
dor ILL.,, who ruled from 1876 to 1882
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
STA the bloOdiest reign history had
ever known up to that time. 1t all
ended in 1896, when Ivan V. died.
Then Peter ! 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
nallzed his entry into uower by be-
heading 5000 of his enemies He was
a wonderful enterprising. bread mind
ed. cruel. bloodthirsty monarch. who
hanged, burned, tortured, and drowned
his subjects until all Russia was one
vast orgy of blood And vet Peter
the Great built ST. Petersburg, estab-
iliShed 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 1925. She was as
famous as she was infamous. She
was succeeded by Peter H.. and then
by Anne, daughter of Ivan. Anne was
the first ruler of Russia to Danish
Iprisouers to Siberia She thus exiled
10000 of her subjects, and sent TO-,
/ 600 more to the scaffold.
Anne was followed By Ivan VI. who
was exiled and then assassinated,
/ A coup d'etat called Elizabeth
daughter of Peter the Great. 10 the
throne in 1S41, and she reigned
through twenty years Of intrigue and
assassination.
Peter Ill mounted the throne in
1892, only to be murdered by his wires
/ favorite in a few months. Then his
wife, Catherine H.. grasped the