The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-06
TODAY IN HISTORY
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1910,
Death of Catherine the Great.

One OF the most remarkable rulers OF
modern times was Catherine II. OF Rus
sia. who has been styled the great. In
spite of all her defects OF character.
Catherine's ambitions were boundless and
her energy tireless. and both served
chiefly one aim-that OF developing all
Of the resources Of Russia and trans
forming that empire into the most pow
crful and most splendid state OF Eu
rope.
Sophia Augusta daughter of the Prince
and Anhalt Zerbat, assumed the name
OF Catherine upon her conversion to the
Greek faith. She married Peter of Hol-
stein-Gottorp when she was sixteen years
Of age. Peter being nephew OF the En-
press Elizabeth, aSccnded the throne at
the latter's dcah. He was Il prodlgate
monarch and treated Catherine shame
doing is hard TO answer. for GATHERINGS
department was anything but exemplary.
AT any rate. their differences became so
strained that Peter threatened 10 d.
for him. and as the clergy and the army
had been allenated from him, they We're
easily persuaded 10 support the revolu-
ton which Catherine and her tavorltes
planned for his overthrow,
The scheme was carried out on the
morning OF the 9th of July, 1862 when
Catherine. supported by the army, pro-
claimed herself sole monarch and Peter
was arrested and in a week following was
dead, According TO accounts commonly
credited, he was poisoned and then
deadly work too slowly. There Is little
doubt that Catherine commanded this
deed OF blood
Thus was inaugurated the reign of
were early felt TO be great but were
great for evil as well as good She was
without scruple in the gratiiication OF
her passions. and without delicacy in
undoubtedly as sovereign With
clear and cultivated intellect. with high
aims and breadth OF views, and fearless
because despiSng the opinions OF others
she could plan and she could achieve her
country's greatness; and in the extend
cd dom inions and improved civilization
which she hcqueathed 10 her successor is
found u true claim to the gratitude OF
her sub iects.
1t was not long before the great en-
press of the north had dazzled Europe
by the vastness OF her power and her
designs She gave close personal at
tenton to the work Of government and
BY liberal expenditure and the patron
use OF letters and art made her court
one OF the most brilliant i'm Europe. It
has been said that she found ST Peters
burg a village Of novels and left IL a
city OF brick and marble.
In the management OF men Catherine
was simply marvellous. She employed lll
The resources OF trained diplomats
Of subtle psychologist. and of wo-
man who knows the art OF fascination;
and employed them together or apart.
AS her biographer SAYS: IL II is true
that she sometimes takes her lovers for
generals and statesmen, II is no less
true that she treats on occa Sions her
generals and statesmen as lovers, III il
avails nothing TO command, 10 threaten
or to punish, she becomes coaXing and
whceding. Towards the soldiers that
she sends to death, bidding them only
win for her victory she has delicate at
tentions, fiattering forethought, adorable
little ways. Should fortune smile upon
the efforts she has thus provoked and
stimulated, she is profusey grateful:
honors. pensions, gifts of money, OF pres
her glory. But she does not abandon
those who have had the misfortune to be
unlucky"
GATHERINGS art Of ruling was not how
yer. without its shortcomings. some OF
which were due to the mere fact OF
sen. whose dependencies and Weaknesses
she was powerless to overcome. "Ah."
she cried one day, "if heaven had only
granted Inc brooches instead OF petti-
coats, / could do anything. It is with
eyes and arms that one rules, and wo-
man has only ears"
Tho petticoats were not solely respon-
sible for her difficulties. We have al
ready referred TO q defect which bore
heavily upon the conduct OF affairs dur
ing her rcign; this great leader OF men
who knew so we'll how TO make use OF
them. did not know how to choose them
Toward the end of her reign the eX-
trayagnncc and the corruption of her
court brought her Into discredit in Rus
sin as wei as among the sovereigns or
Europe. The cause OF her death was
an attack OF apoplexy. after she had
reigned thirty-four years.