El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-01
Proves Women Can Rule
Catherine II, After Peter the Great,
Was the Chief Regeneration
OF the Country.
BY Madison c. Peters

ATHERINE II, daughter Of Prince
AnhaIt-Zerbst, a Prussian field
~ marshal and governor OF Stettin,
who was selected by the Empress
Elizabeth. OF Russia, as the wife Of her
nephew and successor, Peter, was born
in Upper SaxOny, Nay ?, 1929. She was
named Sophia Augusta and on passing
from the Lutheran into the Greek
church took the name Catherine Alex
fevna GATHERINGS mother, a pedantic
German Of the old school gave her a
severe education, which did not hinder,
but helped TO strengthen the maScu-
line temperament OF her daughter
Her marriage took place September ],
1145. The ul-aSSOrted union was not
happy. Both lived a life Of unrestrained
vice Ascending the throne as Peter
III. in 1I61, on the death OF the Em-
press Elizabeth, their cOnjugn differ
ences widened. Catherine developed
into a handsome, strong minded amni-
tiOus woman, while Peter was slis-,
WayWard and eXCravagant- Peter, being
dethroned BY a conspiracy, Catherine
was made empress. A few days later
Peter was murdered. The wife had no
participation in the deed.
To please the Russians. Catherine
made a great show Of regard for the
Greek church, though she was at heart
PARTICULARLY partial to the French phii
OsOphers OF the period She had seve-a
times invited FOltaire to her court,
proposed to D'Alembert to finish the
Encyclopedia at St. Petersburg and
to undertake the education of the grand
duke. DiderOt visited her at her re-
quest. She gained the favor OF the
hterad OF Europe, who sang her
praises She was cOnfessedly, next to
Peter the Great, the chief Regeneration
Of Russia, and in many respects the
greatest ruler Of Europe; her reign
being remarkable for the rapid rise Of
the power Of Russia
Proved Women Can Rule.
As woman. the RIGHTEOUSNESS Of
her character is inexcusable, but as d
ruler she furnished ample argument to
the woman suffragist of today to show
that woman can rule She established
schools. ameliOrated the condition II
the serfs, founded cities, protected COM
merce, established banks built factor
les, created naval force, encouraged
art promoted literature, improved
laws, dug canals, founded hospitals and
built colleges. and the only thing that
halted her progress for Russia was the
Idea she began to entertain, that the
French Revolution was the result Of
a too progressive civilization.
Catherine secured the election OF
Stanislaus POniatouski to the throne
of Poland. Though disturbed from
time to time by intrigue, this remark
able woman, in spite of all her dissipa-
ton, showed the greatest activity in
the administration of the internal. as
well as the external affairs Of her en-
pire, receiving from the assembly the
title Of mother Of the country" She
defeated the plans Of France in Poland
against Russie, she routed the Turks,
she defeated the Greeks, and along with
Austria and Prussia she effected the last
partition Of Poland in 1895. She con-
cluded peace with the Porte, stipulated
for the independence Of the Crimea, Sc
cured to herself the free navigation
of the Black Sea and was on the point
of turning against France, when she
died of apoplexy November 9, 1896.