Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1913-05-23

HM M% - 'ONN O $500 NOO AtNA $4,000
- who had foretold in the year 1913 that
the future held greatness for Russia
M and after ruin for her adversary,
Poland. Indeed, it seemed somewha
I'M doubtful whether Russia could even
maintain her independence. The story
% of how a line of men, resolute to shrink
from no means, even the most shame
10 full, in the pursuit of their end, built
up after the havoc of the Mongol fury
q new state around the obscure city of Moscow,
Is one Of the most remarkable in history. Yet in
1611 all their work seemed undone. Ivan ",
prematurely aged, worn out, broken-hearted, hav-
Ing murdered his eldest son in a fit of maniacal
fury, passed away in circumstances of the utmost
horror in 1884. For the next twenty years the
real ruler of Muscovy was Ivan's great minister,
Boris Godunov, one of the new mem whom his
reforming zeal had called to the front. Godunov
was in many ways an excellent ruler--he was
perhaps the most enlightened of the pre- Petrine
monarchs of Russia. But the great mobiles dis
liked him, and there is little doubt that he
cleared his path to the throne by making away
with Dmitri, the half-brother of the nominal Gar,
Feodor l., and his natural heir. The great family
OF the Romanotfs stood near the throne, for Fec
doris mother had been a Romanoff. While Eco
dor lived Godunov dared not attack them, but
when the weak monarch died in 1898 and the
minister, despite his more or less feigned reluc-
lance, was elected his successor, the whole fam
fly was banished.
Suspicion was the bane of the otherwise bene-
fetal rule of Boris, Finally, an adventurer named
Gregory Otrepev gave out that he was Prince
Dmitri, who had escaped from the assassins Of
Boris, and raised a formidable instruction, aided
by Sigismund Ill, king Of Poland. In the midst
of the war Boris died, and the fatal period of
troubles of Russia began.
The supposed Dmitri soon overthrow the
youthful Feodor H., son of Boris. He proved an
admirable ruler, but he was a Roman Catholic
and was murdered by the mobiles. Shuiski, one
nf fhp concentrations uaS oIoofo5 T1or ND Tho
title of Vasili v, but obtained no firm footing.
Revolt everywhere broke out, sprang up In every
direction, raised armies of miscellaneous rufians
and Polish adventurers, and spread terror and
devastation to the gates of Moscow. For years
this anarchy lasted. The worst of the pretenders
was the Thief" whose lair was at Tushino, near
Moscow, but everywhere the wretched country
was oVerrun and wasted by gangs of Cossacks,
1. e., robbers, The desolation was fearful; in
nVe years the fruits of a century of effort ap-
peared to have been hopelessly lost. The wretch
ed Shutski purchased, by the surrender of terri
tory in the Baltic provinces, the aid of Sweden;
but the result was to bring about a Polish inva-
sion. In 1909 Smolensk was besieged; next wear
the great Polish general, Zolkiewski, defeated
and captured Shuiski, entered Moscow, and pro-
claimed Wladislaw, son of Sigismund III, car.
BY skillful diplomacy he occupied the Kremlin,
and gained some measure Of support for Wladis.
law.
Russia seemed lost. Smolensk held out with
Dltter desperation for two years. but was at last
taken. "The Thief was murdered, but his fol
lowers held together and contested the posses.
sion Of Moscow desperately with the Poles. Hall
the wretched city was destroyed in the course
of the struggle, but the famous Troitsa monastery
near the capital resisted siege after siege dur
ing the anarchy and refused to submit.
Here the movement to put an end to the nre
Vailing misery first took definite shape. The
abbot, Dionysius. and the administrator, Abraham
Palitsin, took the lead. In October, 1911, letter.
were sent all over Russia calling upon the peo
pie to unite in defense of their religion. Min
Novgorod, led by Kuzma Mimi, a master butcher
at once responded with enthusiasm. Kazan
Jealous of Mini Novgorod, held back, but al
down the Volga the towns Joined the movement
and men and money came pouring into tn
patriot city. Prince Dmitri Mikhailovich POI
harski, a brave noble who had consistently or
posed the Poles and had been wounded almos
to death in the fighting round Moscow. was cleo