The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-04-13


But when the latter returned In 1701
as victor from another campaign
he again received the palace for q
present. On the night of February
2S Of that year ball was given there
In honor of Catherine III, which Is re-
membered In Russian history as q
unique event. One hundred and forty
thousand lamps and 10000 candles
We're used for lighting purposes that
night.
After the death of POtemkin the
Taurlda palace was again acquired by
the czar.
Rasputln's Influence.
To the influence of Gregory Raspu-
tin, Siberian monk and mystic, the
former czar of Russia can attribute the
revolt which has brought into being a
new Russia.
Gregory Rasputin-it is name that
Russian progressives hate with the ut
most vigor. Rasputin is dead, a vic
tim Of assassination, but the whirlwind
he sowed did not die with him. The
whirlwind overturned rock-ribbed
dynasty that the efforts of thousands
Of patriots had been unable to shake In
the slightest.
The rock foundation of the Roma.
noffs owes its dlslntegratlon to the
teachings and rituals" of Rasputin
the most powerful man in Russia in
recent years, the "power behind the
throne" and the "confidant Of tho
czarina."
No one knows Rasputin better than
Sergius Mlchaelow Trufanoff, who but
a few years ago as Iliodor, the Mad
Monk of Russia, was factor himself
in Russian court affairs and who re-
Gently wrote a serial of his life for
the Jewish newspaper Die Wahrheit.
Russia Before the "Deluge."
In his serial IliOdOr has drawn
striking picture Of the Russia before
the deluge" 1t is a picture that de-
picts the degeneracy of the Russian
court, of the unheeded voices Of the
people asking for food and justice, of
graft and license on every side, of 4
czar-weak-kneed, foolish, pitiful, the
tool of his sycophants, believer in
mysticism-and In the center of this
most dramatic stage of centuries stood
Rasputin, the untutored, unkempt, re-
ligious mystic from Siberia, who by
his hypnotic power over the czar and
the czarina was able to make and un-
make ministers, laugh at the holy
synod, force Russia into war and all
but succeeded in making a separate
peace with Germany.
Iliodor, fret favored by Rasputin,
discovered the real monster Rasputin
was" and then fought him to the finish.
But Rasputin won, and Iliodor fled
to this country.
Probably the most surprising thing
about the overturning of the Roma
nOff dynasty was the ease with which it
was accomplished. But peep behind |
the scenes with Iliodor into the court |
life of the czar, into the degeneracy of |
the mobiles, and to the czar himself, de- |
scribed by Iliodor as a "man without I
q NDiShNs lCl NOuot NNhh1 plllNEhltllfN3 |
hardly able to articulate, an abrupt |
voice, muffied emitting sounds like
those from the grave, eyes dull, misty |
and filed with tears" may help to ex-
plain. 1t was the French revolution
repeating itself.
Welded Terrible Influence.
For years the czar, had listened to
the teachings" of religious mystics
and the last and the greatest of these
was Rasputin. Iliodor said he pos
sessed almost hypnotic powers and this
power first exerted itself on women
and then through them on the court it.
self. One of those first to fall. under
his influence was the czarina and the
,zar soon succumbed.
How strong the influence of the mys-
les was on the czar is illustrated by
he fact that Iliodor relates that when
MS ministers had finished giving him
heir opinions of weighty matters the
nystics would sweep in and get the
asst moments of the cars attention,
,ften reversing all that the ministers
lad said. Rasputin, the greatest of
hese, was able to use this weakness
o great personal advantage, and many
'fforts to overthrow him were defeat
ID by the cZar himself.
1t was shortly after Rasputin was
to court by the wife Of a
amous general that the revolution Of /
905 took place, and the czar and his
Ourt, frightened by the clamoring of
he populace, prepared to flee. Raspu-
in, however, presented such firm
rOnt that the czar again took heart
nd from that moment Rasputin held
ull sway.
Many serious charges were made
oncerning Rasputin's personal sway
yer the czarina, Iliodor said, but 1t
vas always the czar who quashed
hese charges. What were the prac-
Ices of the cult Rasputin led in the
lnermost circles Of the court Iliodor ..
ever wrote, but he limited that the
o-called cult practiced the most re-
olting rites. ,
The assassination of Stolypin, niodor :
lid directly to Rasputin and the czar. =
tolypin had got in Rasputin's way i
nd his elimination was an easy mat =
er; niodor said also that it was Ras- =
utln who prevented Russia going to !,
ar with Austria when Austria took ;,
yer Bosnia and Herzegovina. Count =
Iitte was a favorite of Rasputin's, =
nd was practically made premier
trough Rasputin's offices. :
Russias entering the present war 9
as due, Hiodor said, to another dream
T Rosnutin He hecame an ardant