The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-15
RIGA.

Christian Science Monitor: The great
Russian seaport, which lies on the Bal
tic at the head of the Gulf Of Riga
has one significant feature In the days
before the war at any rate, the popu-
lation Of Riga was forty-seven percent
German. Indeed the Germans were by
far the largest single section of the
community, the Russians coming next
with twenty-five percent, and the Let's
next with twenty-three percent For
the rest, here was a small admiXure OF
Esthonians and Jews. II is the same
to a greater or less extent, throughout
the whole Of what are known as the
Baltic provinces, ana the explanation Is
not far to seek. for quite apart frcm
the definite attempt which has been
made, during the last few decades, by
the Deutschtum in Russia to colonize
the Baltic provinces with Germans, the
district has always possessed a great
attraction for the German.
Riga itself owes its foundation to the
merchants Of Bremen, Of some eight
hundred years ago 1t was in the year
1853 that a few Bremen traders, desir
ing to secure a storehouse on the east
ern Baltic for the produce and mer-
chandise Of Russia which offered itself
for purchase to the merchants Of the
west, decided upon the place where
Riga now stands as affording the best
facilities for their purpose. SO city
was founded there. and. from the first,
it seems to have prospered greatly. As
so often happened in those days, how
ever It early came under the control
Of the church. About the year 1880,
| the Augustiniau monk, Meinhard.
erected monastery there. The next
| important event in the history Of the
| town was when the Prince-Bishop Al
| bert / Of Livonia obtained from Pope
/ Innocent III permission for German
merchants to land at the new settle.
ment. and chose il for his seat. exer.
cising his power over the neighboring
district in connection with the Teutonic
! knights.
For a time all went well between the
people of Riga and their bishop But
! both prospered greatly, and the more
the people prospered the more they
looked askance at the bishop and the
/ greater were the efforts OF the bishop
to retain his hold and influence The
people. however. steadily gained
| ground As early as the first half OF
the thirteenth century. Riga had so
greatly grown in strength and size that
it obtained the right Of electing its own
magistracy. Later on, it joined the
| Hanseatic League, and finally after
much murmuring il rose in revolt
against the bishop and the Teutonic
knights, and refused 10 recognize the
rights OF either. Riga succeeded in
achieving It's purpose. and. for more
than one hundred and seventy years
the city maintained its freedom. In
1920. however. it fell once more under
the control Of the bishop who man
aged to maintain his authority until
il was finally abolished by the Refor
nation, in 1866
At about this time the history OF the
town was particularly troubled In l547
| Sigismuud u, king of Poland, took the
city. whilst some ten years later. IN,
Russians came against it. laid vast,
It's suburbs. and burned many ships ir
the river Then. in the year 1861. Riga
and the whole of LNona became Pol
ish possession. The troubles. however
were by no means over for. In the scy
enteenth century. Sweden joined In IN,
struggle, and in 1927 Gustavus Adolphui
wrosted the city from Poland and hel,
d, successfully against both Russians
and Poles. Riga. indeed. did not flnall,
settle down as "a Russian possession
until 1910 and It's last great adventure
was in 1872, when, the approach o
Napoleon's forces being apprehended
the Russians resorted TO the mean,
which proved SO successful at Moscow
and burnt the suburbs OF the city.