The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-07-05

inal.
Altho the influences leading to tn,
revolution of March, 1917, which
forced his abdication, were variou.
and some of them obscure, it wa.
evident that the leaders of Russian
liberal thought blamed the emperor
| for failure to prosecute the war sue
cessfully, for continuing the rule Of
| the bureaucrats and for the growth
of the prO-German influence at the
Russian court which were undermin.
ing Russias war strength. There
| was bitter struggle between the
| duma and the reactionary party, a
shortage of food, lack of supplies for
the army, neglect of precaution and
| organization. Some of the these
were attributed by the liberal leaders
to dark forces at the court.
One of these for which the en-
peror was held personally respon-
, sible was the mysterious power ex-
ercised by Gregory Rasputin, the
mystic monk, who had obtained
great ascendency over both emperor
and empress. One explanation was
that Rasputin had fostered the en-
peror's mind by deception the belief
that the health of his only son, the
Grand Duke Alexis, depended Upon
Rasputin's good offices and presence
at the court. Protests against the
monks power and presence and
against the mysticism and supersti-
ton that enveloped the Russian
throne were suppressed. The resent
ment eliminated in the murder of
Rasputin and was famed to renewed
flame by the honors paid him after
death, including burial in a chapel
on the grounds of the emperor's
palace at Petrograd.
The government had ordered the
dissolution of the council of the en-
pire and the duma. The hungry peo-
pie were incensed by lack of food
supplies and held the government re-
spOnsible for their sufferings. The
duma rejected the imperial ukase
of dissolution, continued it's meetings
and organized an executive commit
tee. 1t was believed to represent the
demand of the people that the war
should be prosecuted with greater
vigor and efficiency. The troops in
Petrograd sustained the duma and
within three days from its inception
the revolution was accomplished, the
government overthrown and Nicholas
forced to abdicate.
The emperor was then at the Rus
sian headquarters. He attempted to
transfer the throne to his brother,
the Grand Due Michael, but he, in
turn abdicated and the Romanoff
dynasty which had ruled the destinies
of the Russian empire for more than
800 years was brought to an end. At
the order of the executive committee
of the duma, Nicholas, who had
signed his abdication at midnight
March Is, was arrested and taken
to Tsarskoe-Selo palace, which was
to be his prison, and was placed
under guard. He delivered a fare
we'll address to his soldiers who
listened unresponsively and, at its
conclusion, sang the Marseillaise.
Nicholas seemed to be stunned by
the suddenness of the blow and made
no attempt to resist. He rejected
the suggestion of one of his generals
that the Russian lines be opened to
let the Germans pass thru and IDEAL
with the Canaille in PetrOgrad,' de-
claring that he was no traitor. He
expressed the hope that he might
be permitted to live at his palace at
in the Crimea, where he
loved to stroll with the empress
among the flowers and woods. In
stead he was taken prisoner to
the Petrograd palace where the other
of the former imperial fam
lily had gathered to. share his i'm
At first the former en-
peror was not closely confined but
was allowed to walk in the garden
twice day under a guard Of SOL
diers. His chief occupation in the
first weeks of his Imprisonment was
in shovelling snow on the garden
walks. He seemed to be in good
health, displayed interest in what the
foreign newspapers printed about
him but was said to have periods of
crying.
His state as prisoner must have
been in painful contrast with that
which he enjoyed as Russian auto
crat. His private wealth had been
estimated at $4,000, 900, 900, but it
was confessed that no accurate idea
Of it's vastness was obtainable. His
income was believed to exceed $780,
100000 a year. His personal ex-
penses were placed at $50 day, but
the expense of maintaining the royal
state were almost incredible.
When emperor he was classed as
the most wealthy man in the world.
He owned several 9th worlds most
beautiful palaces and possessed
great fortune in diamonds, pearls
and other jewels and precious stones.
He owned, it was said, more than
million square miles of cultivated
land and forests. One-third Of the
output of Russia's gold and silver
mines was believed to be included
In his income. At Petrograd he was
housed magnificently in the colossal
palace but at times the i'm
perial family resided in some Of the
other magnificent establishments or
chateaus where he and the empress
loved to hold court. 1t was reported
that he gave $100,000,0O0 from his