The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-05-07
RUSSIA ALWAYS UNDER YOKE
Easy to Understand Why the Unhappy
People Have Turned to 5oIshe-
vism in Their Cropping for
Freedom.
Article XVI.
BY FRANK coMERFoRD.

tSh chrOn1cler, tells the STORY. hleN 10
the mother of Russian cities. In the
ninth century Slavs and Firms lived In
a tribal state in the forest region near
Lake linen, between Lake Ladoga and
the upper waters of the Dnieper river.
Bands of military adventures from
the land of Rus, which Is supposed to
have been a part of Sweden, exacted
tribute from the tribes. In the year
$50 the tribes threw off the yoke of
the Norsemen and drove them out of
the country. 1t was Russia's first revo-
luton, so the old chronicler relates,
and it was successful. Freed from the
tyranny of the tribute takers the tribes
began to quarrel among themselves.
Their land was large and fertile, but
civil war destroyed order. Then as
now, order was the first essential to
peace and happiness. 1t is told that
after three years of tribal war they
confessed their inability to manage
their own affairs and they sent mis-
sion to Rus to invite their old masters
to come and rule over them.
According to the legend, three broth
ers, princes of Rus, Rurik, Sineus and
Truvor, accepted the call and founded
a dynasty, from which many of the
Russian princes of the present day
claim descent.
While much discussion has been pro-
voked as to the identity of the war
riors from the land of Rus, the found
erS of the Russian empire, it is gen.
orally believed that they were the
hardy Norsemen who in the ninth CEN
fury roamed through various countries
of Europe. These rowing bands in
vaded and conquered territory and
lived as the dominant military caste
until they were gradually absorbed by
the native population.
Noveorod First Capital.
Prince Rurik built his capital on the
banks of the River Volkhov, which
with Lake linen formed part of the
great waterway connecting the Baltic
and Black seas. BY this route, the
tall, blonde Norsemen, who composed
the famous Varangian bodyguard of
the Byzantine emperors, travelled from
Scandinavia to Constantinople. Rus
sia's first capital was Novgorod.
These new rulers from the land of
Rus brought with them the spirit of
adventure of the Norsemen. They
were not contented to rule the tribes
who had invited them. They set out
to conquer the surrounding country in
all directions, and before two hundred
years had passed they had invaded
Byzantine territory, established them
selves at Kiev, threatened CONSTANT
nople with fleet, secured as a consort
for Vladimir I, one of their princes. q
sister of the Byzantine emperor,
adopted Christianity for themselves
and their subjects, learned to hold in
check the nOmadic hordes of the
steppe. and formed matrimonial al.
tances with the reigning families of
Poland, Hungary, Norway and France
They became a great power in eastern
Europe.
They had great appetite for con.
quest, but they lacked the power to
organize the territory they conquered
The political future of the new state
was destroyed when the princes of the
Rurik dynasty divided the state into 9
number Of independent principalities
For a time these were weakly anC
loosely held together by the patri
archal authority of the senior mem
Der of the family, the grand prince
VINO ruled in Kiev. Family quarrel.
became frequent. These princes wer,
strong men. They wanted power. The,
stroVe to enlarge their territories n
the expense of their rivals. The tradi
tional authority of the grand princ,
declined. Yaroslav the Great was tn,
last of the grand princes. With hi
death in 1864, family feuds multiple,
and disintegration set in. During th,
next 10 years, from 1854 to 1924
Russia was split into over sixty prin
cipalities. Disputes over the question
OF succession led to eighty-three ciyi
wars.
Ruined by Internal struaqIe.
During these interminable struggle
OF rival princes, Kiev, which had bee,
so long the residence of the gram
prince, was repeatedly taken by storm
and ruthlessly pillaged. Finally III
, whole valley of the Dnieper fell pre
, TO the marching tribes of the Stem,
: Thereupon Russian colonization an
. political influence retreated nortl
ward, and from that time the contir
uous stream of Russian history
to be sought in the land where IN
: Vikings first settled, and in the adiolr
ing basin Of the upper volga. Her
new princlpallties were founded som
Of them having grand prince. VIII
no longer protested allegiance TO Kie,
Thus appeared the grand princes ,
E suzdal OF Tyer, OF Ryazan and I
! Moscow--all irreconcllable rivals VIII
little or no feelings Of blood relatio,
4 ship, The more ambitious and nowe