The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-07-29
prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. D. c.

prepared by the National Geographic
Society Washington. D. c.
W STHONIA, with which the United
- States has been negotiating a
H. commercial treaty, should be
of especial interest to Ameri-
cans Not only is it one of the
youngest republics, but its formation
marked the emergence to sudden in
dependence of a people who, through
700 years Of crushing bondage, kept
alive their dream Of freedom and were
ready to put it into realization when
the opportunity came.
World attention has been focused so
closely upon storm centerS of central
and southern Europe that compare
lively little has been heard Of the
new nations carved from Russia along
the Baltic sea. But with the gradual
resumption of commerce between Rus
STA and the outside world Esthonia
and its neighbours, Latvia and Lithu-
ania, will assume a more important
aspect, either as barriers or as gate
ways to interior Russia. From the
eighties Of the last century until the
World war period Esthonia bore the
fGouble yoke of czarist laws admins
tered by German officials.
One must go far back into Esthonian
history to trace the origin of this du-
plicate deSpOtism. Like the Films, to
whom they are closely related, the Es-
Iefh ~
million and a quarter people, re-
tain many characteristics which be-
speak their Monaghan origin. They
are long-arned and short-legged, have
broad faces, are usually beardless and
have slightly oblique eyes. They
probably came to their present land
between the Sixth and Eighth CEN
turtles from q former home along the
middle Volga far to the east. Other
relatives of the Esths, though more
distantly related than the Firms, are
the Hungarians, far away in south
central Europe.
The first record of the Esths In Eu
rope reveals them as daring preda-
tory people Of the Baltic whose pi-
ratio outrages enkindled the wrath of
Danish kings as early as the Twelfth
century. In 1884 and 1896 Canute vi
sent a strong expedition against them,
and forced number of the lawless
bands to accept Christianity and al
low themselves to be baptized. Hardly
had the warlike proselyters left the
Esthonian shores, however, when the
inhabitants reverted to barbarism and
their heather practices.
Ruled by Teutonic Knights
A quarter of century later Waldo
mar II was more successful. He sub
jugated the northern coastal region
and brought the inhabitants under
submission to the Danish crown. 1t
was never willing submission, how
ever, and for more than hundred
years the inhabitants gave their con-
querors endless trouble until In 1343
Waldemar " decided that they were
mot worth the bother" so he sold his
interest In the rebels and in their land
to the Brethren of the Sword. The
latter. unable to subdue the Esths,
called on the Teutonic knights who
were gradually spreading their net of
power northward from Teutonic lands.
They went in the role of Christian
crusaders and remained more than six
centuries as overlords and masters.
The lot of the Esthonians became that
Of serfs.
In the Sixteenth century both the
mobiles (they came to be called "Balt
barons") and the fortified towns Of
Esthonia placed themselves under the
protection of the Swedish crown, but
they were forced to acknowledge a
new master after Peter the Greats
successful wars against Charles XII.
In the last half century the Russian
imperial government made systematic
efforts to Russify the Esths, trying
especially to abolish the Esthonian
Language to which the people have
chung tenaciously. Harsh regulations
as to the use of the language in the
schools did not serve to wean the peo-
pie from their own tongue, however
One characteristic which has served
to preserve the Esth language through
the centuries has been the peoples
love for poetry, and they have rare
natural gift for versification.
The Russians also undertook by