Chapter II: A Bit of Early Russian History

The history of Russia is the history of so many diverse races and governments that it is impossible here even to touch upon many events of the greatest import. Of two phases of Russian history, however, we must get a glimpse in order to understand her problems: first, of the ancient Republic of Novgorod, and, second, of Russia’s long struggle for the supremacy of the white race.

Over a thousand years ago, when the great Teutonic and Anglo-Saxon races were still barbarians, there existed in northern Russia a wonderful republic, with a constitution that causes men of modern times to marvel, a constitution that could have been formed only by a people supersaturated with the spirit of liberty and dominated by an unshakable belief in the equality of mankind. This wonderful republic was known as Novgorod. It was governed by the Vietche (Congress) elected by the people, which, in turn, elected its head, or “Posadnik.” This chief was looked upon as a servant of the people amenable to the constitution of the republic.

The people of this ancient free country were of Scythian origin, from whom all Slavic races have descended, and who migrated from some Asiatic region into eastern Europe about twenty-four hundred years ago. The inhabitants of Novgorod showed wonderful commercial tendencies, their trading extending into Greece, Persia, and even the East Indies. The republic was so rich and powerful that all the nations around it became subservient to it, until eventually there was coined a phrase, “Who dares to oppose God and the Mighty Novgorod!” The fabulous wealth of this mighty republic became known to the Mongolians, who made repeated attempts to overrun Novgorod. In time the Novgorodians became surrounded by Asiatics of Mongolian origin, such as Finns, Khozars, Tartars, and others, and instead of being able to follow their commercial and agricultural pursuits, they were forced to defend themselves against the hordes pouring down upon them from Asia.

Taken at Samarkand. Note in background Sarts, Tadjicks and Uzbecks all wearing the “chalma”]

As to-day, so then the Aryans of western Europe could not see the danger threatening the white race, and instead of banding with the Novgorodians and helping them drive the Mongolians back to the place from which they had come, they too made war upon them. When, in the ninth century, the Novgorodians received as their grand prince, Rurik, a descendant of the Variags (forefathers of the Scandinavians), it was on condition that he be amenable to the constitution of Novgorod. But finally, the downfall of that wonderful Republic came, the Tartars fell upon the land like wolves upon prey. At length there was nothing left of the mighty Novgorod, whose power had been likened unto that of the Almighty. The divided sovereignties were again and again overrun by the Tartars, who destroyed everything and carried back with them thousands of Russian women to become inmates of their harems. Eventually, worn out by the long struggle with the Tartars, weakened by internal dissensions, and depleted by a plague, the republic of the people, for the people and by the people disappeared from the earth.

Three hundred years of Tartar yoke brought to Russia even a worse calamity than the downfall of the republic--namely, the degradation of the Russian character. The famous Tartar, Genghis Khan, appeared with his vast armies, and sweeping all before him, subjected Russia to the horrors of the darkest forms of slavery. It was not until the reign of Catherine II, in 1783, that the last Tartar, Khan Shagin Gherei, was deposed. That year, which saw the birth of the American nation, found Russia getting rid of the last of the merciless invaders. No people have ever been compelled to suffer the soul-racking tortures and cruelties, the continual plunder and pillage, that fell to the lot of the Russian people. The tyranny which the Tartars visited upon them during this three-hundred-year period justified all efforts on the part of the Russians to escape from it. Infamy no longer brought shame in its train, and punishment was no longer the accompaniment of crime. Honor disappeared, and only fear--great, overmastering fear--held the Russians in its grip, brutalizing the natures of all. The Tartar crushed every bit of pride from the haughty Russian heart, vice and avarice became the leading characteristics of the nation, and might became stronger than right. There was danger for travelers on the roads, and families had no security against the desecration of their homes. Tartars destroyed all the cities, first pillaging and then burning them.

The most dreaded of robbers of the Kara Kum Desert, Transcaspia, Central Asia. After the terrible battle with the Russians at Geok-Tepe, they were practically subdued. They are related to the Tartars]

Russian history shows that prior to the Tartar invasion the Russians were very thrifty, generous, law-abiding citizens, and that they possessed, to a high degree, gentle and mild characteristics. When other European countries indulged in all forms of tortures and inhuman barbarities in punishment of political or religious offenders, it was an unknown thing to them to mutilate or torture even the worst criminal, political or otherwise. In 1113, Vladimir Monomachus abolished capital punishment, saying, “Put not even an enemy to death, for the soul of a Christian is sacred.” It was not again instituted until a long time after the Tartar conquest, when the no less noble Dimitri Donskoi (who administered a crushing blow to the Tartars in 1380) was compelled to reinstate it owing to the then changed disposition of the Russian people.

To the Russians of the early eleventh century blows were unknown even in the heat of a quarrel. It was the Tartar yoke that was responsible for the introduction of corporal punishment. The Tartars, too, introduced the practice of branding a culprit, and during the reign of Vassili the Blind flogging with the knut was practiced, and even inflicted upon persons of noble station. Thus the Tartar brought about the “falling from its high estate” of the Russian character, and this corruption was consummated by the infiltration of Mongolian blood.

I often wonder what would be the result if the fourteen million negroes living in the United States to-day were unqualifiedly permitted to intermarry with the white people, and if to that were added the Mongolian and Malay strains, which predominate in the Indians, Mexicans, Filipinos and Latin Americans. It is certain that it would spell the end of the white race in America, for history supports the assertion that intermarriage of a superior with an inferior race has always resulted in the reduction of the superior to the level of the inferior. Not in a single instance has the inferior race been elevated one iota. We have, for example, Spain, who early adopted in all her colonies the policy of racial intermarriage. And where is Spain to-day? In this same way, some liberty-loving Russians, excellent types of the Aryan race, were gradually changed into hybrids with despotic tendencies. Fortunately, the ruling class was mostly affected, the peasants in general retaining their white skins, blond hair and blue eyes. Think how the descendants of those Novgorodians must have degenerated to submit to a quasi-aristocrat such as the stern half-Tartar, Boris Godunov, brother-in-law of the weak Tzar Feodor, son of Ivan the Terrible, making serfs and slaves of them, when in the days of Novgorod all men were considered equal. Let us hope this almost indelible imprint in the Russian trait of character will be obliterated by time, for even to-day, to a slight extent, the debasing strain of the barbarous Mongol makes itself evident.

Of Turco-Mongolian origin]

From the background of later Russian history three figures stand out pre-eminently--Peter the Great, Katherine the Great, and Alexander II. It is said that Peter the Great did not merely develop Russia--he created Russia! This statement is largely true, for it is in great measure owing to his shrewd foresight, his almost superhuman energy, and his dogged persistence, in both military and constructive undertakings, that Russia owes her place among the nations. Peter obtained for Russia sea course upon the Baltic, he founded St. Petersburg, and there established a new national capital where before had been only a swampy marsh, he built a navy; he founded schools, he forced upon his subjects the civilization of western Europe.

The reign of Katherine the Great, from 1762 to 1796, was likewise full of important movements and developments for the strengthening of the Russian Empire. During her reign large territories were acquired in the east from the Tartars and the Turks and all the Polish territory east of the Bug and Niemen Rivers was gained. Katherine was also a patron of literature, art and science. She gave the large towns charters, with the right to choose mayors and magistrates, and formed the nobles of such provinces into corporate bodies, with the right to elect judges and various minor offices. She even made an attempt to establish a national parliament. Katherine corresponded with Voltaire, and he had a great admiration for the quality of her mind. Speaking of her, he said, “Light comes now from the North.”

Note shoes made of birch bark]

The reign of Alexander II was a time of great forward strides in the life of Russia. The working of coal beds and oil wells was encouraged, and railroad and telegraph lines were greatly extended. But the greatest achievement of the reign of Alexander was the emancipation in 1861 of all the serfs in the empire, comprising some fifty-three million souls, then almost half of the entire population; and the establishment of a system by which the serfs in the country districts could acquire the lands that they cultivated. After the war with Turkey, the Emperor formed still larger designs for the improvement of conditions within the empire. There is little doubt he would have made a great change for the better had he been permitted to carry out his plans. But during his reign, there was formed a class of discontented theorists, the Nihilists, who became a dangerous element in Russia. They were too hot-headed to give Alexander time to carry out the plans he so earnestly desired for the good of the people, and they assassinated him in March, 1881. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander III, father of the present Tzar.

The genuine Russians are divided into three classes: Great Russia, with a population of forty millions, occupying the northern section of European Russia; White Russia, occupying the province of Mogilev, Vitepsk, Grodno and Minsk; and Little Russia, in the southern part of the country. The Great and the White Russians strikingly resemble the Scandinavians. They are of colossal stature, and have blond hair and blue eyes, excepting a small proportion where the Tartar influence has crept in. Then the yellow pigment becomes dominant, the hair straight, coarse and black, and the cheekbones quite prominent. The White Russians are probably the least contaminated, but there are only from three to four millions of them.