The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-29
A SAD STATE OF SOCIETY.
Count Tolstoi Thinks That Things Arc Bet
ter In America Than Elsewhere.

Count TOlstoi Thinks That Things Arc Bet
ter In America Than Elsewhere.
In tho London Standard is given an
admirable account of an interesting in
terylew which Russian Journalist has
had with Count Leo Tolstoi.
Tho Journalist had beforehand ap-
prised the count of his intention and
stated that the theme of conversation
he wished to start would be "the vicious
tendency of society,"" or briefly, "inbred
SIN, and the count consented to give
his ideas ON the subject as follows:
suppose for moment" said he,
that six tigers had been brought in a
solid iron cage to some menagerio in
the government of lula. Go on to sup
pose that tho beasts had broken loose
and spread over the plains and forests,
attacking tho inhabitants. Naturally,
If these six tigers were killed or caught
and shut up again in their cages, tho
mischief would be at an end. Some peo-
pie seom to think that the case of vi
cious men is similar, in which they arc
altogether mistaken. Initiated human
beings are not tigers in Tula, but wolves
wolves Which regularly breed there
and have done SO for generations, and
which it Is absolutely impossible to OK
terminate"
You propose, then, COUNT
Il declare that if find that in my
own house heas are breeding it would
be strange for me to try and catch these
insects one by one. a much simpler
way is to clean out all the dust and
dirt from tho house, and the feas will
disappear of themselves
"And what have you to say, count,
of the rapid development of the vicious
tendency which is to be observed now
even in the most cultivated society,""
ut is due to the absence of good sense
and of love. I consider the cultured So
clety of today, as you call it, as some
thing abnormal. Common sense has lost
its footing there, and, as for love, it is
conspicuous by its absence. It is very
sad. Inbred sin (zlaya volia) leads to
grewsome consequences, especially be-
cause it is never possible to define tho
form in which it is likely to manifest
itself or the victims prcdestined for it.
If dying horse III the street lashes out
in spasms, any passcrby may fall under
his hoof -
"You say dying horse?'"
"a dying or raging or boiling, it
is all the same I mean an abnormal
animal, just in the Same condition as
an abnormal man-of vicious tendon
cy."
And which nation 90 you consider
tho most abnormal ut tho present time
Americans, French, English, Ger
mans?"
AT any rate, rot Alnericans To
their credit must be put Ill immense
national self love which cannot exist in
an abnormal people. L one day wrote IN
article on America and the Americans,
i'll which did not particularly overload
the latter with tlattcry. Nevertheless I
sent the MSS. over the ocean, thinking
it would be accepted by any paper as ca
gcrly as my other productions. Not Il
bit of it, The translator took it to If
different editors without it getting ac-
ccpted and finally it had to be sent to
England"
IF not America, count, them"
Why, France! Can anybody consid-
er France as normal where such things
as Panama occur, where men occupy
ing high positions in society are ready
to commit any crime for gold? Is that
normal state? A thousand times nor