The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
A SAD STATE OF SOCIETY.
Count Tolstoi Thinks That Things Are Bet
ter In America Than Elsewhere.

ter In America Than Elsewhere.
In the London Standard is given an
admirable account of an interesting in
terview WHICH Russian journalist has
had with Count Leo TolstOl.
The journalist had beforehand ap-
prised the count of his intention and
stated that the theme Of conversation
he wished to start would be 1.-The vicious
tendency of society,"" or briefly, INBRED
sin," and the count consented to give
his ideas on the subject as follows:
Suppose for a moment, said he,
''that six tigers had been brought IN
solid iron cage to some menagerie in
the government of Tula. Go on to sup
pose that the beasts had broken loose
and spread over the plains and forests,
attacking the inhabitants. Naturally,
if these six tigers were killed or caught
and shut up again in their cages, the
mischief would be at an end. Some peo-
pie seem to think that the case of vi
cious men is similar, in which they are
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 ex.
terminate
"You propose, then, count
81 declare that if I find that in my
own house fleas 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 the 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,""
''It is due to the absence of good sense
and of love. I consider the cultured So
ciety 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. 1t is very
sad. Inbred sin (zlaya volia) leads to
grewsome consequences, especially be-
cause it is never possible to define the
form in which it is likely to manifest
itself or the victims predestined for it.
If dying horse in the street lashes out
in spasms, any passerby may fall under
his hoof. -
"You say dying horse?'"
ga dying or raging or bolting, it
is all the same. mean an abnormal
animal, just in the same condition as
an abnormal man-of vicious tenden.
cy."
"And which nation do you consider
the most abnormal at the present time
Americans, French, English, Ger
mans?''
''At any rate, not Americans! TIC
their credit must be put an immense
national self love which cannot exist in
an abnormal people. 1 one day wrote an
article ON America and the Americans,
in which 1 did not particularly overload
the latter with fiattery. Nevertheless I
sent the MSS. over the ocean, thinking
itwould be accepted by any paper as ca
gerly as my other productions. Not a
bit of it. The translator took it to IA
different editors without it getting ac-
cepted and finally it had to be sent tC
England "
''If not America, count, then?"
"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 nop'