The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-08
RUSSIAN ouAKERs GO TO CANADA.
Tolstoi's Friends Here Don't Think He Will
Get Into Trouble over Them.

YET MO 1rouDle over htui.
The Doukhobortsi. the Russian sect OF spirit
wrestlers. whose belief. habits and history were
outlined in THE Sun a few weeks ago. and
who it was then supposed by their fri ends here
and in England were coming to the United
States. are to become residents Of Canada in
stead. The particular reason that the spirit
w~restlers are obnoxious to the Russian Gov
eminent is not so much their heterodoNy as
their refusal to perform any part Of the mill
tary service that involves hearing arms. They
refuse absolutely to take up arms against their
fellow men, believing it wrong. and they have
In times past suffered all sorts OF torture
rather than submit, The sympathy OF Count
Leo Tolstol for them in their observance Of
the doctrine OF non-resistance is easily under
stood. and it was chiefly through his efforts
that the Gear gave the Doukhobortsi permission
TO leave the realm.
A committee OF their friends In England
took up the work Of providing means for
them-the Doukhoborts& are all peasants-to
take advantage Of the Emperor's permission.
and enlisted the interest OF some American
friends Of Count Tolstoi. including William
Dean Ho wells and Ernest H. Crosby of this
city and DR.. George Dana Boardman of Phila-
delphia. These men and their associates on
the American committee announced their
readiness TO accent SUBSCRIPTIONS in behalf OF
the enterprise. Mr. Crosby had some CORE
RuOndence with q Texas railroad and with the
Commissioner of the land Office at Washing
ton upon the contemplated immigration. but
meanwhile the Agent-General of Canada at
London offered so much better terms TO in
duce the Russian soil tillers to settle IN the
Canadian Northwest that his proposition vas
accepted. and the English committee, aided
by a committee Of Quakers in Philadelphia,
provided the necessary means for the migrn-
ton. Doukhohortsi TO the number of about
1000 shipped for Canada under the general
care OF Count Tolstoi s son Serge.
A. cable despatch IL the Erening Post yes
'erday smoke OF Count Serge Tolstoi sailing
this week" Mr.. Crosby said that his infor-
nation was that the younger Tolstoi and his
and we're already In Manitoba, somewhere
along the Assiniboine. Those Of the Douk-
hobortsi who have been for some time in Cy-
prus arc still there. although they are not eat
Ill health.
Leo Tolstoi was 10 he banished from Russia
because Of his advocacy of the project 10 get
the Doukhohortst out Of that country. It does
low 50 soon upon the Cars disarmament rro-
posal. particularly as the Gar himself granted
ihis appeal Of :he most notable apostle OF peace
IN his realm. even II the Counts success did
displease the Holy synod. Mr.. Crosby point
ed out yesterday that almost every book writ
ten by Tolstoi criticised the Government. yet
none of them had caused HE Punishment Mr..
Crosby said that in 1894. when he visited the
Count, one OF the Counts daughters rem arked
that for a short time after the publication OF
each new book the family ANTICIPATED the pos
the, world knows. without the fear being real
lied.