The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-12
A VISIT WITH T0LST0I.
New York Sun.

bfsnfnen Horror-
New York Sun.
Prof. Edward A. Steiner. of GrinnelI Col
lege, returned from Russia on the Hol-
land-American liner Noordland on Monday.
He spent some time on the estate of Count
Tolstoi and with the members of the Tolstoi
circle. Professor Steiner told of some in
teresting experiences there.
"Tolstoi's estate, Yasnaya Poiyana, Is
about twelve hours by rail from Moscow
he said. 'Tolstoi was exceedingly III when
I arrived and had been removed upstairs
from the quarters which he had long occu-
pied, a sort OF hovel-like room on the low
est floor of the house. A physician lived
with him. He recovered soon, but he re-
| mains, and will doubtless always remain, a
broken-down man, who will be confined
much to his house and will never again be
able to work in the fields. as has long been
his custom.
"Soon after my arrival three spiritualis-
tic students came up from England, who
were DESTROYS of converting Tolstoi TO spir-
itualism. They were not at all welcome,
but they lived in the house and were well
treated, just as every one is who goes to see
Tolstoi. Countess Tolstoi was in Moscow,
and these three men fastened themselves
upon Tolstoi and gave him no rest for two
days and two nights. They worked very hard
over him with their ideas OF conversion. and
Tolstoi talked as hard as his health would
| permit him to convert them TO his ideas.
The struggle was still on when the coun-
tess returned and put them out Of the
house.
AT different times while I lived on the
Tolstoi estate / took trips to Moscow and
studied what might be called the lower
order of people in the city. with the idea
OF finding out from them what influence
the efforts of Tolstoi in their behalf had
upon them. One incident is enough to
show the result. Moscow is one OF the
most pious cities in the world. At every
| corner there are holy pictures and statues,
at which the citizens reverentlyl stop and
bow. The driver of my cab. I noticed on
these pictures unnoticed.
why don't you cross yourself?' / asked
"'Tolstoi said we must not he answered.
S / knew that the influence of Tolstoi
had reached the cab drivers of Moscow, al
least.
From my residence on the Tolstoi estate
/ am convinced that the count knows every
thing that goes on in Russia. There 10
not a revolutionary scheme, / am sure, that
any one is Matching that Tolstoi does not
hear about. All manner of men are eager
to submit ideas of violence to him and hey
go to see him in droves and tell him ~ cir
most secret thoughts without hesitation.
But he sends them all away after ne has
reasoned with them and has told them that
they must not resort to violence, because
the Kingdom of God is within them. There
is no telling how many revolutionary out
| breaks he has averted.
Much has been said about the sTolsto.
circle In Moscow, and much that is not al
all true. The Tolstoi circle is not a society
at all. 1t is merely a lot Of men drawn to-
gether. who were trying to live up to Toll
stofs ideas in some way.
They are musicians, bankers, artists and
| business men of all kinds who have formed
a sort of brotherhood that has neither or
ganization nor. name. Some have followed
Tolstoi so far as TO give up everything they
have in life to the poor. Others have ac-
cepted his views in a modified form, but all
Of them are strong Tolstoians.
ceived of the Kishinen massacre; there
was very little about IL I'm the newspapers
because of the censorship. There was nc
excitement-no more than IL a pig had been
killed. There were two or three lines in
the paper a few days after II happened.
THE telegraph and telephone Offices were
closed. When / reached Kishineff there
was no excitement; everything had died
down. The Jews were huddled together in
their quarters, especially around the syna-
gogue
days. Such horrible things happened dur
ing the massacre that / could not repeat
them. Women were cut open and abused
in every possible way. But. while this is
all true. at the same time the Jews told
me there were also instances of extreme
kindness on the part or a priest Eho tried
to save them from the mob, even at the
peril Of his own life.
1.-THE Jewish problem cannot be told in an
interview. In a small part of Russia, in the
cities, there are crowded together 5.O00.0c
Jews. who cannot be farmers, who cannot
own soil. who are excluded from certain
professions and certain businesses, and who
are really held prisoners. There are at
least 10000 Jews in one Russian city. and
two-thirds OF them never know whese to-
morrow's bread is coming from.
In Kishinef. when ] arrived, the driver
almost tore me to pieces. so eager were
they for work of some kind. a big. strong
man will work all day for an amount equal
TO II cents, and he will carry a heavy bur-
den from one end OF the city TO another for
about 5 cents. This Jewish problem is a
big. fostering sore. There IL more hunger
typhus among the Jews in Russia than
anywhere else in the world
The hatred Of the Jews is not the fault
of the Russian people; they are not TO
blame: IL is the Russian government. The
government is anxious now TO keep the
jew as a scapegoat. The Russian peasants
are getting socialistic ideas: they are get
ting ready for a new revolution. Never was
there such a critical time IN Russia as now,
and the government knows IL, so IL seeks 70
| divert the peasant from the real sinner az
much as possible. and Is Sticking him on
the Jews"