The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-27
CONVERSATION
WITH TOLsI0Y
WHY RUSSIANS ARE BETTER
CHRISTIANS THAN WE ARE.
The Russians Ideas of Reform Arc
Not Along Western Lines-Russian
Contempt for External Law-The
Power of Conscience-..TheM Masses
in Russia, He Says, Are Guided
Inv r.

The Russian paper Grashdanin has
published a conversation between K.
q. S. Long, the English writer, and
Count Leo TOlstoy, from which the
Cosmopolitan quotes the following:
Precisely what do you understand
by the word reform . = asked Tolsto1
of the Englishman.
eral; parliament, freedom of the
press, equality before the law. y
''Of what benefit to us are your
equalities before the law and your
western institutions?'' ased Tolstoy,
who thereupon developed his views
Of western institutions in the follow
ing manner: You westerners have
always made the mistake that your
institutions are stereotyped pattern
modelled. It is this self-deception
which les at the basis Of all Euro
pean wars and plumbers of foreign
races. Russia needs reforms, but
neither oriental nor occidental, but
simply such measures as the people
need, the Russian people, and no 9TH
ers. The idea that all so-called re-
forms must be carried on according
to the western schablon is merely the
expression Of west European .self-con-
ceit, and is contrary both to the con-
cepts of Christianity and common
sense"
To Mr.. Longs observation that in
asfnuch as the western institutions
had proved beneficial to the Ger
mans. the French, and the English,
they might prove equally beneficial
them, Count Tolstoy replied that he
was of a decidedly different opinion.
II shall never. admit he said, that
the European civilization fits the Eu-
ropean countries better than the Rus
sian civilization fts. the Russians
Both are equally bad, ana equally
antagonistic to the teachings Of Chri-
culiar political genius, the same as 1t
has it's religious genius, and all this
talk about Improvements and change
of conditions has about as much value
as talk of changing the teachings of
Confucius according to the teachings
Of Christianity would have. And
! what would we do with your equali-
ties before the law? I shall answer
this question by making the assertion
that to the great mass of the Russian
| people the law does not exist at all.
,, The common people, like myself, look
upon the law either as something
purely external which must not be
meddled with, or they despise it as
hindrance and a chain to the inner
IL
than the Russian in political, social
and artistic productions. Such civil
lization needs to be guided by law
! and hence western people consider
! the law as the browning glory Of hui
man existence. The Russian civilfza-
I ton, however, is of more expansive
nature, and hence the Russians can
not consider the law as an effective
principle.
But" observed Mr.. Long, "the
Russians nevertheless subject them.
selves to the law just the same as we
westerners do" r."
Yes replied Tolstoy, they submit
to the laws, but they are not guided
by them. It is not their submission
to the law, but their absolute con
tempt for it, which has made oul
people the good, peaceful and patien
people that they are. And it is THU
contempt for the law which makes
the world. You ask why? Because
the masses, who despise all externa
limitations, are guided purely b.
conscience. But the educated Off
Gals, who entertain the same nationa
contempt for the law, have, at thu
same time gotten rid of the con
science. But in saying that the live
of the Russians generally are guide,
by conscience, and not by law, l d.
not mean to imply that there is les
poverty or crime among us thar
among the Europeans. I am onl
saying that in Russia the conscienc
occupies the, same place that the LAY
does in. the western countries. An
as among you the law is not able t
prevent crime. SO among U.s. owing t
the power Of darkness, the conscienc
is not infallible. The practical dit
ference. consists in this that the Rus
sian, peasant is wholly unable to en-
terrain contempt or anger towards
criminal. He considers the crinins
as, a man who, either thru lack c
thoughtfulness or thru the power c
his own passions, has met with mis-
fortune"
Wherein, then. consists the esser
tial difference between the west Ell
ropeans' and the Russia % asked M
Long.
I'm this. replied Tolstoy, "that tn
Russians are. more truly Christian
than the Europeans. Yes. more trul
Christians The reason for this oil
ference is not to be found in the IA,
that the Russian civilization is of
lower order than the European, b,
in this that the Russian people hay
for centuries found the only guidane
and protection in the teachings
Jesus Christ"