The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-04-08
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. roLsroY ON GOVERNMENT G
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Count Tolstoy. tho great Russian phi
iosopher has recently written letter.
Widely published ln this country. discus
sing the Russian government making some
statements which are broad enough TO
iarN condemnation of ni forms Of sov-
cniuent
he editor ol the Commoner has rec
ctNed some Inquiries Boz regard % this
letter u his been asked whether Tol-
sioy in condomninr our eovernment with
thc Russian government suggests any
substitute for government In the first
r!ace. rolsloy pnces emphasis upon the
Individuals regeneration. He contends
tbiu until The puoper relation IS estab-
hshed between one s SELF and his God he
does not understand The purpose OF life
anl therefore does not know how 60 cone
duct himself with reference % bis own
happiness ot the happiness OF others IN
Eis essass DE complains that scientists
lysy themselves with Investigations rec
-3rding the age of the earth the distance
OF The stars wiih the study Of The various
'olosics. neglecting the most import
ant of an sciences uamcly-how 10 live.
ius philosophy rests upon the doctrine
that man. being child of God and "a
ltother of uil the other children OF God.
r.ust devote himself 10 the service OF his
fellows, and IL must bee admitted that
r,airy ia the service OF others presents
an entirely different situation from "a
rivalry the object OF which is 90 compel
service to one's self BE argues that
vttn the units rre living according 20
the proper theory Of life the whole win
BE- harmonious, and he believes that the
,.-,..,.t,.5n oi the units can be brought
about not By force or violence but By
ths influence exerted by the example of
those whose lives are built upon this
iocal
Convinced that his plan would regener-
ate the world restore peace between man
land man and substitute everywhere gos-
bcl OF service for pride AM selhshness.
he counts as Of little value a government
which. without Purifying the spring
simply attemps 70 filter enough OF the
water to make lite endurable. Having
hycd upder the dark shadows Of Russian
shsolutism and despotlsm. he has seen
cnl1 the mailed hand Of government. and
ii IS not strange that when he speaks OF
government he should have in mind the
evils that How nom the rude Of cruel.
ambitious and mercerary monarchs. To
colfound government as # sometimes
Is with government as Il. should be.
s.Drid be like confounding a confaguti0u
With fire n stove. The one is dis
astrous. the other beneficial
rhere Is no doubt that even the bess
os governments viii err. but with the pro-
grcss OF cs silization governments ought
to contain "a less and less percentage Of
harmful ingredients and ia increasing
percentage Of helrfulness. We have all
ready seen great change in the punish
rient Of criminals FormIyly ~ large NUM-
bor of crimes We're punished ~ death.
! f;ow the death penalty is reserved for
two or three crimes only. and prisons
have become reformatories rather than
institutions for the inhiction Of vindictive
punishment. Wars. while stln distressing
Is frequent are destined TO give place 10
arbitration. and Then governments will
cease TO devote th.n,scIves to the talSing
Of human life.
While the harsher features OF govern
icent are destined to diminish, the Coz
lcaerative part Of government is likely 10
increase. That IS. the government will
find Il wise 70 do So as a community
What individuals can not 50 well do fol
themselves, and what private corporationi
can not be trusted TO do. For instance
ths federal government has found that
It can distribute the mails better thar
they could be distributed by "A private
corporation. and probably better thar
theS could be hy any voluntary co-opera
uFe society.
Ia the cities ii las been found neces