The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-01-23


workers obviously cannot be achieved
through the transference Of factories
and mines into common use. For the
Russian people such liberation can be
attained only through the abolition of
landed property and by the recognition
of the land as a common possession
that which for long time past has
constituted the heartfelt desire of the
Russian people and the realization OF
which they continue to expect from the
Russian government.
1 know that these suggestions will be
regarded by your counsellors as being
the height of light-mindednes the i'm
practically of man who does not
grasp all the difficulty of state govern
ment, and especially the idea of recog.
nizing the land as common national
property; but also know that in order
not al be compelled to commit ever
more and more cruel acts of violence on
the people there is but one means
namely, to take as ones object such an
aim as stands in front of the peoples
desires. and without waiting till the de-
scending cart knocks against ones
legs, to draw it ones self, j. e., to ad.
vance in the first ranks towards the re-
alization of better forms of life. For
Russia such an aim can be only the
abolition of landed property. Only thus
could the government, without, as now,
restricting itself to humiliating and
compulsory concessions to factory
workers and students, without fear foI
its existence, be the guide of its people
and in very truth lead them. ~
Your advisers will tell you that the
liberation of the land from the right OF
property is fantastical and unrealiza-
BILE idea. According to their opinion to
force one hundred million live people to
cease to live, or to show signs of life
and to squeeze them back into a shell
out if which they have long ago grown
this is not fantasy and is not only re-
alizable, but the wisest and most prac-
tical work. But one need only serious
ly reflect In order to understand what
is truly unrealizable, although it. is
done, and what, on the contrary is not
only realizable, but timely and necessa'
~, although it has not yet even been
begun.
Personally, think that in our time
landed property is as crying and obvi
GUS an injustice as was serfdom fifty
years ago.I think that its abolition
would place the Russian people on a
high plane of independence, welfare and
content. also think that this measure
would undoubtedly destroy all that So
cialistic and revolutionary Irritation
which Is now spreading among the
workers and is likely to be of the great
est danger 10 both the government and
the people.
But / may be mistaken, and the solu-
ton of this question in either direction
can be given, again say, only by the
people themselves if they could have
the possibility of expressing it.
So that in all events the first thing
which now lies before the government
is the abolition Of the oppression which
prevents the people from expressing
their desires, and needss One cannot dc
good to a man whose mouth has been
gagged in rder not to hear what he de
sires for his welfare. Only after having
ascertained the disires and needs 81
your people, or Of the majority of them,
is it possible rule the peple and to dc
them good.
Dear brother, you have but one life in
this world, and you can spend 1t pain
fully In futile efforts to arrest the God
ordained progress of mankind from evil
to good, from darkness to light, or you
may. entering into the needs and de
sires of the people and devoting your
life to their satisfaction, peacefully and
joyously pass it in the service Of God
and men.
However great is your responsibility
for those years of your reign during
which you may do much good or much
evil, yet still greater is your RESPONSE
bility before God for your life here
upon which depends your eternal life
and which cd has given you not that
you may order all kinds of evil deeds
or even merely participate In them and
permit them, but in order to fulfil His
will. And His will is that good. and moi
evil should be done unto men. %
Think about this not before the face
of men, but before od-i. e., your owI1
conscience. Do not be troubled, by
those obstacles which you will meet, II
you will enter upon this new way 81
life. These obstacles will disappear oil
themselves, and you will notice them il
only that which you do you will do moi
for human glory, but for your own soul
II e., for God.
Pardon me il I have unintentionally
grieved you by what have written In
this letter. was guided solely by the
desire of welfare for the Russian people
and for you.
Whether ] have attained this the flu
ture shall decide, which, according to
all probability, shall not see. l have
done that which considered my duty
Truly desiring your true welfare,
Your brother, LEO TOLsToY.
aspra, Crimea, Jan. Is, 1902
DEATH OF LITTLE ARTHUR DAVIS