Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-04-16
TALK WITH TOLSTOY
ON THE SUBJECT OF THE RUE-
 SIAN PEASANT.
When the Good Future Is to Come with the Master-The Bewil- dered Peasant of To-
 Day.

A talk with Tolstoy to-day Is of more than ordinary interest in view of the fact that the key of the Russian problem is to be found in the present and future deeds of the Russian peas ants, among whom he is such com manding figurehead and by whom he is so much beloved. I have lately visited the patriarch at his house on the es- tate at Yassnaya Polyna, and found him brimming over with health and spirits, just returned from his daily ride of 20 miles on horseback; a use full bit of exercise for veteran of 7S. He was clothed in his long roobashka, or smock reaching from neck to mid thigh, and wore trousers inserted be- low the knee into his long sapogy, or Wellingtons. Round the waist ran a band, and with his hands inserted on either side beneath it-a characteristic attitude-he discussed Russia's woes.
 had asked him his opinion of the future, and for a few moments he smoothed his beard, coaxing it to a point, and then, looking up, his pene- trating eyes glancing at me from be- meath his shaggy gray eyebrows, he said: There are two futures-the im- mediate future and the distant future. Of the latter, can only say that Rus sia's future is great. Peace, happiness, goodwill, freedom from iniquity, op- pression, wars, must come-the Master will have 1t so, but when, is a question 1 cannot hope to answer. Russia's history of the future will be the his- tory of the people. And who are the Russian people? Ninety per cent. are peasantry; it is the peasantry in whose hands is the future of Russia.
 ] I asked, What is the Duma likely to effect?" At the word "Duma" Tol- stoy's nervous hands clasped and un- clasped, and he grasped the sides of his armchair as he replied, The Duma may do many things: all intellectual people will recognize the undoubted benefit of an assembly of the people for the peoples good; but the peasant, generally speaking, has no conception of the meaning of the word. Those who have been responsible in the Rus sian past for the education and prog ress of her uncultured millions of peasants have so lamentably failed that to-day, when the question of improv- ] ing the peasants status, meeting his requirements. and alleviating his con- dition has been forced on the powers that be by sheer necessity, it is done with a rush, and the peasant mind cannot grasp it. Lasting good and benefieent reform cannot be born en- tirely of necessity-it must come from the heart and be bred of mans love for fellow-man- Individuals will con- tinue to help their poorer brethren, as of yore, and more will do SO to-day many from selfish motives, seeing in the signs of the times day of retrfbu- ton arriving; but universal reform and Gods peace over the land, fear, is not yet
 Manifesto after manifesto has be- vfldered the peasant. and unfulfiIled promises have had their natural effect on him To-day he believes nothing: he has become a sksptic. and may prove a dangerous skeptie indeed Fol- lowing on promises of reform and free dom comes the subtle word D1ma, which the majority of the peasants take to mean a panzcez for all wrong. and theJ snxiously await to see what this eonderfuI z1I-chsnging. all re- forming Colossus can be.-
 Here the coanf rslzpsei into a rev erie. and I asked the co1nfess If. ia the sysat of ssrarizd trOssis. shs feared