The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-07
|IEUT5s Or IKE PA aANTRY
'-CT TILE, IOL 5To1 VILLAGE<A
t. ---- -----

iron mood 9relaxed, and relenting, hel
said: mo, no, forget that I had the
temerity to say that. They are not All
bad men; I pray not: but hopelessly
misguided. OF course, rs you must
know, the vital phase Of our situation
In Russia is tho land question; and
yet no man. much less party, not
those who say yea to confiscation any
more than those that say nay. dare to
approach 1t in frankness and sincerity.
In this very Douma the agrarians OF
tho liberal groups stand convicted OF
bad faith or OF ignorance. There Is
but one solution OF the land question
in Russia, s well as elsewhere, which
can be regarded as just and equitable
and final. as far as anything can be
final in this transitory world. and that
is, of course. the land laws as preached
in their modern form by Henry George.
But our willy aErarians never men,
ton this solution. because It promises
no class an advantage, and take II
as a recognized axiom in party politics
that If you want to secure votes and
get into office you have to promise y
numerous class decidedly favorable
trea tment. AS I understand it. the
idea of the land confiscators would
seem to be that those from whom tho
land is taken should still in the future
be compelled to pay the taxes. Will"
those to whom the land is given should
not be harassed by taxes, but live
happily ever afterward in ease and
lplenty and without labor. OF course,
this makes a better battle-cry than
| the words Of Henry George. and Of
course battle-cries are necessary to
success in party strife, while princi-
| ples-well they are better thrown
overheard. Then, Of course. George
was an honest man. and the world re-
4 jected him; our agrar!ans are not 90
honest, and they won't be rejected II
j they can help It,"
/ The Truth OF Life.
4 When saw the Count later in tbs
afternoon his days work was done;
1 the pillow men and women were return
4 Ing from the fields singing and laugh
l ing. They are merry, happy folk. 5as
l,rare among the Russian peasants IS is
their former landlord among his class,
He carried in his hand a little weekly
i paper publish ed In Portland. Ore. He
i had his finger on a paragraph. and has
4 Chicago. with its revelations OF cor
ruption and rottenness, is not the only
1 American paper that rend. as you
4 charged. Sec. here. Is this not bead
4 tiful? 1t Is from the Key Th thoughts
4 Of Lucy A. Mallory, and read them
i every week. While people In America
write as she does. Isknow the salt has
not yet quite lost its SAVIOR Listen:
we who know tho truth Of life
must first change the world In our
!! selves internally before the world car
I be changed in others externally. II
we know the truth Of life and do no,
; live it, we are as lighthouse sci
! upon hill In which the light has gone
out"
Then, with impressive earnestness
"Forgiye me If my Judgments have beer
harsh, or have seemed so. Only re-
member you 1--we In lighthouse Sc
, upon hill. end that In the last few
,, years 1t has Seemed to many watcher!
that the light which was once the 10!
and hope Of the world, whose rays pen
etrated into the uttermost parts of thu
. earth, was about to be overwh elmei
. cans will see to that light. and tent
: 1t day and night. It Is the flame tina
:, their fathers lit. and It has become tn
light OF the world as. well as yours
It would BIO a dark world without It,
Tolstoy's bible Glass.
!, We were standing under the beggars
2 tree. from which now all the beggars
l, rejoicing at the good Counts largesse
had departed--some 20 the mountain
!. and shrines that line the great high
, way to Kiefr. the sacred city: some
!. as I saw later. to the nearest govern
!. ment dram shops. Out Of the vale
i by the willow-fringed lake. from tn
!, little village of mud and hatch J
6 witch the Tolstoy tenants have live
, for generations. there came flock Q
!. peasant children. all clothed In thel
i best--scarlet TUNES and high boot
r reeking With tallow
I at is my Bible class" said the Coun
In answer to my look OF inquiry
! with them I close the day: with ther
r / spend the iappiest moments: nor
q 1t, think. an idle pleasure Fac
+ one Of these children Is collaboratin
n with me upon a hook which VIII b'
n doubt not, my last attempt to CON
: hat tho heresies OF the day VINE
: evening comes they hurry up here fro'
4 the Village, and read them the ScriI
" ture lesson OF the day. OF which 9
e first. 1t being In the almost unuse
!, language OF our Slavic gospels. the
v understand but little, | explain II Q
!. Well as / can. and answer all the
: questions. Then, on the following da
i, l take pencil and pad in hand. and or
8 after another l ask the children TO ~
% clle TO me the scripture lessoh VI "
II day before, while ! write down Wht
{, they say MS they say It,
= "As the result am indeed amaze
II 1t seems to me that for tho first tin
"a + am hearing the World of God und'
filed rs 1t falls from tho lips OF q
Innocent child.
God give ms strength to finish IN
IL task, May 7. under His guidance. ~
s. to complete 1t. 1t Will be my testimor
IN to the Light which has been given n
rs to see."
IS While the good Count talked SUI
e. den shyness oYercame his scholars. vi
In had advanced toward the beggars' tr
Is With such frank joyousness hefo