New-York tribune., 1909-05-14
ON TOLSTOI
Russian's Teaching. If Carried Ont,
Would Destroy Humanity.

In the issue Of The Outlook which appears to-
morrow Theodore Roosevelt has an editorial on
''Tolgtoy" in which ne discusses the latters in
dorsernent of Bryan last fall the exponent OF
peace and anti-miiitar rism." Mr. Roosevelt thinks
that Count Tolstoy's act had effect on American
poIjttcs but ii indicated the limitations Of the
Russians worth moral guide. He says
Now there was but or one & point in the platform Of
element of menace to the peace Of the world This
was me Pishk % IN eG Tcson bT LAW Of an
Asatic laborers, and therefore OF the japanese.
Coupled with il was the utterly meaningless plank
sbo1t the navy. which was however intended
convey the impression that we ought to have a
navy only for the defence of our coasts-that Is,
merely defensive navy, Or in other words
Now have shown a preceding article that at
this present time there is neither justification nor
gard to what the future may show. This plank in
Mr. Bryan's platform represented merely an idle
what was intended to be a declaration that the
PosS e1 carTed on during the past dozen
wears would be abandoned. Any man of common
fact that the only menace TO peace which was con-
tained in any possible action Dy the American re-
public that contained In the election Of Mr..
Bryan.
han ipstration Of his complete inability to face
facts Of his readiness TO turn aside from the truth
md IN 'ne ne e utter faulty Of those who treat him as
ilI ;Insorber 81 Whose philosophy should be- or could
Count Tostoy is a man of genius great novelist.
sacks --Sebastopol,' are great books. As
ooIteIist he has added materially to the of
r7roduction OF his generation. As a professional
I,bfIosoDher and moralist. doubt If his influence
has really been very extensive among of
ton. oT course II has a certain weight among
y,ho live only in the closet, in the library, and
among the high minded men to whom II is prob
hie thai the really lofty side of his teachings gives
q certain sense of spiritual exaltation
Fut I have no question that whatever little in
qrence ToIstov has exerted among men of action
LsS told on the whole for evil. do think
his influence over Of action has been great, for
I think he has swayed dominated only the
feebie folk and the fantastic folk No man who
possesses both robust common sense and high
ideals and who strives TO apply both in actual liv
INC IS arrected by Tolstoy's teachings. save he
is affected by the teachings of hundreds OF other
men in whose writings there are occasional truths
mixed with masses OF what is commonplace or err
To minimize the chance of anything but will
fl Tisundersta nding let me repeat that Tolstoy is
a great writer a great novelist; that the uncon-
scio,,s influence of his novels is probably. on the
whole good, disregnrding their standing as
yvorks Hf art that even as professional moralist
and philosophical adviser OF mankind in religious
roatters he has excellent theories and on
some points develops noble and eleyating teach
ing. brt that taken whole, and II generally
diffnsed his moral and philosophical teachings, so
FAR e they had any influence at all. would have an
i1,ience FOR bad: partly because certain points
they teach downright immortality, hut much more
feoe,se they tend TO both foolish and fantastic
and If logically applied would mean the eAtlhc'ioh
of humanity in a generation.