El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-08

TT OLSTOY'S influence on the litera-
ture of all countries is so evident
- and plain a fact that no one
would think Of disputing it. and auth
ors OF all Hationalities have already
begun TO analyze the magnitude OF his
influence in each country. l shall en-
deayor TO show the extent Of his in
fluence upon the literature Of japan.
In the country Of the rising Sun Leo
Tolstoy has played almost the same
part as in our society in the begin
ning-f of the sixties. Our Three Mus
keteers," the heroes of Marlinski and
Sienkiewics, are pygmies compared to
the powerful heroes OF the japanese
legends. 1t is in that country we must
seek the SamsonS who have driven
back whole armies with the jawbone
of an ass Even in the books, which
until recently were used as textbooks
in the schools and from which the
young people studied history. we find
the most terrible exaggeratfons and
improbabilities in text and llustra-
tions.
We see one Of these heroes penetrat-
ing into the center OF the hostile army
destroying thousands with q fan. An
other standing fireproof in the midst
of a mass OF flames makes the heads
Of his enemies fly off by the hundred.
Still another IS fighting three fabulous
monsters that go down before him in
spite of their hundreds CT arms and
heads.
The japanese are Intelligent, but still
they believe all these stories as If
they we're gospel truth.
We Russians have already had our
revenge over the Japanese. They have
beaten US on the yellow fields OF Man
churia, but they have in turn been van
quished and conquered by the Russian
literature. And the foremost leader
of this literature was its creator, Toll
stoy.
1t is difficult to imagine how power
full has been his influence over our en-
emies of yesterday, our doubtful friends
of today. Wherever i have been IN
Japan-and I have secured the country
from one end to the other-the same
question has been asked me by all 1
met; everyone wanted to hear news
OF Tols+oy. 1 soon grew used to it.
The young writer's of Nippon said
to me, How Tolstoy's books killed all
that was false and lying in our litera-
ture After reading his novels 1t
" ould have been impossible for us to
return to our old phantastic tales, TO
our impossible, exaggerated heroes He
has taught us to love the truth in life,
the peace anu HdpplHSSS VI liC poppy
It Is the dream Of our young girls to
be like his heroines. He belongs to
us as much as he belongs to you.
The death Of the great writer is like
the setting of a sun into the ocean,
shedding its light all over the sky.
Everywhere, all over the world, are
felt the rays Of his genius. The sun
has set, but wait-his thoughts, like
thousands Of rays, will illuminate the
hearts Of humanity, educated
by him, without distinction Of race or
creed And the further we progress
In time the closer his ideals will get
to men, and what today seems to be
only the dream of a great mind viii
to our descendants be q reality.
Across many centuries Tolstoy will
speak to humanity Of the future and
future generations will send their chill
dren to kneel at the humble grave at
Yasnaia Poliana Of the prophet and
sage of the period when Russian free
dom was born.