Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-09-01
THE PEACE PROPOSAL FROM RUSSIA,

y
The war cloud that has for month";
lowered over Europe, threatening IN
involve Great Britain and Russia
directly 10 its folds, with omplications
most far-reauting, has suddenly been
brushed asids, and by the hand Of Rua.
sia. by order O, Cxnr Nicholas. IN.
news of Monday says. Count MurayieG,
the Russian foreign minister. bas
banded to each Of the foreign represen,
tativea In ST. Petersburg note stat.
ing that the maintenance Of peaoe and
the reduction OF the excessive arma.
ments now crushing all European ma.
ernmentH ought to, strive. The Gzar
considers the present moment farorabe
for starting a movement looking Ia
this end and invites the Powers TO take
mart 10 an international conference as !
means of ensuring real and lasting
pence and emitting tho increase Of arma.
ment The text of Count Muravioff's
note is as follows:
I'bo maintenance Of general psacn
and the possible reduction OF tho exces.
aiye ornaments which weigh upon all
nations present themselves in existing
conditions to the whole world az an
ideal toward which the endsaynrs of ali
governments should bs directed. Ths
Humanitarian and mBgnanimous ideas
Of his majesty, the Emperor, my au
gust master, have been won over to this
view in the conviction that this lofty
aim is in continuity with the most
essential interests and Legitimate views
Of all the Powers; aud the imperial
government thinks this present moment
would be very favorable to sseking the
means.
International discussion is the most
sfectuHl mean5 Of ensuring all peoples
beneft--H real durable peace, above all,
putting an and to the progressive de.
yslopmsnt of the present armaments.
In the COURSE Of the last twenty years
the longing for general appeasenlent
has grown especially pronounced in the
consoienoes If civilized nations; and
the preservation of peace has been put
forward as an object of international
policy. 1t is 10 its name that great
states bRpe concluded Rmung them.
selve6 powerful alliances; 1t is the bet.
ter to guarantee peace that they have
developed in proportions hitherto I'm.
precsdented their military forces amt
still continue tU increase them without
shrinking from any sacrifice. Never
theless nil these eff0rts have not yet
been able to bring about the beneficent
result desired aci fication.
The financial charges following the
upward march strike at the very root
of public prosperity. The intellectual
and physical strength of tina nations
labor and capital Is mostly diverted
from untural application aud is unpro.
ductively- consumed. Hundreds Of
millions are devoted tn acquiring terri
bile engines OF destruction. which, though
today regarded as the last work Of
scienca, are dsstineu tomorrow to lose
oil their value In conseq uence OF some
fresh discovery in the same field. Ma
tionHl culture, economic progress aud
the production Of wealth are either
paralyzed or checked In development.
Moreover, 10 proportion as the arma-
ments Of each power increase they less
and less fulfill the object which the
governments have set before them
selves.
The economic crisis, due in great
part to the system OF ornaments aud
the continual danger which lies in this
massing of war material, ia transform
ing the armed pence Of our day into Z
crushing burdeuwhich the peoplss bs
more and more difficulty In hearing,
1t appears evident that il this sttx
Of things were to be prolonged 10 wo@E
inevitably lead to the very cHtaclysmil,
ia desired to avert and to horrors which
make every thinking being shudder in
advance. To put an end to these In
ceasant armHments and to seek ths
means of warding of the calnmitiss
which are threatening the whoa world
such IS the supreme duty toiay i'm.
posed upon all states.
Filled with this idea, bis majesty
has been pleased to command ms to
propose TO all the governments whose
representatives are credited to the ion.
perinl court, the assembling of con.
ference which shall occupy itsslt with
this grave problem.
This conference will be, by the help
OF God, a happy presage for the cen.
tury which is about to open. II would
converge into one powerful focus tho
efforts OF all statea sincerely sesking to
mako the grsnt conception OF universal
peace triumph over the esmenta Of
trouble and discord, and would, at the
same time, cement their agreement by
a corporate cUnsecratiun of the priuci-
Plies of equity and right wheroon rest
the security of states and the welfare
of peoples.