The herald., 1898-08-29
PEACE CONFERENCE
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itary forces, and still continue to increase
them, without shrinking from any sacrifice.
Nevertheless all these efforts have not
been able to bring about the benef1cent re-
suits Observation-Disclosures.
A Blow at Prosperity
1.-The financial changes following the up
ward march strike at the very root Of pub
lie prosperity. The intellectual and physi-
cal strength of the nations, labor and capt.
tall are mostly diverted from their natur-
al application and are unproductively con-
sumed. Hundreds of millions are devoted
to acquiring terrible engines of destruc-
ton which, though today regarded as the
last work of science, are destined tomorrow
to lose all their value in consequence of
some fresh discovery In the same field.
National culture, economic progress and the
production OF wealth are either paralyzed or
checked in development. Moreover, in pro-
portion aS the ornaments of each power
increase. the less and less they fulfill the
object the governments have set before
themselvs.
An Intolerable Burden
1.-THE economic crisis. due in great part to
the system of armament routrance, and the
continual danger which Hes in this massing
Of war material, are Transforming the
armed peace of our day into crushing
burden which the peoples have more and
more difficulty in bearing.
ut appears evident that II this state Of
things were to be prolonged 1t would inev-
itably lead to the very cataclysm it is de-
sired to avert, the horrors whereof make
every thinking being shudder in advance.
ITO put an end to these incessant arma-
ments and to seek the means of warding off
the calamitIes which are threatening the
whole world-such is the supreme duty to-
day imposed upon all states.
"Filled with this idea, his majesty has
been pleased to command me to propose to
all the governments whose representative
are accredited to the imperial court. the
assembling of conference which shall &C.
cupy itself with this grave problem.
A Happy Presage
"This conference will be, by the help OF
God. the happy pressage for the century
which Is about to open. 1t would converge
into one powerful focus the efforts of all
states sincerely seeking to make the great
conception of universal peace triumph over
the elements of trouble and discord, and 1t
would at the same time cement their agree
ment by a corporate concentration of the
principles of Europe and right wherein
rests the security of states and the welfare
of peoples"
Some Support Secured
LONDON, Aug. 2S.-The correspondent of
| the Times in st. Petersburg says:
The proposal for a conference. which was
made by the car Wednesday through the
medium of foreign ambassadors at St.
Petersburg, has been kept profoundly Sc
cret until today. at the express wish of
Count Muravieff, the foreign minister, so
that 1t might be first promulgated on the
| day of the unwilling of the monument in
the Kremlin to Alexander IL.
There is reason to believe that it formed
the object of communication between the
courts Of st. Petersburg and Berlin some
time previously, and in all probability the
| support of Germany at least was secured In
advance.
| Russia, with her chronic famfnes and her
large enterprises in the far east to provide
for out Of budget which is being drawn
upon more and more eachy year for materials
Ct war, In order to keep pace with the other
powers, must naturally feel the want of in
ternational cooperation in her present pol
icy OF peace and in economical develop
| ments.
| Sure Of Sincerity
| LONDON. Aug. 29.-The Daily Graphic
this morning. referring to the proposal OF
Emperor Nicholas, says:
| ''It would be idle to attempt to ignore
many and grave difficulties standing in the
way of the attainment of the cars wish
es, but It cannot be possible 10 doubt the
sincerity of the magnanimous proposal"
Referring to the many obstacles to the
attainment of the objects sought, the Stand
ard suggests that the car has the matter
| largely in his own hands, adding:
"If Russia would abandon her aggressive
policy in China and elsewhere, the era OF
| universal peace would be perceptibly
nearer"
Quixotic Humanity
The Times says, eddtorially: 1.-THE note
breathes a spirit of generous. perhaps, In
deed, almost Quixotic humanfty-a spirit
| familiar in the effusions of visionar tries, but
| too seldom found in the utterances of great
sovereigns and responsible statesmen.
'It looks at present as though all the
great powers might be willing to enter the
conference. While the United States might
be expected to lend a favorable ear to APP
peals tending In any degree to lessen the
| weight Of the imperial responsibility she
is about to undertake, her Industrial pol
Icy is closely akin to our own and her abid-
ing interest in the maintenance of peace Is
hardly less vital"
The Daily Chronicles Paris correspond.
emit declares that the Offering of the
olive branch would have emanated fror.
Prince Emperor William in Jerusalem. Il