Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-08-30
Ile Even Proposes That i T ttIIlf egjiifi- tries of HuT0pe Cease BHfing
 EXressiva Armament.
UNI Y EIssAL AND
 LASTING PEACE.
Tie Car Considers tIIe Present Time Favorable For sHeH q Move. and Even Invites an InterRa-
 tioHal Conference.

st. Petersburg, Aug. 30-Ry order Of Emperor Nicholas, Count Mura4lef1, the foreign minister on Aug. 24, handed to the foreign diplomats at st. Peners- burg note declaring that the nlainte- nance of psaea and zfha reduction of the excessive armaments now crushing all nations is inc ideal for which al gov e1nments ought tosfrivo. The ear con sidars the present moment favorable for the inauguration of g movement looking to this end and invites the powers to take part In an international conference as . means Of thus ensuring real and lasting peace and terminating the pro gressive increase of armament
 The text af the note 5s as follows Fhe maintenance of general peace ana the possible reduction Of excessive armamenss which weigh upoa all na- tlons Tresen6 themselves in existing con ditions to the whole world as an ideal toward which the enaeayors o9 al gov ernments should be directed The hn- manitarian and magnanimous ideas of his majesty the emperor, my august master, have been won over to this view h the conviction that this lofty aim Is in conformity with the most essential interests and legitimate views of all the powers, and the imperial government thinks the present. moment would be very favorable To seeking the means.
 Tn internal discussion is the most ef- feetual means of assuring all people beneft-a real durable peace above all putting an end to the progressive devel- opment of the armaments
 ssIn the course of the last 26 years the ] longing for general appeasement has drawn very pronounced intercourse of civilized nations, and the preservation Of peace has been mt forward as an ob- 5eet of international policy. It is in it's name that great states have concluded among themselves powerful alliances.
 ssIt IS the better to guard each, though they have developed in proportions hith- erto unprecedented, their military forces and still continue to increase them with out shrinking from any sacrifice.
 Nevertheless all these efforts have not yet been able to bring about the be- nliieenr result in the desired qualification
 Tine financial charges following the unward march strike at the very root of public prosperity. The intellectual and physical strength of the nation, la- bor and capital are mostly diverted from their natural application and are unpro. ductively consumed. Hundreds of mil lions are devoted to acquiring terrible engines Of destruction which though toe day regarded as inc last work of sci enee. are destined tomorrow to lese all their value in consequence Of some Of the discoveries in same field National culture, economic, progressive and the production of wealth are either paralyz- ed or checked in development How ever, in proportion as the arrangements of each power increase they less and less l fuIfiIl the object the governments have set before themselves.
 .sThe economic crisis, due in great part to the system of armaments, l Tout rance and the continual danger which lies in this massing of war material are 1 transforming the armed peace of oul days into l crashing burden which the I peoples have more and more difficulty 1 in bearing.
 1t appears evident that this state oi 1 things were to be prolonged it wonld in. 1 evifaBly lead 10 the sery cataclysm 1t is desired to avert, and the horrors where of every thinking being shudders at il advance.
 ITO put all end to these incessant ar naments and to seek the means oi warding off the calamity which is threatening the whole world-such is the supreme duty today imposed unor all states.
 ssFilled with this idea, his majesty 1 has been pleased to command me to pro- pose to all the governments whose rep