The Meeker herald., 1898-09-03
URGES DISARMAMENT
THE czAR's SURPRISING PLEA.
iio lssitss ali Nations to Msst anA Cs,.
sidsr this Propriety Of Redsossg Ssand.
Ing Arnies In the Iaterssts Of Peace
aad Civilization.

st. Petersburg. Aug. 2S.-By order OF
Emperor Nicholas, Count MuravieiY,
the foreign minister. on the oath In
slant. handed to the foreign diplomats
at st. Petersburg note declaring that
the maintenance Of peace and the re-
ductiOn of the excessive armaments
now crushing all nations Is the ideal
for which all governments ought to
strive.
The ear considers the present mo-
ment favorable for the Inauguration of
movement looking to this end, and
invites the powers to take part in an
international conference as n means Of
thus insuring real and lasting peace
and terminating the progressive In
crease OF armament.
London, Aug. 2S.-The cars propo-
sitiOn for an International conference
| Tor lite purpose OF securing real and
lasting peace among the powers and
the termination of the progressive in
crease in armancnts, as conveyed In n
note from Count Muravieff. the Rus
sian foreign minister. to the foreign
, diplomats Mt st. Petersburg, IL likely
to produce a sensation throughout Eu-
rope. and, coming from such a quar-.
| ter and with such evident sincerity
, Of purpose. 1t is likely to have Import
ant effects.
There is no doubt that with Russia
taking the lead In such step, Ger
many, France and other nations will
be ready to follow.
London. Aug. 29.-The Times CORE
spondent in st. Petersburg says:
.'The proposal for conference
which was made by the czar Wednes-
day through the medium of the for
eign ambassadors at st. Petersburg.
has been kept profoundly secret until
to-day at the express wish Of Count
Muravieff, the foreign minister, so that
it might be first promulgated OH the
day of the unveiling of the monument
in the kremlin to Alexander III.
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 Ger
many, nt ieast, was secured in ad-
| vance.
| ''ltussia, with her chronic famines
and her vast enterprises in the far east
to provide for out of her budget, which
is being drawn upon more and more
each year for materials Of war In or.
der to keep pace with the other pow
ers, must naturally feel the want of
| international cooperation in her pres
ent policy of peace and In economical
developments"
Paris. Aug. 29.--The Paris papers
publish the cars note, but too late for
comment. In diplomatic and press cir
cles the greatest surprise is evinced.
1t is no secret that the sensitive cars
feelings are towards peace. He hates
militarism, and even objects to moving
about with military escort. He would
prefer to govern Poland with sympa.
thy, and Is shocked by bloodshed
Here is the great question asked;
what attitude does the Kaiser VIII
helm takeT'
Visits to various newspaper offices
show the tone the journals will take
tomorrow. The Aurore is delighted
with the proposal. LIE Journal thinks
II Ia a good omen for the future II the
autocratic car makes the proposal
The Gaulois thinks It impossible that he
| could have made such n grave pro.
| posal without having first consulted
France. especially as It comes at the
moment of the exchange of kilograms
between the cZar and President Faure.
Some of the papers say that Alsace-
| Lorraine must be restored before peace
can be assured.