Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-01
A PEACE GUARANTEE
The Gear OF Russia F'avors Inter-
national Peace.
ISSUES A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT.
nae Proposes TO Inaugurato an Ezra
Of Good VIII Among Men, byR
General Disarmament
- OF Nations.

st. Petersburg, August S0.-By or
der of Emperor Nlchoas, Count Mu-
raieif, the foreign minister, on the
Bath inst, handed TO the foreign dip
lomats at ST. Petersburg a note de-
clarlng that the maintenance Of
peace and the reduction OF the excess
sive armaments now crushing all ma
tions is the ideal for which all gov
ernments ought to strive.
The car 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
means OF thus lnsurlng real and last
ing peace and terminating the pro-
gressive increase OF armament,
The text of the note follows:
"The maintenance of general peace
and the possible reduction OF the ex-
cessive ornaments which weigh upon
all nations present themselves in ex-
listing conditions TO the whole world
as an ideal toward which the endeav-
ors OF all governments should be d.
rected. The humanitarian and mag
unanimous ideas OF his majesty, the
emperor, my august master, have
been won over to this view in the
conviction that this lofty aim is in
conformity with the most essential
interests and legitimate views OF all
the powers; and the imperial govern
ment thinks the present moment
would be very favorable TO seeking
the means
international discussion is the
most effectual means of insuring all
peoples benefit--a real, durable peace,
above all putting an end the the pro-
gresslve development Of the present
ornaments.
''In the course OF the last twenty
years, the longing for general APP
peasement has grown especially pro
nounced in the consciences of civil
lied nations; and the preservation OF
peace has been put forward as an OBJ
Ject Of international policy. Tt is in
its name that great states have con-
cluded among themselves powerful
alliances.
ut Is better to guarantee peace
that they have developed in propor-
tons hitherto unprecedented their
military forces, and still continue to
increase them without shrnkage
from any sacrifice.
Nevertheless, all these efforts have
not yet been able to bring about the
bcnefcent result desired-pacifca-
tion.
"The financial charges following
the upward march strike at the very
root OF public prosperity. The inter
lectual and physical strength of the
nations, labor and capital, are most
ly diverted from their natural appli-
cation and are unproductively con-
sumed. Hundreds of millions are de-
voted TO acquiring terrible engines
OF destruction, 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. Ma
tional culture, economic progress and
the production of wealth are either
paralyzed or checked in development.
Moreover, in proportion as the ar
maments of each power increase,
they less and less fulfill the object
the governments have set before
themselves.
"The economic crisis, due in great
part to the system OF armements,
Poutrance, and the continual danger
which lies in this massing OF war ma
terial are Transforming the armed
peace of our days into a 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 inevitably lead to the very
cataclysm it is desired to avert, and
the horrors whereof make every
thinking being shudder in advance.
ITO put an end to these increasing
ornaments and to seek the means OF
warding off the calamities which are
threatening the whole world-such Is
The supreme duty today imposed
upon all states.
"Filled with this idea, his majesty
has been pleased to command me to
propose to all tine governments whose
representatives are accredited to the
imperial court the assembling of
conference which shall occupy itself
with This grave problem.
"This conference will be, by the
help of God, the happy presage for
the century which ia about to open.
1t would converge into one powerful
focus the efforts Of all states sincere
ly seeking to make the great concep-
tion Of universal peace triumph over
the elements Of trouble and discord,
and II would, at the same time, ce-
ment their agreement by corporate
concentration of the principles of Eu-
rope and right whereon' rest THE Sc
curitv of states and the welfare OF
peoples"
London, August 9O.--The Times