Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-08-29
AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.
One Proposed to Secure Real and Last
ing Peace Among the Powers and to
Terminate the Progressive Increase In
Armament Text of the Note.

ton of the excessive ornaments now
crushing all nations is the ideal for
which all governments ought to strive.
The car considers the present mo-
ment favorable for the Inauguration of
movement looking to this end, and in
vites the powers to take part in an in
ternational conference as means of
thus securing real and lasting peace
and terminating the progressive increase
OF armament
LONDON, Aug. 29.-The czar's propo-
/ sition for ali international conference
for the purpose of securing real and
lasting peace among the powers and
the termination Of the progressive in
crease in ornaments, as conveyed in a
/ note from Count Muravieff, the Russian
foreign minister. to the foreign diplo-
mats at st. petersburg, is likely to pro-
duce sensation throughout Europe,
and, coming from such a quarter and
with such evident sincerity of purpose.
1T is likely TO have important effects.
There is no doubt that with Russia
taking the lead in such step Germany,
France and the other nations will be
ready to follow.
The text of the note follows
1.-THE maintenance of general peace
and the possible reduction of the ex-
cessive ornaments which weigh upon
all nations present themselves III exist
ing conditions to the whole world as an
ideal toward which the endeavors of
all governments should be directed.
The humanitarian and magnanimous
ideas of his majesty, the emperor, my
august master, have been won over to
/ al %l,n hot hi
lofty aim is in conformity with the
most essential interests and legitimate
views of all the powers; and the i'm
perial government thinks the present
moment would be very favorable to
seeking the means.
international discussion is the most
etfectual means of ensuring all peoples
benefit-a real durable peace, above all,
putting an end to the progressive de-
velopment of the present ornaments.
"In the course of 20 years the longing
for general appeasement has grown es-
pecially pronounced in the consciences
of civilized nations; and the preserva-
ton of peace has been put forward as
an object Of international policy. 1t is
i'll its name that great states have con-
cluded among themselves powerful ALI
ances.
cit is better to guarantee peace, that
they have developed, i'll proportions
hitherto unprecedented, their military
forces and still continue to increase
them, without shrinking from any sac
rifce.
Nevertheless all these efforts have
not yet been able to bring about the
benefcient result desired-pacificatio
1.-THE financial charges following the
upward march strike at the very root
of public prosperity. The intellectual
and physical strength of the nations
labor and capital are mostly diverted
from their natural application and are
unproductively consumed. Hundreds
of millions are devoted to acquiring ter
rible 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 i'll the same field.
National culture, economic progress
and the production of wealth are either
paralyzed or checked in development.
Moreover, Ill proportion as the arma-
ments of each power increase, they less
and less fulfill the object the govern
/ ments have set before themselves.
1.-The economic crisis, due in great
| part to the system of ornaments
/ 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 i'll bearing.
ut appears evident that if this state
! of things were to be prolonged, it
would inevitably lead to the very cata-
clysm it is desired to avert, and the hor-
rors whereof make every thinning
shudder in advance.
"To put an end to these incessant
ornaments and to seek the means of
warding Off the calamities which are
threat ening 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 the governments whose
representatives are accredited to the
imperial court, the assembling of con-
ference Which shall occupy itself with
this grave problem.
This conference will be. by the help
of God, happy presage for the century
which is about to open. 1t would con-
verge 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 it would, at the
same time. cement their agreement by
corporate conservation of the princi-
pies of equity and right whereon rest
! the security of states and the xvelfara