The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-08-31
HEXT OF THE
CARS OFFER.
Propositlon for an Interna.
tlonal Conference.

Powers aud the termination Oh Tie
pfogreseive Increase in ornaments,
! 81 conveyed in note from Count
RE Enrayief, the Russian foreign min
ieter. 70 the foreign diplomats at st.
Peterssarg, is likely to produce
sensation throughout Europe. and,
coming from such quarter and with
such evident sincerity of purpose. it
IS likely to have important effects.
There is no doubt that with Russia
taking the lesd is such step, Ger
many, France end the other nations
viii Be ready to follow.
The text Of the note follows
sThe maintenance Of general peace
and the possible reduction of the ex'
Scess;ve armaments, which weigh
npon all nations. present themselves
81 existing conditions to the whole
world as an idea! toward which the
endeaYors Of all governments should
} BE directed. The humanitarian and
naagnanimous ideas Of his Majesty,
4ne Emperor, my auguat master, have
been won over by this view in the
convictioa that this lofty aim is in
conformity with the most essential
interests and legitimate views OF all
The Powers and the Imperial Gov
esnment thinks the present moment
would be very favorable to seeking
The means
sInternational discussion is the
most efectual means of easuring all
Deoples' beneft--a real. durable
speace, above all, putting an end to
Tie progressive development OF the
present armaments.
s.In the course of the last twenty
years the longing for general ap.
peasement has grown especially pro
snounced in the consciences OF civil
lied nations and the preservation
OF peace has been put forward as an
OBJECT of international policy. 1t is
IN It's name that great states have
concluded among themselves power
sfnI alliances. {
ssIs is better to guarantee the peace
that they have developed in proper
tons hitherto unprecedented their
military forces and still continue to
increase them. without shrinking
from any sacrifice
seN Nevertheless, all these efforts
have not yet been able to bring about
the benefcens result desired-pacifi.
cation.
ssThe financial charges following
the upward march strike at the very
root OF public prosperity. The in-
tellectual aud physical strength OF
the nations labor and capita! are
mostly diverted from their natural
application and are unproductively
consumed Hundreds of millions are
devoted to acquiring terrible engines
os destruction, which. though today
regarded as the last work of science,
are destined to morrow to lose al!
their value in consequence of some
fresh discovery in the same held
National culture, economic progress
ard the production of wealth are
either paralyzed or checked in devel
opmen,. Moreover. in proportion as
the armaments of each power in
crease, they less and less fuihi the
object the governments have set be
fore themselves
ssThe economic crisis, due 10 great
part to the system OF ornaments
1,ou.rance, and the continual danger
which lies in this massing of war ma
serial are TRANSFORMING the armed
peace of our days into crushing
burden, which the peoples have more
and more difficulty in bearing.
.Is appears evident that if this
state of things were to be prolonged,
it would inevitably lead to the very
cataclysm it is desired to avert. and
the horrors whereof made every
thinking being shudder in advance
ITO put an end to these incessant
armameuts aud to seek the means of
warding off the caIamities which are
threatening the whole world--such
is the supreme duty to day imposed
upon all states.
aFiiled with this idea, his Majesty
has been pleased to command me to
propose to all the governments,
whose representatives are accredited
10 the Imperial court, the assembling
of conference. which snail 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 converge into one powerful TO-
cus the efforts of all states sincerely
seeking to make the great conception
of universal peace triumph over the
elements of trouble and dlscord. and
it would, at the same time, cement