The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-29


Of EmperorsN Nicholas, Count MuravieH,
the foreign minister on the a4th instant
handed to the foreign diplomats at st.
Petersburg e note declaring that the
maintenance of peace and the reduction
of the excessive armaments now crushing
all nations Is the ideal for which all
governments ought to strive.
The Czar considers the present moment
faYorable for the Inauguration OF
movement looking to this end and invites
the powers to take part in an interna-
tionaI conference as means of this as
surfing real and lasting peace and termi-
mating the progressive increase OF arma-
ment.
London. August 25.-The Cars propo-
sition for International conference Tor
the purpose Of securing real and lasting
peace among the powers and the terml-
nation Of the progressive increase in
arnaments, as conveyed in note from
Count ,Muravief7, the Russian foreign
minister to the foreign diplomats at St.
Petersburg, it likely to produce a sensa-
tionaI throughout Europe, aaand coming
from such quarter and with such evil
dent sincerity Of purpose,.it Is likely to
have imr ortant effects.
There is no doubt that with Russia
taking the lend in such step, Germany.
France and the other nations will be
ready to follow. The text OF the nots
follows:
"The maintenance of general peace and
the possible reduction Of the excessive
armaments which weigh upon all nations
present themselves in existing conditions
to the whole world as an ideal toward
which the endeavor of all governments
be directed The humanitarian and mag
unanimous ideas of His Majesty, the EN-
peror, my august master, have heen 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 imperl-
al government thinks the present moment
would be very favorable to seeking the
means.
International discussion is the most
effectua means of ensuring all peoples
beneft--a real durable peace, above all,
putting an end to the progressive devel-
opment of the present ornaments.
'In the course of the last 20 years the
longing for general appeasement has
grown especially pronounced In the con-
sidenoes Of civilized nations; and the
preservation of peace has been put for
ward as an object of international policy.
It is in its name that great states have
concluded among themselves powerful
alliances.
SIT Is the better to guarantee peace
that they have developed in proportions
hitherto unprecedented their military
forces aud still continue to increase them,
from any sacrifice.
"Neyertheless, all these efforts have
not yet been able to bring about the bene-
ficient result Observation-Disclosures
"The financial charges following the
upward march strike at tho very root of
public prosperity. The Intellectual and
physical strength of the nations labor
and capital ara mostly diverted from
their natural application and are unpro-
ouSulvC1y COuSuIiItOs AANA"A~0S "a AAAAA-
lions are devoted to acquiring terrible
engines of destruction, which though
today regarded as the last work OF
science, are destined tomorrow to lose
their value in consequence Of some fresh
discovery in the same field. National
culture. economic progress and the pro-
duction of wealth were either psralyzed
or checked in development. Moreover In
proportion as the armaments OF each
power increase, they less and less fulfill
the object the .vernments have set be-
fore themselves.
The economic crisis, due in great part
to the system of armaments poutrance,
and the continual danger which lies in
this massing Of war material are trans
forming the armed peace of our days into
crushing burden which the peoples have
more and more difficulty in bearing.
1t appears evident that if this state of
Things were to-be prolonged, 1t would