New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
PART III.
SIX PAGES.
RATIONAL PEACE.
DISARMAMENT CIRCULAR-PERSON-
AL TRAITS OF THE RUSSIAN EN-
prpOR-DIPLOMATIC MOTIVES
AND EFFECTS.

49, ,o oversha lowing theme throughout
r,rono Is the new gospel OF peace from Holy
-,.ao,o The circular letter, with Its unansweraole
orcument against the continuance OF the waste
o., opd ruinous policy Of ornaments on ire
aous scale may be Count Muraviens. but
.ho mind and will which inspired 1t can be the
oreisn's alone. For four years the world
Ian waiting to learn what manner OF man
.,is vo,thfu Car. who has the power OF pro-
s,r ,nAuencnG the destines OF nations. At
donation he gave no sign that he was des-
-. On play a momentOus part in the history
80 times He made the circuit OF the Euro
=, capjials and was received in Paris with
-, Of national enthusiasm, but he retired TO
a., suburban palaces near St. Petersburg with
US. d,scosinr his inherent force OF character.
Tho mystery is now solved. Nicholas IL Is an
.s,,o Of real and rational peace. The most
rowerf,l OF modern sovereigns. with million
soldiers under arms and with the best-Hhed
oily on the Continent. he has given the signal
Gov = resuc,ion Of national ornaments and a
reac,ion against militarism. Formidable as may
ho tho difnculties in the way Of his Conference,
.re moral effect Of this humane and benignant
rosne, of peace Is of incaculahle value in pro-
Noting the welfare Of Christendom
Russla is country emerging from medieval
'NiN'Ni'
,aoIatrous alteration of power; and the auto
cratic Emperor. living in magnifcence and lux
my and licensed to direct the destinies OF the
nation from conviction or caprice is a gold
Framed 4evcl-lncrugted icon. But behind what
&c ,rorsbipped behind aUtooraCy, with its tradi-
TONS and realities Of supreme power are one
mans Will! tastes. impulses. and all the Inn
itations OF human nature
Of M has CeteriOrP ed
physically. and Nicholas II lacks the robust
health and vigor Of his ancestors. Nature and
discrimination have predisposed him 10 be
man Of peace, without ambition for military con
quest and with a bias toward domestic tran
oulllitv and calm. reflective life He has no
taste for military reviews and the art Of war
ard does not like TO have too many soldiers
about him from hour to hour. Alexander ILL.,
although man Of peace, lived in morbid dread
If assassination. with a garrison encamped
abou, him and with an army lining the railway
whenever he made journey Nicholas II. with
a. less gloomy cast Of mind. has recoAed from
miitarism and with the ardor OF youthful en-
thusasm has been dreaming OF peace
THE CARS STRONG PERSONALITY.
An enthusiast and a dreamer is IN the Rus
sian throne. and also man Of deep convictions
sion left upon the minds Of European d'Pio-
matists. who have talked with him IN ST. Peters
burg and other capitals. With his studious. re-
Elective mind he has contrasted the reign % his
grandfather. with its progressive liberalism and
enlightenment and that ot his father with its
barren reactionary policy and military com
preston; and he has been drawn toward the
nobler more sanguine period ever with its
tragic, awe-i,spiring ending. Surrounded by
astute Ministers he has been an ortimst and
idealist rather than an intriguer armed with
those resources OF subtlety and patience for
which the Siavo1ic race is conspicuous: and
the initiative for the disarmament conference
has come from his own pacific impulses and his
prejudices against militarism. His own per
sonality has suddenly impressed itself upon the
councils o. Europe. and he is revealed as a man
Of peace with Tostoyan ideals and utopian
aspirations
There has probably been another factor In
this equation Of personal forces. This Is the
effect produced upon the young sovereign's
mind b. the grotesque GOSPEL Of the mailed ns''
which was proclaimed not long ago in Germany.
The meodrama which accompanied the Kiao-
Chau affair could not have escaped the observa-
ton Of the Car; and the German Emperors
approaching pilgrimage TO the holy places in
Palestine. OF which Russia and France, allies
though they may be are the rival guardians,
has undoubtedly aroused a deeper feeling than
IDLE curiosity IN the imperial household Of St
Petersburg The Gar in his own way has
planned a oounter-stroke which leaves him
without a rival In Europe as a master OF dra-
matte surprises.
The new evaneel OF the unmailed fist. instead
OF exciting ridicule and sarcasm. is received with
sincere eulogy and profound gratitude through
out Europe with the single exception OF France
It raises the Russian Emperor IN epical dignity
10 the highest level OF moral action. He has
become the one supreme figure OF the Continent
by virtue Of 4 conspicuous service TO humanity
and civilization: and whatever his imperial
rival may do say at Constantinople and
Jerusalem Will only have the effect Of anti
climax One gospel is the antithesis OF the
other, but In the order Of proclamation the two
evangels seem to hold the relation Of cause
and effect
GERMAN PAPERS FOR PEACE
This conclusion is not affected by the fact that
the official press Of Berlin welcomes the russian
overtures for disarmament conference with
panegyrics. The cues were provided promptly
from the Foreign Office. and the German En-
peror was undoubtedly responsible for them
When Prince Bismarck revealed official secrets
and charged his successors with breaking up
the secret understanding with Russia and fore
Ing her into the alliance with France. ne placed
them under obligation to refute him whenever
they could do so by producing proofs or excep-
uonal friendliness between Berlin ana 81.
Petersburg IL the German press is to be roi-
lowed implicitly the new policy OF disarHa-
ment will be warmly advocated by the Berlin
government; but signs have not been wanting
70 indicate an estrangement between the TWO
courts. There was a marked difference between
'he receptions accorded last summer In 81
Te'@rsburg to the German Emperor and 10 the
french President: and the Kao-Chau affair has
peeh followed by preparations for the pilgrimage
10 Jerusalem which have excited dstrust and