Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-08-30
FOR UNIVERSAL PEACE
Comment of European Press Upon tn,
Cars Unexpected Proposal.
AN UNATTAINABLE IDEAL
So 1t Is Termed by The Pal Mall Gazette.
Germany willing to Try It-Text
Of the Much Discussed
Document.

| Petersburg by order of Emperor N1chO.
las declaring that the maintenance Oi
| peace and the reduction of excessive
ornaments is the ideal for which all
governments ought to strive. The doc
ument is as follows:
The maintenance of general peace and
| the possible reduction of the excessive ar
| maments which weigh upon all nations
present themselves in existing 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 en-
! peror, my august master, have been won
| over to this view in the conviction that
this lofty aim is In conformity with tho
most essential interests and legitimate
views of all the powers, and the imperial
government thinks the present moment
would be very favorable to seeking tho
means.
International discussion is the most eff
fectual means of insuring all peoples BEN
sft-a real, durable peace above ALL put
ting an end to the progressive develop
ment of the present ornaments
In the course of the last 20 years the
longing for general appeasement has grown
especially pronounced in the conscences OF
civilized nations, and the preservation of
peace has been put forward as an object
Oh lIleTHdtlOTdl pOucy. IL IL III us naIn0
that great states have concluded between
themselves powerful alliances.
1t is the better to guarantee peace that
they have developed in proportions hither-
to unprecedented their military forces and
still continue to increase them without
shrinking from any sacrifice. Nevertheless
all these efforts have not yet been able to
bring about the beneficent result desired
paciflcation
Strike at Root of Prosperity.
The financial charges following the up
ward march strike at the very root of pub
lie prosperity. The intellectual and phys,c-
al strength of the nations labor and capt.
tai are mostly diverted from their natural
application and are unproductively con-
sumed. Hundreds of millions are devoted
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. Nation
al culture, economic progress and the pro-
duction of wealth are either paralyzed or
checked in development. Moreover in
proportion as the ornaments of each pow
er increase they less and less fulfill the OBJ
ject the government has set before them
selves.
The economic crisis due in great part
to the system of ornaments routrance |
and the continual danger which lies in this
massing of war material are transforming |
the armed peace of our days into crush |
ing burden, which the peoples have more |
and more difficulty in bearing
1t appears evident that If this state of |
things were to be prolonged it would inevi- !
tably lead to the very cataclysm 1t is de- !
sired to avert and the horrors whereof |
make every thinking being shudder in adj
vance. To put an end to these incessant |
ornaments and to seek the means of ward
ing off the calamities which are threaten
Ing 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 gov
whose representatives are ac-
credited to the imperial court the assem-
bling Of conference 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 converge
INTO one powerful focus the efforts of all
states sincerely asking to make the great
OF universal peace triumph over
he elements of trouble and discord, and it
would at the same time cement their
agreement by corporate conservation of
he principles of equity and right wherein
est the security of states and the welfare
II peoples.
British Press Comment.
The Pail Mall Gazette, discussing the
Ears peace proposal, says the Russian
emperor is determined that he will not
Weld his scepter in vain. The circular
ssued by the car, the paper says, is
worthy of sovereign who Yields, the
retically. the greatest autocratic pow
+, the queen being the only other per-
on of sufficient prest ge to thus add, es,
nj 1ico,, | I
avs The Gazette, is an idea too vast to
suddenly as a practical
nd realizing ambition. History has
are!y recorded anything more imp: ess- l
We, and only malice and cynicism
'ould suggest insincerity on the part
the czar. Russia has the power to
eep peace, so why doubt her sincerity.
The circular is described by The Ga
cite as thunderbolt from clear sky, .
ut what chance. the paper asks, has
ne idea to develop anything more than ,,
pious aspiration for a beautiful but
ideal? Though England =
for peace, France is suffe. ing from a -
arodical attack OF military uneasiness
nd is guided alone by self interest. 1t
not clear either that Germany is on
he side of the angels in spite of the
ntastic report that the czar's circular
restalled a similar one which the kali
II had intended to issue from the Mount G.
Olives on the occasion of his visit to I
lie Holy Land. Aus ria might fail into r.
1e and Italy also. but, the paper asks. q
hat about the United States? What p
'er the outcome, The Gazette con- u
udes. the imperial author of the pro- v
'sal has conferred luster upon himself
Id his country.
The Globe says the car has achieved
political sensation that would have y,
lighted Napoleon III. There is no =.
ason to doubt the sincerity of the ~
oposal so far as the car Is concerned. -.
1t @ conference to meet such a mo- =.
entous proposal is unlikely unless il -
ould be preceded by confidential pour
rlers. 1t is doubtful whether Count
uravieff, the Russian foreign minis of
:, believes In the possibility of fulfill of
ant Of the project Anyway this la
sentiment will not change or
lgland's attitude in the east. pc
What Germany Thinks. po
The Cologne Gazette, in an article M
upon the universal peace nv
oposal, says 1t would now be rash to | A
swar definitely the question whether m,
p1i pose vi the RUSSIAN emperor's I'M
1pcsal is attainable. Neither the
pie alliance nor France, the paper
vs., can reasonably view the proposal
'piciously, and the personality of the !
Cinator warrants every power tak'n. ~
. proje:t into serious consideration. ~
Germany would be quite disposed tt we