The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-07
PREACHERS FAVOR WAR.
Congregationalists Who Propose
Backing Cleveland at
All Hazards.
SEVERAL SUPPORT ENGLAND.
A Spirited Discussion of the Vene.
zuelan Question at the Mon.
day Club.

The Venezuelan dispute came up before
the Monday Club of the CONGREGATIONAL
church yesterday and the members had q
little war Of their own. Several of the
ministers are of English birth and they
denounced Cleveland and stood up for
England and aroused the patriotism of the
Others. Among the speakers were four
Engllshmen, two Welshmen, two Prus-
slams and one Russian. 1t was Wales,
Russia, Prussia and the United States
against England.
Most of them favored supporting CIeve-
land even if war was necessary.
Chaplain Darhms of San Quentin, q
veteran of the late war, read paper going
over the grounds of the dispute and ex-
planning and uphoIding the Monroe
doctrine. "Englishmen have many noble
endowments, but their vices are the vices
of the strong" he said. He said that in
this case they wanted to force an ex-parte
de ciSion and that the Presidents message
protested against summary proceedings
and insisted that this country should stand
IN to protect the weak against the strong.
'More than that we have collateral rights
dC SLSihG w are DOuDO 10 IHOSp SOUJl
American States by mutual interests, Just
as are the States of the Old World. Their
weaknesses are our weaknesses. their
strength are our strength, and the danger
to them of assault from foreign powers is
our own danger"
Mr.. Darhms argued that the Monroe
doctrine was applied in principle con-
stantly in the dealings between countries
in Europe.
AT the close of reading of the paper a
discussion followed. Mr.. Chamberlain
said that while he believed that if England
obtained possession of the disputed terri
tory better class of people would settle
there, that was not the question. He
upheld the Presidents message.
Rev. Phillip Coombs started out by saw
ing that he was an Am erican not by neces-
sity, but from choice. England, he said,
was the best governed country IN the
world, and he could only wish that this
country was as strongly and well
governed. He attacked the Presidents
message, saying that he had made the
same claim that Debs had at the time of
the strike when he spoke of the infinite
resources OF the country that render it the
master of the situation.
Mr.. Coombs sympathized with DR.. Steb-
bins, who said that the Presidents mes
sage was put before the American people
Tor the purpose of turning their attention
Perkins, who said that Cleveland wanted
to go down IN history as Grover the
Great, and with the Evening Post, which
said that the members OF Congress most
loud in favor of the Presidents stand were
those who would be benefited by war
$50 / believe that Cleveland has laid
himself open to the charge that he was
not imDeIled by the highest motives"
AT the close of Mr.. Coombs' remarks
there was no applause, and the mem bers
looked at each other as if expecting some
one to answer.
The chairman called upon Deacon D.
Gilbert Dexter, who broke the suspense
and brought forth hearty applause by
saying: Il think the President did a
noble act in writing that message, and all
true Americans should stand by him."
Professor Foster OF the Theological
Seminary said that he did not understand
that approval of the Presidents stand
meant desire for war. 1.-THE ties between
the South American countries and the
United States are not as strong as between
the United States and England" He con-
tlnued: eve are bound to them by closer
and stronger bonds than to any other
country in the world, and the greatest
calamity that could happen would be war
with England. [ do not believe that there
will be war. l object TO the pandering to
the war spirit which has been done more
by Fenians and others who bear hatred
for England" Mr.. Foster said that he
did not believe that CIeveIand's message
was statesmanlike.
Rev. T. Flawith stirred up The meeting
with bitter attack on Cleveland, saving
that the President was not moved by any
honorable motives whatever. 81 know
exactly what to say to receive applause :"
he said, "but [ have the courage of nv
convictions and am willing to stand alone.
When Polk went into the Presidency and
sent troops beyond the Mexican line thew
did not ask any other nation to interfere.
Possibly Mexico had just as much right
to growl about that as Venezuela has to-
day. AS Tor the war spirit here 1t is out
rageousIy unchrlstian. You can live for
nifty years In England and never hear as
much bitterness toward America as you
can hear in day here against England"
Mr.. Flawith was interrupted with pro-
tests, but he went on: cat any rate YOU
can feel brave because you don't expect to |
be called out to war; Speaking again of |
was not moved by any honorable motives |
The Americans present made no direct |
answer to Mr.. Flawith. Rev. Mr.. Hood |
said that he thought it a sin to impeach
the motives of the highest officials as |
Americans DO.
Rev. John Kimball was opposed to war.
at any cost. 81 wish that this |
country could enter into the affairs of the |
world more than it has, not only to pro- |
tect our own people, but also to protect |
weaker countries. England shows the |
of her case by refusing to arbi
rate. l don't feel, however, that there is
going to be war. l note that there is a
change in the tuEe of the Eastern papers.
md the chances are that Cleveland and |
Congress may have such weak backing
hat we shall have to back down. | hone
lot.
Professor Moore, too, was willing to back
he President even to the extent of war.
The moral position of the United States
8 high and noble, and 1 hope that it will
De maintained to the end. While | do
lot much like the part of the message that
sounds like menace, / believe that the
United States should in the end take
very means TO sustain the right
Rev. DIR. Pond said that he believed that
he Presidents message was one of the
lblest state papers ever issued II think
t was necessary to wind up with what
night be called menace in view of the
curse of Salisbury. The English papers
ay that the unanimous vote of CONGRESS-
the President was political
aptrap. They will learn that the senti-
nput deem down in the baarta Of oil 81