The evening times., 1898-12-31
AMERICAS BRILLIANT
DESTINY F0REqOLD
Henry Clews' New Year Ser
mon on Expansion.
The Old World Amazed at This Ma
tiOn's Wealth and Power.
cast of the Great Strides
of 100.

Henry Clews, in his New Year letter re-
viewing the events of 1898 and predicting
the prosperity that is to come in SO, says
in part:
'"rhe closing year has been remarkable
one in many respects. An unexpected war
has been fought and won within its limits.
About 10 0o0, 900 additional population have
come under our control; thousands Of
square miles of the most fertile territory in
the world have been added to our domain;
civilization has taken momentous step
forward, and the United States, conscious
of its maturity and strength, has suddenly
taken foremost position in the family
of nations, involving changes of policy and
vast possibilities concerning the future
which can only be dimly foreseen.
Whether we will or no, events are forcing
upon US a policy of expansion, which, IN
spite of dangers, means an era OF great
opportunities for American enterprise. A
revolution has taken place within few
short months; the curtain has been drawn,
and our people are rapidly beginning to
realize that their field is the world, and
that in future we must adopt more liberal
ideas and work on larger plan.
Next year we will strike the highest
notch of prosperity that this country or
any other. has ever reached. Good times
will embrace the entire nation; all in
dustries will enjoy great activity, and in
consequence labor viii be in full demand
at good wages. The people of this coun-
try will be contented, happy and loyal be-
yond precedent. The glorious results Of
the American Spanish war are going TO be
more far-reaching than the most brilliant
dreamers of Americas destiny have ever
pictured. The worlds commerce will be
revolutionized. The acquisition Of the
Philippines makes our Pacific coast of i'm
mensely greater Importance and value to
US than ever before. We are placed in
possession of front-door entrance to the
vast commerce of all Asia From ocean
TO ocean run our great railroads, and un
der this new impetus these great arteries
of trade will infuse life into the remotest
corners OF the land. The construction of
the Nicaragua Canal in our interests mus
soon be undertaken. Their completion viii
make the Caribbean Sea the commercial
rendezvous of the world.
The enormous benefits TO accrue 10 US
may be only imagined. Porto Rico, our
new outpost, and Cuba will share in the
great distribution. We are now fast ap-
preaching a 100, GOO, 900 population, which
viii certainly come within the next ten
wears. Rejecting men now begin 10 real
fze that fact, and that then we cannot fail
TO surpass ali other countries in wealth
and international Importance. Hitherto
they have not dreamed of what the United
States is to the rest of the world and
now that their eyes are open TO the inev-
liable expansion of our commerce and
power, a great hope is inspiring the pub
lie consciousness. This new inspiration
must henceforth be great impulsiye force
behind the industry and wealth of the
country, and its effect can hardly fall any
thing short of a great bound in national
enterprise.
The great financial and commercial de-
yelopments which have been manifest in
the United States for the last decade, are
now assuming larger proportions than
our forefathers ever dreamed Of The
theory of expansion which our victories
over Spain have forced upon us will de-
velop the wealth and prestige OF this
country in way that will make the ma
tions of the earth regard our progress
with amaZement and profound respect
Already they are predicting a future for
us hardly second TO the Roman Empire
when that mighty power was mistress OF
the world; but We are not going to be an
empire after the fashion of the potency
once welded by Rome. There will be no
tyranny in our political system, nor any
constant reaching out for further posses
sions. We will simply keep the terrific
ries we have fairly won, and sat about
civiliZing their inhabitants and educating
them for self government.
The countries which our possessions in
the Pacific will open up TO us as markets
for produce and manufactured goods will
soon number nearly thousand million
people, or fully two-thirds of the entire in
habitants of the earth. Our teeming soil
and our great progress in discovery and in
vention of all laborsaving machinery, will
enable us TO supply the greater number of
these people with everything they require
as cheaply as they could be supplied by
any other nation This kind of CONNER
cal enterprise will raise the United States
10 position of international Importance in
few years which no other nation thought
before the war they could attain in less
than a century.