The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-21
CHRISTIANS AND EXPANSION
PROBLEM VIEWED FROM TIE
RELIGIOUS STANDPOINT.
DR.. Clarke Declares Neither the Con-
stitution Nor Trade Advantages
Should Be Considered.

Boston, Jan. 2O.-President F. E.
Clarke, D. D., Of the United Society Of
Christian Endeavor, has under taken
to set before the Endeavorers certain
principles to be considered in determin-
/ ing the attitude of the members Of the
society as TO Imperialism or national
| expansion. President Clarke says.
The great questions involved are not
| whether expansion viii increase our
I exports or imports. not whether it Will
| involve a great standing army and a
vast navy. not whether il viii increase
/ our national prestige and Importance,
not whether it will involve a strict or
I liberal Interpretation OF the cOnsutu-
I ton, not whether it viii involve the
shelving Of the Monroe doctrine. but
whether or not imperialism VIII enable
I America better to perform its mission
among the great nations of the world
as a civiliZing, uplifting and Christian
izing force"
IN charging upon the matter, Presi-
dent Clarke continues:
''On this subject there is room for
decided differences of opinion We
should not be led on by dazzling Wis
ions of national greatness which GER
tain advocates of Imperialism would
dang!e before our eyes, nor should we
be scared out Of our duty by the timid
fears by some who dare not attempt
great things for God and humanity.
The events of the past eight months
have given America a special mission
to the Cubans, the Puerto Ricans and
the FilipinOs. And now the question is.
how can we best perform it?
We cannot, if we would, place our
selves where we We're a year ago. The
boom Of Dewey's guns in Manila and
of SIMPSONS 1t Santiago viii never
cease to echo. We owe a peculiar duty
to at least 12,00OOO0 of people who, a
year ago, were not under our partiCu-
lar sphere of influence.
can we most quickly elevate these
people and bring them into the front
ranks Of the civilized Christian races
by annexinS them, or by converting
their lands to colonies, or can it best
be done by fostering them and pro-
tecting them for a little until they are
able to go alone as free and independ-
ent states? That. it seems to me. is
the great question CO the day. so far as
these nations are concerned.
IF this question is not settled as
GCd would have it settled it viii be a
sorry day for America. If it is set
tied right, it will not only bring IN
told blessings to these peoples of the
West Indies and the south seas. but
it viii bring the dawn of a new era to
the world. for it will show that
strong nation can interfere with the af-
fairs of another nation, even to the
point of war. not for its own glory and
agSrandizSInent. but for the elevation
and advancement Of a weak and down
trOdden people.
If this, Americas avOwed purpose. /
proves 10 be her real purpose. it viii
be n prOuder thing than ever TO be
called American. If il should prove
that we have gone 10 war and are e2,-
plotting these people simply for our
own commercial advantage. with little !
thought of their interests or advance ]
ment. we should become. Is we deserve I
to become, a hiss and byword among /
the nations"