Albert Beveridge Imperialism

Now, we’re involved in a possible conflict with Spain.  It is possible that we might engage in an epic naval battle with the Spanish fleet in the Philippines. Hawaiian Islands provide us with the perfect coal station for our Navy and supply ships on the way to the Philippines. It is in America’s best interest to annex Hawaii as soon as possible.  If we do not act quickly, the British might annex Hawaii.  There’s no time to waste. The Filipinos have been fighting against the Spanish rule for some time now. Are we going to help them achieve their independence from Spanish rule?  If we deem that they’d be better of being independent, we will assist them.  But, if we deem that they’d benefit from being annexed, we might go ahead and add the Philippines to our oversea possessions. Like with the Hawaiians, the Filipinos will benefit from the Christianization of their islands. With the influx of American values, cultures, and language, we will be doing any country annexed a favor by allowing them into our nations cultural and economic prosperity.

The American Anti-Imperialist league has a platform I fully agree with. “We protest against the extension of American sovereignty by Spanish methods…” (Doc A, American Anti-Imperialist League). In trying to conquest other nations, the US being identical to the enemy, Spain. What is the point in helping the Filipinos gain their independence if we are about to trap them back into the exact same situation? Some of you may think that our only choice is to annex them.

According to the United States, democracy and Christianity were principal elements of a successful society. During the end of the eighteen-hundreds and throughout the beginning of the nineteen-hundreds, America tried to colonize and reform less fortunate nations. Following a social-Darwinist point of view, Americans took their “God-given” superiority to those who were incapable of establishing their own self-government (Doc. H). After much debate, American foreign policy towards the Philippines and Cuba was that it is our duty to rule them until they could rule themselves. We pledged to save the indigenous people from their savage, bloody, and corrupt ways of life. President McKinley’s foreign policy towards the Philippines stated that “they would soon have anarchy and misrule…there was nothing left to do but take them all, educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize them” (Doc. A).

The part of the world where the Philippines lies was one of the most volatile and dangerous in the world. That being said, it also had some of the most profitable trade routes, richest resources and was a vital part of the world to have a stronghold. By following through with the annexation of the Philippines, the Americans were able to gain a stronghold on the other side of the world, enrich themselves by gaining access to the valuable resources that were so plentiful and to take the time to help spread freedom and democracy. William McKinley clearly believed and stated that “ we could not turn them over to France and Germany – our commercial rivals in the Orient – that would be bad business and discreditable.”

George F. Hoar, a senator for Massachusetts, and Albert Beveridge, who was a Republican senator representing Indiana, present two contrary ideas over the subject of American Imperialism. Senator Hoar was greatly opposed to imperialism and made a speech concerning the annexation of the Philippines. Conversely, Senator Beveridge supported Imperialism and the provided quote is from a speech he made in the Senate in 1900. Senator Hoar’s argument consists of questioning whether it is right or not to govern a foreign nation without their consent. Senator Beveridge cites that it is America’s duty to spread itself as the people of America are God’s chosen people. Hoar gives justification to his argument by stating that it is not just a moral decision, as the Declaration of Independence states that America cannot govern a foreign territory. He continues by stating that it doesn’t matter if it is being done with good intentions of spreading culture, since America has no right in imposing what they think is right due to it being completely subjective. What America believes is right is not automatically correct and an absolute truth, as morality is subjective, so to think that it is automatically correct and to forcibly enforce America’s

The conflict was between the imperialists and the anti- imperialists, who were both in America and the Philippines. Imperialism is when one supports the annexation of another. In this case, America annexing the Philippines. Document A was written by the Platform of the American Anti- Imperialist League. This group of individuals thought poorly of imperialism and that it was wrong to take over others. According to this document, it states in the first paragraph, “... extinguish the spirit of 1776 in those islands. This is saying that by annexing the Philippines, we are forgetting all that happened when we broke free from Britain as rebels. If we did this, it would be extremely hypocritical. Also in Document A, the anti- imperialist platform

The US should have annexed the Philippines to educate and civilize them. “Would not the people of the Philippines prefer the just, human, civilizing government of this Republic to the savage, bloody [Spanish] rule… from which we have rescued from them?”Doc B). The US saved the Philippines from the Spanish by buying them and providing

In an attempt to increase trade and prove itself as an economic and military superpower, the US began to expand overseas and increase its military size; the US believed in International Darwinism and saw these actions as an expansion of Manifest Destiny which led to imperialism. People like William H. Seward pushed to annex Midway Island and purchased Alaska to expand the size of the US. However, imperialism became a controversial debate among the American people throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Expansionists and Jingoists like Theodore Roosevelt wanted to protect and gain control of other nations including Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam, whereas anti-imperialists such as William Jennings Bryan, Mark Twain, and

From the late 1800’s to after World War I, the United States moved from the idea of isolationism to being actively involved with world affairs which include several countries. The United States was now following a policy called Imperialism. Imperialism was criticized by some but praised by many because of the many drawbacks but also of the many benefits. The benefits of American imperialism did outweigh the drawbacks. Imperialism was a benefit for America because it helped in the trading industry which was extremely important during this time period.

Over 1,000 people dead in the Spanish-American War, and the United States with a victory to brag about, the Philippine Islands are finally freed from Spain. Directly after the United States won the Spanish-American War, the Philippines were up for grabs and desired by many. Spain treated the Philippines badly, and did not give them enough freedoms. After the big win of the war, the “United States suddenly became a major world power” (Should the United States... 141). America did not know what to do with the Philippine Islands. They had two choices; annex or not annex. Should the Philippines have been added to the United States? The United States should annex the Philippines because, if not it would be cowardly,

The United States wanted to take over the Philipines to create a better empire. Back in the day, the Philippines fostered an anti-imperialist movement in the United States. Mass media of the period promoted ideas about the United States superiority and encouraged them to expand an create and empire. The United States should have created an empire because the Philippines government could not govern themselves, also to prevent other countries from taking them, and it was what God wanted.

Roosevelt had convinced himself and others that his was the cause of righteousness. The Spanish-American War brought the U.S. the Philippines and Roosevelt insisted that extending the rule over the Philippines would bring them civilization. To him this meant that the anti-imperialists who opposed expansion were also opposing civilization. “Roosevelt seems not to have foreseen the possibility that the spread of civilization through expansion of the rule of “superior” races over “backward” ones might someday arouse nationalist aspirations that would threaten that civilization itself.” (pg 79)

The bald red, white, and blue eagle of American Democracy is coming for you Phillipines, run while you can! Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was so infatuated with the idea of democracy, and he wanted every country to have a little taste of American freedom! After America's victory in the Spanish American War, George Dewey and his 11,000 American troops marched into manila and were unsure whether to liberate or occupy the filipino people. Thinking the they were here to help, the Filipino rebels trusted the Americans, but were soon betrayed as Dewey decided to occupy the land. The United States had three choices to determine what they wanted to do with the Philippines: Give it back to Spain, Give the filipino people their freedom, or to annex the whole country itself. With much debate ranging from artists, influential citizens, and government officials, the US ultimately decided it would annex! The United States should not have annexed the Philippines but rather should have given them their independence. While others may think the annexation of the Philippines would have benefited them, what the Philippines really needed was

In a passage from Our Country, Josiah states, “let us hope, of the largest liberty, the purest Christianity, the highest civilization -- having developed peculiarly aggressive traits calculated to impress its institutions upon mankind, will spread itself over the earth” (674). This applies to the issues with the Philippines because it supports McKinley's reasoning for sending troops and “missionaries” over to convert the people but ultimately ended up wreaking havoc. “Aguinaldo’s Case against the United States” written by Emilio Aguinaldo explained why he opposed American imperialism. Emilio led the Filipino armed against Spain for Independence. He was against imperialism because he believed the Filipino’s were being treated unfairly, America thinking that they were “ignorant savages”. The point he made was that America was treating the Philippines like how the colonials were treated before they escaped England. Emilio asked for America to “give us the chance; treat us exactly as you demanded to be treated at the hands of England when you rebelled against her autocratic methods”. By America treating the Filipino’s this way, it tossed all their morals about liberty and out the door putting the Filipino’s in the position that Americans were in trying trying to escape from England’s

The United States had been increasingly interested in China’s economic status, yet the U.S. just had gained the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii as a result of the Spanish-