For or Against Imperialism Documents

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Document 1: Anti Imperialism Platform SpeechOctober 18, 1899

We hold that the policy known as imperialism is hostile to liberty and tends toward militarism,an evil from which it has been our glory to be free. We regret that it has become necessary in the

land of Washington and Lincoln to reaffirm that all men, of whatever race or color, are entitledto life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We maintain that governments derive their ustpowers from the consent of the governed. We insist that the subugation of any people is!criminal aggression! and open disloyalty to the distinctive principles of our government.

We earnestly condemn the policy of the present national administration in the "hilippines. #tseeks to e$tinguish the spirit of 1%%& in those islands. We deplore the sacrifice of our soldiersand sailors, whose bravery deserves admiration even in an unust war. We denounce theslaughter of the 'ilipinos as a needless horror. We protest against the e$tension of (mericansovereignty by )panish methods.

We demand the immediate cessation of the war against liberty, begun by )pain and continued byus. We urge that *ongress be promptly convened to announce to the 'ilipinos our purpose toconcede to them the independence for which they have so long fought and which of right istheirs.

+he nited )tates have always protested against the doctrine of international law which permitsthe subugation of the weak by the strong. ( self-governing state cannot accept sovereignty overan unwilling people. +he nited )tates cannot act upon the ancient heresy that might makesright.

#mperialists assume that with the destruction of self-government in the "hilippines by (mericanhands, all opposition here will cease. +his is a grievous error. uch as we abhor the war of!criminal aggression! in the "hilippines, greatly as we regret that the blood of the 'ilipinos is on(merican hands, we more deeply resent the betrayal of (merican institutions at home. +he realfiring line is not in the suburbs of anila. +he foe is of our own household. +he attempt of 18&1was to divide the country. +hat of 1899 is to destroy its fundamental principles and noblestideals.

Whether the ruthless slaughter of the 'ilipinos shall end ne$t month or ne$t year is but anincident in a contest that must go on until the declaration of independence and the constitution ofthe nited )tates are rescued from the hands of their betrayers. +hose who dispute aboutstandards of value while the foundation of the republic is undermined will be listened to as littleas those who would wrangle about the small economies of the household while the house is onfire. +he training of a great people for a century, the aspiration for liberty of a vast immigrationare forces that will hurl aside those who in the delirium of con/uest seek to destroy the characterof our institutions.

We deny that the obligation of all citi0ens to support their government in times of grave nationalperil applies to the present situation. #f an administration may with impunity ignore the issuesupon which it was chosen, deliberately create a condition of war anywhere on the face of the


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globe, debauch the civil service for spoils to promote the adventure, organi0e a truth-suppressingcensorship, and demand of all citi0ens a suspension of udgement and their unanimous supportwhile it chooses to continue the fighting, representative government itself is imperiled.

We propose to contribute to the defeat of any person or party that stands for the forcible

subugation of any people. We shall oppose for re-election all who in the white house or incongress betray (merican liberty in pursuit of un-(merican ends. We still hope that both of ourgreat political parties will support and defend the declaration of independence in the closingcampaign of the century.

We hold with (braham Lincoln, that !no man is good enough to govern another man withoutthat others consent. When the white man governs himself, that is self-government, but when hegoverns himself and also governs another man, that is more than self-government--that isdespotism.! !Our reliance is in the love of liberty which 2od has planted in us. Our defense is inthe spirit which pri0es liberty as the heritage of all men in all lands. +hose who deny freedom toothers deserve it not for themselves, and under a ust 2od cannot long retain it.3

We cordially invite the co-operation of all men and women who remain loyal to the declarationof independence and the constitution of the nited )tates.

)ource - (merican (nti-#mperialist League. !"latform of the (merican (nti-#mperialistLeague.! +e$t from *arl )chur0, +he "olicy of #mperialism, Liberty +ract 4o. 5 6*hicago7(merican (nti-#mperialist League, 1899.

Document 27 )( #mperialism, 1898 "olitical *artoon


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Document 37 What the nited )tates :as 'ought 'ar3 1915 ;ohn c*utcheon


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W:(+ +:< 4#+


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belonging to the nited )tates,! as the *onstitution calls them. (nd ust beyond the "hilippinesare *hinas illimitable markets. We will not retreat from either. We will not repudiate our duty inthe archipelago. We will not abandon our opportunity in the Orient. We will not renounce ourpart in the mission of our race, trustee, under 2od, of the civili0ation of the world. (nd we willmove forward to our work, not howling out regrets like slaves whipped to their burdens but with

gratitude for a task worthy of our strength and thanksgiving to (lmighty 2od that :e has markedus as :is chosen people, henceforth to lead in the regeneration of the world.

+his island empire is the last land left in all the oceans. #f it should prove a mistake to abandon it,the blunder once made would be irretrievable. #f itproves a mistake to hold it, the error can becorrected when we will.


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anne$ation, the possession of the "hilippines would be meaningless.3 #n the "aris "eacenegotiations, "resident William cBinley demanded the "hilippines to avoid giving them backto )pain or allowing a third power to take them. One e$planation of his reasoning came from thisreport of a delegation of ethodist church leaders. +he emphasis on cBinleyCs religiousinspiration for his imperialist commitments may have been colored by the religious beliefs of

2eneral ;ames >usling. @ut >uslingCs account of the islands, falling unbidden on the .)., andthe arguments for taking the islands reflect cBinleyCs official correspondence on the topic.cBinley disingenuously disavowed the .). military action that brought the "hilippines under.). control, and acknowledged, directly and indirectly, the e/ually powerful forces of racism,nationalism, and especially commercialism, that shaped (merican actions7

DWhen # ne$t reali0ed that the "hilippines had dropped into our laps # confess # did not knowwhat to do with them. # sought counsel from all sidesE=emocrats as well as >epublicansEbutgot little help. # thought first we would take only anilaF then Lu0onF then other islands perhapsalso. # walked the floor of the White :ouse night after night until midnightF and # am notashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that # went down on my knees and prayed (lmighty 2od for

light and guidance more than one night. (nd one night late it came to me this wayE# donCtknow how it was, but it came7 61 +hat we could not give them back to )painEthat would becowardly and dishonorableF 6G that we could not turn them over to 'rance and 2ermanyEourcommercial rivals in the OrientEthat would be bad business and discreditableF 6H that we couldnot leave them to themselvesEthey were unfit for self-governmentEand they would soon haveanarchy and misrule over there worse than )painCs wasF and 65 that there was nothing left for usto do but to take them all, and to educate the 'ilipinos, and uplift and civili0e and *hristiani0ethem, and by 2odCs grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow-men for whom *hristalso died. (nd then # went to bed, and went to sleep, and slept soundly, and the ne$t morning #sent for the chief engineer of the War =epartment 6our map-maker, and # told him to put the"hilippines on the map of the nited )tates 6pointing to a large map on the wall of his office,and there they are, and there they will stay while # am "residentI

Document 67 +he "latt (mendment, 19JH

K+his amendment outlined the withdrawal of nited )tates troops remaining in*uba from the )panish-(merican War. #t defined the terms of .). relations with*uba, ensuring .). involvement in *uban affairs, both foreign and domestic, andgave the .). legal standing to .). claims to certain economic and militaryterritories in *uba, including 2uantanamo @ay.

Article I. +he 2overnment of *uba shall never enter into any treaty or othercompact with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the


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independence of *uba, nor in any manner authori0e or permit any foreign power orpowers to obtain by coloni0ation or for military or naval purposes, or otherwise,lodgment in or control over any portion of said island.

Article II. +he 2overnment of *uba shall not assume or contract any public debt

to pay the interest upon which, and to make reasonable sinking-fund provision forthe ultimate discharge of which, the ordinary revenues of the #sland of *uba, afterdefraying the current e$penses of the 2overnment, shall be inade/uate.

Article III. +he 2overnment of *uba consents that the nited )tates may e$ercisethe right to intervene for the preservation of *uban independence, the maintenanceof a government ade/uate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty,and for discharging the obligations with respect to *uba imposed by the +reaty of"aris on the nited )tates, now to be assumed and undertaken by the 2overnmentof *uba. . . .

Article V. +he 2overnment of *uba will e$ecute, and, as far as necessary, e$tendthe plans already devised, or other plans to be mutually agreed upon, for the

sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemic andinfectious diseases may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people andcommerce of *uba, as well as to the commerce of the )outhern ports of the nited)tates and the people residing therein....

Article VII. +o enable the nited )tates to maintain the independence of *uba,and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the 2overnment of*uba will sell or lease to the nited )tates lands necessary for coaling or navalstations, at certain specified points, to be agreed upon with the Aresident of thenited )tates.

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