Justification for Conflict
Uploaded by lmmu on May 25, 2007
Imperialism battles waged at the turn of the century portraying many prominent voices. Henry Cabot Lodge strongly believed in imperialism as it possessed power for good. William McKinley stood middle ground to promote imperialism while not condoning it. Then, of course, there existed the Anti-Imperialist League, thus; much conflict abrood. The question of ethical practices of sacrificing innocent lives for financial gain became a major issue, one that plagues people today, despite its uselessness.
A forerunner for imperialism, Henry Cabot Lodge believed strongly in foreign policy and its great importance to the nation’s financial (and thus overall) wellbeing. He stated, “There is no higher aim or purpose for man or for nations than to buy and sell, to trade jack-knives and make everything cheap.” He utilized the Monroe Doctrine, among many sources including Washington’s Neutrality Policy, to prove his pro-imperialism thoughts by informing people that the Monroe Doctrine only applied to Europe. He believed that Europe possessed no privilege to enter the Western Hemisphere, but America maintained the rights and power to extend wherever it desires. It was America’s “destiny”. He saw a never-ending landscape of an American future; it expanded west at one point, and thus, in Lodge’s eyes, must colonize and imperialize further out, past oceans, to promote trade and become a world power of green. He states, “But from the Rio Grande to the Arctic Ocean there should be but one flag and one country.” Also, he believed that the U.S. needed to control Hawaii, occupy Samoa, build a Nicaraguan canal, and promote a strong navy.
Another face in the imperialism and foreign policy debate included William McKinley. He used many arguments to justify intervention in Cuba including: horror in Cuba commencement, trade losses, aggravation to the citizens, and shock of the citizens, but the greatest issue that he deduced remained money. McKinley thought that the social struggles in Cuba caused hardships to the land, affecting U.S. interests–sugar, and thus not protecting his people. He also attempted to appeal to the kindred of hearts (in Congress–what a challenge) by claiming that this struggle in Cuba needed to cease to save the Cubans and endangered the lives of Americans by not securing them financially. Whether that remained true or not, the physical lives of Americans stood threatened,...