Difference between revisions of "American Anti-Imperialist League" - New World Encyclopedia
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| − | The '''American Anti-Imperialist League''' was established in the [[United States]] on | + | The '''American Anti-Imperialist League''' was established in the [[United States]] on June 15, 1898 to battle the American [[History of the Philippines#U.S. colonial period .281898-1943.2C 1945-1946.29|annexation]] of the [[Philippines]], officially called [[insular area]]s. The Anti-Imperialist League opposed annexation on economic, legal, and moral grounds. The original organization was founded in [[New England]] and was absorbed by a new national Anti-Imperialist League. Prominent statesman [[George S. Boutwell]] served as president from the League's inception in 1898 to his death in 1905. Lawyer and civil rights activist [[Moorfield Storey]] was president from 1905 until the League dissolved in 1921. |
Many of the League's leaders were [[classical liberalism|classical liberals]] and "[[Bourbon Democrat]]s" (Grover Cleveland [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]]) who believed in [[free trade]], a [[gold standard]], and [[limited government]]; they opposed [[William Jennings Bryan]]'s candidacy in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1896|1896 presidential election]]. Instead of voting for [[protectionism|protectionist]] [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[William McKinley]], however, many, including [[Edward Atkinson]], [[Moorfield Storey]], and [[Grover Cleveland]], cast their ballots for the [[National Democratic Party (United States)|National Democratic Party]] presidential ticket of [[John M. Palmer (politician)|John M. Palmer]] and [[Simon Bolivar Buckner]]. | Many of the League's leaders were [[classical liberalism|classical liberals]] and "[[Bourbon Democrat]]s" (Grover Cleveland [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]]) who believed in [[free trade]], a [[gold standard]], and [[limited government]]; they opposed [[William Jennings Bryan]]'s candidacy in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1896|1896 presidential election]]. Instead of voting for [[protectionism|protectionist]] [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[William McKinley]], however, many, including [[Edward Atkinson]], [[Moorfield Storey]], and [[Grover Cleveland]], cast their ballots for the [[National Democratic Party (United States)|National Democratic Party]] presidential ticket of [[John M. Palmer (politician)|John M. Palmer]] and [[Simon Bolivar Buckner]]. | ||
| − | The | + | The 1900 presidential election caused internal squabbles in the League. Particularly controversial was the League's endorsement of [[William Jennings Bryan]], a renowned anti-imperialist but also the leading critic of the gold standard. A few League members, including Storey and Villard, organized a third party to both uphold the gold standard and oppose imperialism. This effort led to the formation of the [[National Party (United States)|National Party]], which nominated [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Donelson Caffery]] of [[Louisiana]]. The party quickly collapsed, however, when Caffery dropped out, leaving Bryan as the only anti-imperialist candidate. |
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| + | ==Political Background== | ||
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| + | ==The League== | ||
A leader and founding member of the League was [[Mark Twain]], who defended its views in the following manner: | A leader and founding member of the League was [[Mark Twain]], who defended its views in the following manner: | ||
| − | {{cquotetxt|I have read carefully the treaty of Paris, and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to [[Philippine-American War|subjugate the people]] of the [[History of the Philippines|Philippines]]. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. It should, it seems to me, be our pleasure and duty to make those people free, and let them deal with their own domestic questions in their own way. And so I am an [[anti-imperialist]]. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land. | + | {{cquotetxt|I have read carefully the treaty of Paris, and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to [[Philippine-American War|subjugate the people]] of the [[History of the Philippines|Philippines]]. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. It should, it seems to me, be our pleasure and duty to make those people free, and let them deal with their own domestic questions in their own way. And so I am an [[anti-imperialist]]. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.<ref>Twain, Twain. 1900. ''New York Herald'', Oct. 15 cited in Zinn, page 27.}} |
| − | [[Mark Twain]] was vice president of the league from | + | [[Mark Twain]] was vice president of the league from 1901 until his death in 1910.<ref>''Mark Twain's Weapons of Satire: Anti-Imperialist Writings on the Philippine-American War'', [[Mark Twain]], Syracuse University Press, ISBN 0-8156-0268-5</ref> |
| − | An editorial in the ''Springfield Republican'', the leading anti-imperialist daily newspaper in the [[United States]] at the turn of the [[20th century]], declared, "Mark Twain has suddenly become the most influential anti-imperialist and the most dreaded critic of the [[President of the United States|sacrosanct person]] in the [[White House]] that the country contains."<ref>Ibid p. xix</ref> By the second decade of the twentieth century, the League was only a shadow of its former strength. Despite its anti-war record, it did not object to U.S. entry into [[World War I]] (though several individual members did oppose intervention). The Anti-Imperialist League disbanded in | + | An editorial in the ''Springfield Republican'', the leading anti-imperialist daily newspaper in the [[United States]] at the turn of the [[20th century]], declared, "Mark Twain has suddenly become the most influential anti-imperialist and the most dreaded critic of the [[President of the United States|sacrosanct person]] in the [[White House]] that the country contains."<ref>Ibid p. xix</ref> By the second decade of the twentieth century, the League was only a shadow of its former strength. Despite its anti-war record, it did not object to U.S. entry into [[World War I]] (though several individual members did oppose intervention). The Anti-Imperialist League disbanded in 1921. |
==Selected list of members== | ==Selected list of members== | ||
Well-known members of the League included: | Well-known members of the League included: | ||
| − | * [[Charles Francis Adams, Jr.]], retired [[brigadier general]], former president of [[Union Pacific Railroad]] ( | + | * [[Charles Francis Adams, Jr.]], retired [[brigadier general]], former president of [[Union Pacific Railroad]] (1884-90), [[author]] |
* [[Jane Addams]], [[reform movement|social reformer]], [[sociology|sociologist]], first woman to win [[Nobel Peace Prize]] | * [[Jane Addams]], [[reform movement|social reformer]], [[sociology|sociologist]], first woman to win [[Nobel Peace Prize]] | ||
* [[Edward Atkinson]], [[entrepreneur]], [[abolitionism|abolitionist]], [[classical liberalism|classical liberal]] activist | * [[Edward Atkinson]], [[entrepreneur]], [[abolitionism|abolitionist]], [[classical liberalism|classical liberal]] activist | ||
* [[Ambrose Bierce]], [[journalist]], [[critic]], [[writer]] | * [[Ambrose Bierce]], [[journalist]], [[critic]], [[writer]] | ||
| − | * [[George S. Boutwell]], [[politician]], [[author]], former [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|U.S. Treasury Secretary]] ( | + | * [[George S. Boutwell]], [[politician]], [[author]], former [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|U.S. Treasury Secretary]] (1869-73) |
* [[Andrew Carnegie]], [[entrepreneur]], [[business magnate|industrialist]], [[philanthropy|philanthropist]] | * [[Andrew Carnegie]], [[entrepreneur]], [[business magnate|industrialist]], [[philanthropy|philanthropist]] | ||
* [[Mark Twain|Samuel Clemens]] (Mark Twain), [[author]], [[satire|satirist]], [[lecture]]r | * [[Mark Twain|Samuel Clemens]] (Mark Twain), [[author]], [[satire|satirist]], [[lecture]]r | ||
| − | * [[Grover Cleveland]], former [[President of the United States]] ( | + | * [[Grover Cleveland]], former [[President of the United States]] (1885-89, 1893-97), [[Bourbon Democrat]] |
* [[John Dewey]], [[philosophy|philosopher]], [[psychologist]], [[education reform|educational reformer]] | * [[John Dewey]], [[philosophy|philosopher]], [[psychologist]], [[education reform|educational reformer]] | ||
* [[Finley Peter Dunne]], [[columnist]], [[author]], [[humorist]] | * [[Finley Peter Dunne]], [[columnist]], [[author]], [[humorist]] | ||
| − | * [[Edwin Lawrence Godkin]], co-founder and editor of ''[[The Nation]]'' ( | + | * [[Edwin Lawrence Godkin]], co-founder and editor of ''[[The Nation]]'' (1865-99), [[publicist]], [[writer]] |
| − | * [[Samuel Gompers]], [[labour movement|labor leader]], founder and president of the [[American Federation of Labor]] ( | + | * [[Samuel Gompers]], [[labour movement|labor leader]], founder and president of the [[American Federation of Labor]] (1886-1924) |
* [[William Dean Howells]], [[Literary realism|realist]] [[author]], [[literary criticism|literary critic]], [[editing|editor]] | * [[William Dean Howells]], [[Literary realism|realist]] [[author]], [[literary criticism|literary critic]], [[editing|editor]] | ||
* [[William James]], [[psychology|psychologist]], [[philosophy|philosopher]], [[writer]] | * [[William James]], [[psychology|psychologist]], [[philosophy|philosopher]], [[writer]] | ||
| Line 33: | Line 38: | ||
* [[Edgar Lee Masters]], [[poetry|poet]], [[drama]]tist, [[author]] | * [[Edgar Lee Masters]], [[poetry|poet]], [[drama]]tist, [[author]] | ||
* [[William Vaughn Moody]], [[professor]], [[poet]], [[literature|literary figure]] | * [[William Vaughn Moody]], [[professor]], [[poet]], [[literature|literary figure]] | ||
| − | * [[Carl Schurz]], [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states|German revolutionary]], retired [[brigadier general]], former [[United States Secretary of the Interior|U.S. Interior Secretary]] ( | + | * [[Carl Schurz]], [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states|German revolutionary]], retired [[brigadier general]], former [[United States Secretary of the Interior|U.S. Interior Secretary]] (1877-81) |
| − | * [[Moorfield Storey]], [[lawyer]], former president of the [[American Bar Association]] ( | + | * [[Moorfield Storey]], [[lawyer]], former president of the [[American Bar Association]] (1896-97), first president of the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People|NAACP]] (1909-15) |
* [[William Graham Sumner]], [[sociology|sociologist]], [[classical economics|classical]] [[economics|economist]], [[author]] | * [[William Graham Sumner]], [[sociology|sociologist]], [[classical economics|classical]] [[economics|economist]], [[author]] | ||
* [[Oswald Garrison Villard]], [[journalist]], [[classical liberalism|classical liberal]] activist, later member of the [[America First Committee]] | * [[Oswald Garrison Villard]], [[journalist]], [[classical liberalism|classical liberal]] activist, later member of the [[America First Committee]] | ||
| Line 42: | Line 47: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | * Beito, David T. | + | * Beito, David T. and Beito, Linda Royster . 2000. [http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?issueID=22&articleID=261 "Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896-1900."] 555-75, ''Independent Review'' 4 (Spring). Retrieved October 9, 2008. |
* Cosmas, Graham A. 1971. ''An army for empire; the United States Army in the Spanish-American War.'' Columbia: University of Missouri Press. ISBN 9780826201072 | * Cosmas, Graham A. 1971. ''An army for empire; the United States Army in the Spanish-American War.'' Columbia: University of Missouri Press. ISBN 9780826201072 | ||
* Twain, Mark, and Jim Zwick. 1992. ''Mark Twain's weapons of satire: anti-imperialist writings on the Philippine-American War.'' Syracuse studies on peace and conflict resolution. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815602682 | * Twain, Mark, and Jim Zwick. 1992. ''Mark Twain's weapons of satire: anti-imperialist writings on the Philippine-American War.'' Syracuse studies on peace and conflict resolution. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815602682 | ||
* Morgan, H. Wayne. 1965. ''America's road to empire; the war with Spain and overseas expansion.'' America in crisis. New York: Wiley. ISBN 9780394341989 | * Morgan, H. Wayne. 1965. ''America's road to empire; the war with Spain and overseas expansion.'' America in crisis. New York: Wiley. ISBN 9780394341989 | ||
| + | * Zinn, Howard. 2004. ''The people speak: American voices, some famous, some little known : dramatic readings celebrating the enduring spirit of dissent.'' New York: Perennial. ISBN 9780060578268 | ||
* Zwick, Jim. 2007.'' Confronting imperialism: essays on Mark Twain and the Anti-Imperialist League.'' Coshohocken, Pa: Infinity Pub. ISBN 9780741444103 | * Zwick, Jim. 2007.'' Confronting imperialism: essays on Mark Twain and the Anti-Imperialist League.'' Coshohocken, Pa: Infinity Pub. ISBN 9780741444103 | ||
Revision as of 18:32, 9 October 2008
Template:Anti-war
The American Anti-Imperialist League was established in the United States on June 15, 1898 to battle the American annexation of the Philippines, officially called insular areas. The Anti-Imperialist League opposed annexation on economic, legal, and moral grounds. The original organization was founded in New England and was absorbed by a new national Anti-Imperialist League. Prominent statesman George S. Boutwell served as president from the League's inception in 1898 to his death in 1905. Lawyer and civil rights activist Moorfield Storey was president from 1905 until the League dissolved in 1921.
Many of the League's leaders were classical liberals and "Bourbon Democrats" (Grover Cleveland Democrats) who believed in free trade, a gold standard, and limited government; they opposed William Jennings Bryan's candidacy in the 1896 presidential election. Instead of voting for protectionist Republican William McKinley, however, many, including Edward Atkinson, Moorfield Storey, and Grover Cleveland, cast their ballots for the National Democratic Party presidential ticket of John M. Palmer and Simon Bolivar Buckner. The 1900 presidential election caused internal squabbles in the League. Particularly controversial was the League's endorsement of William Jennings Bryan, a renowned anti-imperialist but also the leading critic of the gold standard. A few League members, including Storey and Villard, organized a third party to both uphold the gold standard and oppose imperialism. This effort led to the formation of the National Party, which nominated Senator Donelson Caffery of Louisiana. The party quickly collapsed, however, when Caffery dropped out, leaving Bryan as the only anti-imperialist candidate.
Political Background
The League
A leader and founding member of the League was Mark Twain, who defended its views in the following manner:
{{cquotetxt|I have read carefully the treaty of Paris, and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. It should, it seems to me, be our pleasure and duty to make those people free, and let them deal with their own domestic questions in their own way. And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
An editorial in the Springfield Republican, the leading anti-imperialist daily newspaper in the United States at the turn of the 20th century, declared, "Mark Twain has suddenly become the most influential anti-imperialist and the most dreaded critic of the sacrosanct person in the White House that the country contains."[1] By the second decade of the twentieth century, the League was only a shadow of its former strength. Despite its anti-war record, it did not object to U.S. entry into World War I (though several individual members did oppose intervention). The Anti-Imperialist League disbanded in 1921.
Selected list of members
Well-known members of the League included:
- Charles Francis Adams, Jr., retired brigadier general, former president of Union Pacific Railroad (1884-90), author
- Jane Addams, social reformer, sociologist, first woman to win Nobel Peace Prize
- Edward Atkinson, entrepreneur, abolitionist, classical liberal activist
- Ambrose Bierce, journalist, critic, writer
- George S. Boutwell, politician, author, former U.S. Treasury Secretary (1869-73)
- Andrew Carnegie, entrepreneur, industrialist, philanthropist
- Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), author, satirist, lecturer
- Grover Cleveland, former President of the United States (1885-89, 1893-97), Bourbon Democrat
- John Dewey, philosopher, psychologist, educational reformer
- Finley Peter Dunne, columnist, author, humorist
- Edwin Lawrence Godkin, co-founder and editor of The Nation (1865-99), publicist, writer
- Samuel Gompers, labor leader, founder and president of the American Federation of Labor (1886-1924)
- William Dean Howells, realist author, literary critic, editor
- William James, psychologist, philosopher, writer
- David Starr Jordan, ichthyologist, peace activist, university president
- Josephine Shaw Lowell, progressive reformer, founder of the New York Consumers League
- Edgar Lee Masters, poet, dramatist, author
- William Vaughn Moody, professor, poet, literary figure
- Carl Schurz, German revolutionary, retired brigadier general, former U.S. Interior Secretary (1877-81)
- Moorfield Storey, lawyer, former president of the American Bar Association (1896-97), first president of the NAACP (1909-15)
- William Graham Sumner, sociologist, classical economist, author
- Oswald Garrison Villard, journalist, classical liberal activist, later member of the America First Committee
Notes
- ↑ Ibid p. xix
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Beito, David T. and Beito, Linda Royster . 2000. "Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896-1900." 555-75, Independent Review 4 (Spring). Retrieved October 9, 2008.
- Cosmas, Graham A. 1971. An army for empire; the United States Army in the Spanish-American War. Columbia: University of Missouri Press. ISBN 9780826201072
- Twain, Mark, and Jim Zwick. 1992. Mark Twain's weapons of satire: anti-imperialist writings on the Philippine-American War. Syracuse studies on peace and conflict resolution. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815602682
- Morgan, H. Wayne. 1965. America's road to empire; the war with Spain and overseas expansion. America in crisis. New York: Wiley. ISBN 9780394341989
- Zinn, Howard. 2004. The people speak: American voices, some famous, some little known : dramatic readings celebrating the enduring spirit of dissent. New York: Perennial. ISBN 9780060578268
- Zwick, Jim. 2007. Confronting imperialism: essays on Mark Twain and the Anti-Imperialist League. Coshohocken, Pa: Infinity Pub. ISBN 9780741444103
External links and sources
- Library of Congress webpage with short description
- The League's Platform, from the Internet History Sourcebooks Project at the History Department of Fordham University
- Historical Documents pertaining to the Anti-Imperialist League, at Liberty and Anti-Imperialism.
Category"History
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