My name is Grant Barrett and I am an immigrant of Ireland, working for a factory in New York city. Today is a day that will change my life forever. The safe, free world that I have grown to know over the course of my time here has ceased to exist. As I awoke this morning I glanced at the front page of the New York Journal and seen something that I could not believe. "Torpedo Hole discovered by Government Divers in the Maine.(1)" Could it be? An attack on us yankees? As I read on for conformation, it became all to obvious. The divers had discovered an eight inch percussion hole in one of the plates. This was indication that the battleship Maine was sunk by Torpedoes. According to the Journal, "It is very clear that either a Spanish fanatic or a secret emissary of the Spanish government floated the torpedo under the waterline against the Maine's forward magazine, and set it with a detonating device, giving him time to escape (1)." Granted, I am a factory worker and do not have a lot of education under my belt, but when the news reports such atrocity, I feel a thirst for vengeance.
April 25, 1898
Today is the day that the inevitable became reality. War became official. Since the horrific attack on the Maine, everyone's attention was focused on the possibility of going to war. The politics that go with it are excruciating. Are we justified in declaring war? If it were up to me there would be no question about it. I mean what they did to the Maine on top of the fact that they have pretty much enslaved them Cubans is all the convincing I need. I think that is the prevailing thought among my fellow countrymen.
Wall Street doesn't seem to share our sentiments, however. According to The Business Outlook: "The stock market has been rather groggy under the influence of Spanish complications (2)." I am no economist, but I do know that if our economy weakens, it could lead to rapid unemployment; which could lead to me being unemployed. I don't think a first generation Irish immigrant is high on the pecking order when employment is given and taken away.
Lastly we have to consider if we are justified in the world's eyes. Although the freedoms I enjoy in this country make this the greatest county to ever grace this planet, we can't fool ourselves into thinking we can defy the superpowers of this world, such as England and/or France. President Mckinley seemed to have it under control though when he said, "... I urge speedy action thereon, to the end that the definition of the international status of the United States as a belligerent power may be made known and the assertion of all rights and maintenance of all its duties in the conduct of a public war may be assured (3)."
July 5, 1898
I received a significant boost in a sense of national pride today as I glanced at the New York Journal and read about the destruction of Admiral Cervera's fleet. Admiral Cervera is in charge of the Spanish fleet that had inhabited Cuba's Santiago Harbor. Knowing his options were limited "Admiral Cervera's ships, seven in all, including two gunboats, dashed out of Santiago Harbor Sunday morning hoping to break through the crescent of American vessels lying off the harbor's mouth (4)." His attempts were futile. His fleet was destroyed along with over 200 Spanish casualties and over 150 wounded. One of the wounded was Admiral Cervera which consequently led to his capture. throughout the over four hour battle, not one American vessel sustained major damage, with only one loss of American life. This is indeed glorious news. I feel we have shown freedom and democracy triumphs over imperialistic nations. Saying I have and immense feeling of national pride almost seems like an understatement.
With these feelings however, I have to keep in mind the pitfalls of success. I think back to an article I read in the "Zion's Herald." "Opportunity and power are always possibilities of evil. But the nation can no more stay its growth than youth can fall to become a man - the only question is, what kind of man? We are in danger of developing a pride of power, a lust of empire, the spirit of conquest, which would annex all adjoining territory and dominate all seas (5)."
August 6, 1898
Today is a day in which my national pride seems to have been tested. Today is the day in which Spain has surrendered the Philippines. My national pride should be at its height. I mean look at what we have accomplished in just a few months. We liberated Cuba and the Philippines. We have given groups of people the opportunity of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Somehow though, I feel a sense of guilt. A complete opposite shift from when we liberated Cuba. I am but a simple man, proud of the opportunity this country has given me. Yet I sit back and read an article by Frank A. Vanderlip, who is our Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and I begin to wonder if we were fighting imperialism or laying the groundwork to start governing that way. This article, "Facts about the Philippines," Vanderlip emphasizes the economic gain from implementing an American government. He addresses the conservative as the skeptics to American involvement when he writes, "All this is recognized as well by the conservative party, to whom the commercial side of the question strongly appeals, but who fear the dangers from a govermental standpoint (6)." I think maybe it's best to let fear win this battle. We are at a crossroads in our history. It does no use to compare governing the Philippines to governing Alaska, as Vanderlip suggests. The stronger argument exists with the notion of why haven't we tried to implement a government in Cuba? The answer to that is quite simple. Cuba, economically speaking, does not serve of any use to us. That is what our constitution should indicate when dealing with diplomacy. "If your nation is weaker than ours, and serves our best financial interests, prepare to be free."
December 31, 1898
As New Year's eve is upon us I can't help but reflect on this past year. This nation has taken such a giant leap, yet I am not sure if it's forward or backwards. I look back on the good we have accomplished. We beat imperialism. We proved that our principles of freedom and democracy are not just bound by our oceans.
Militarily we have redefined ourselves. Considering Spain was a great power in the world, and we had very little problem vacating there imperialistic ideals from the weak, we have succeeded. This gives me great hope. I feel comfort in the fact that the men who bravely defend our principles can stare adversity in the eyes and say, "No, you will not get the best of me. Not today; Not any day. Because I am an American." People want to know that they are protected. I think the manner in which we dissolved Spain, militarily speaking, brings comfort for many.
Our economic structure has seemed to advance as well. With the gain of the Philippines, we have gained a major hub for international trading. No longer is Wall Street fearing a war, but are now salivating at foriegn markets. They say that will vastly improve our economy, yet it seems the more money we bring in, the less money I see. I don't always understand it, but I am free, and should thank god for that.
In a diplomatic sense we have shown the world that we are a force to be reckoned with. Our military, economy, and politics now share the same stage with the superpowers of the world, such as England and France. It wouldn't surprise me if they came knocking on our door one day to bail them out of a war or two.
With all this said, we can't mark steps we have made this past year as progress. One of the people I idolize the most, Theodre Roosevelt, recently said, "I hope that every man who strives to be efficient and moral will realize that it is for the interest of mankind to have civilization to go forward, to have the higher supplant the lower life. (7)." My question to Mr. Roosevelt is, "who is to say who is higher and who is lower?." If the argument is made that economics or maybe even military strength is the decisive factor, then one could make the argument in the early centuries of mankind that Jesus and his fellow Christians were substantially lower than the Romans. Secondly I would make the argument that we are not trying to prop up the lesser civilization. We are trying to enhance our own. These are the type of arguments that are going to haunt our country for centuries to come. The upsetting part about it is, is that the road map that leads us to prosperity is right in front of us. It's know as the United States Constitution and I don't see imperialism on the map.
Works Cited
(1) New York Journal American. "Torpedo Hole Discovered by Government Divers in the Maine." 17 February 1898.
(2) The Business Outlook. "The Business Outlook." 24 February 1898. <http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.library.unlv.edu/pqdweb?index=8&did=805745882&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1235546572&clientId=17675>.
(3) The New York Journal American. "Congress Declares War." 25 April 1898.
(4)
(5) Zion's Herald. "A New National Era." 01 June 1898.
(6) Frank A. Vanderlip. "Facts about the Philippines." August 1898.
(7) The Outlook. "Colonel Roosevelt on Expansion." 31 December 1898.
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