For a $10 million down payment, the roosevelt administration arranged the use in perpetuity of

Ch 19 & 20 (2/5)●What incident set off the Taft-Roosevelt feud? (The Ballinger-Pinchotcontroversy)●After the United States took control of the Philippines, __________ becamethe official language. (english)●Purchased in 1866, the largest territorial acquisition of the nineteenthcentury since the Louisiana Purchase was (Alaska)●President __________ argued that it was necessary for the United States tointervene in and stabilize weak governments in the Western Hemisphere toprevent European nations from doing the same. (Wilson)●This belief during the Progressive Era persuaded followers to pursue theirideals to bring about the coming of the "Kingdom of God." (social gospel)●Many Americans in the late nineteenth century believed that the __________race was superior and other races, like that of the __________, were inferior.(NOT english;spanish)●The "Open Door" policy of __________ stated that China should remainopen to European and American trade. (John Hay)●Roosevelt's "Square Deal" featured (a plan that emphasized the intention of

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In 1900 William McKinley was re-elected to a second term as president. His vice president was the hero of San Juan Hill, Theodore Roosevelt of New York. In September 1901 McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, and Teddy Roosevelt became president.

Some of the most significant events of Roosevelt's presidency were in the area of foreign affairs.

During the Spanish-American War of 1898 the United States did not wish to formally establish colonies in Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam. Instead, the U.S. developed an informal empire. The US was reluctant to embrace colonialism because the thirteen American colonies had themselves revolted against colonialism. Overt colonialism made Americans uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, after 1898, the US had Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines as part of its informal empire. With Atlantic and Pacific territories to defend, the US became more aware of the need for a canal across Central America. Previously, in 1879, a French company had tried to build a canal across Panama. Back then, Panama was a province of Colombia. The Panama Canal Company was directed by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had built the Suez Canal in Egypt. The Company purchased the right of way from Colombia, under a 25 year lease that would run from 1876-1904. After sinking 400 million into the jungles of Panama, the company went bankrupt. It was succeeded by the New Panama Canal Co, which held the right of way, which would expire in Sept. 1904. In 1901 the Company offered to sell its assets and the lease on the right of way for $109 million. The US was not enthusiastic. But the clock was ticking, and come Sept. 1904 the lease would lapse and revert back to Colombia. In Jan. 1902, with a year and eight months left on the lease, the Company lowered its asking price to $40 million. Theodore Roosevelt was eager to accept the offer, and so was Congress. In June 1902 Congress voted to approve the $40 million and authorize the president to accept the offer. All that remained was the detail of a treaty with Colombia.

In January 1903 US Secretary of State John Hay and Colombian ambassador Tomas Herran signed a draft of a treaty.(Hay-Herran Convention). It proposed that

1. there should be a canal zone 6 miles wide, across Panama, 2. under US control.

3. Colombia would agree to a new 99 year lease of the right of way.

4. The US would pay Colombia an immediate down payment of $10 million,

5. and an annual rental fee of $250,000.

The US Senate said yes, but in August 1903 it was rejected by the Colombian Senate. The Senate deferred final action on the draft treaty until after September 1904, when the lease to the Panama Company would expire and would revert to Colombia. Colombia wanted $25 million rather than $10 million, and wanted part of the $40 million that would go to the Company. Colombia thought it could afford to wait.

Teddy Roosevelt was furious. He felt that Colombia was trying to jack up the price and extort him. TR probably felt, if we give them $25 million they will only demand $50. And the Company was desperate. They knew that after Sept. 1904 their chance to get $40 million would expire, and evaporate. An official of the Company was Philippe Bunau-Varilla. From his room at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York he plotted a phony "revolution" to take place in Panama, while his wife stitched a flag for the artificial new country.

On November 3, 1903, 300 workers of the Canal Company and the fire department of the city of Colon staged a declaration of independence. Panama is separated from Colombia by dense jungle and mountains. It would be almost impossible to travel overland. In order to send troops to Panama, it would be easiest to transport them by sea, by ship. As arranged, Roosevelt sent the USS Nashville and 2 other warships to take up position off the coast and Panama and warned the Colombians not to send any troops to Panama by sea. Colombia stood by powerless and helpless to do anything about it.

On Nov 7, 1903 the US recognized the independence of Panama. On Nov. 13th Mr. Bunau-Varilla stepped forward as the new ambassador of Panama to the US. He negotiated a new treaty with the US (Hay-Bunau-Varilla).

It provided for

1. a ten-mile wide Canal Zone across Panama.

2. This was to be "in perpetuity."

3. with a down payment of $10 million

4. annual rental of $250,000

This was ratified by the US Senate in Feb. 1904, and TR proudly proclaimed "I took Panama." And the Co. got its $409 million. Swamps were drained to eradicate the breeding grounds of the mosquitoes that cause yellow fever (jaundice). Thousands of Jamaican and West Indians workers were brought into Panama to do the labor, and this is part of the reason why so many African-descended people are in Panama today and the population is so racially mixed. It cost $365 million to build the canal, and it opened in August 1914.

However the US suffered pangs of conscience about its shady dealings and treatment of Colombia. Some people said that in the competitive struggle of the survival of the fittest, in which the big fish eat the little fish, that Colombia had brought this situation on itself. Nevertheless, in 1921 the Us Senate voted to pay $25 million to Colombia, which was what Colombia had wanted in 1903. The US made no apology, and acknowledged no wrongdoing and nothing underhanded. It made the payment to "remove all misunderstandings growing out of the political events in Panama, in November 1903." (Tindall and Shi, America: A Narrative History, p. 929).

Depending upon your point of view, Roosevelt was either an unscrupulous thief or a clever, resourceful opponent who sought to maximize American power and interests. Maybe a little bit of both things are true. The US "stole" Panama because it could, which is to say that it had the power to do it and get away with it. The US was "throwing its weight around," which is what Great Powers 9powerful countries) do.

VENEZUELA AND THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY

In the early 1900s Venezuela fell heavily into debt to European countries, and then could not repay its debts. In December 1902 Britain and Germany sent warships to blockade Venezuela's ports and they destroyed Venezuela's naval craft. Venezuela asked for, and received, US arbitration. Meanwhile the Dominican Republic was in similar hot water with European creditors, and the Dom. Rep. agreed to US arbitration.

In December 1904 T.R. issued a statement in his state of the union address, which is now called the Roosevelt Corollary. He said "chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power."

This was part of Roosevelt's philosophy that one should speak softly and carry a big stick (or club). And, if I may embellish what he said, he felt that if they don't listen to you and heed you when you speak, then you should bash them upside the head with that stick.

In plain English TR was asserting that the US would be the policeman of the Western Hemisphere. If there was misconduct or a problem, of an international nature, in the Western Hemisphere, Europe should consult the US and the Us would handle it or take care of it. The US reasserted a sphere of influence over all of Latin America and the Caribbean. In the language of the street or gangsters, the US said to Europe "back off, this is our turf, we run this." This belongs to us, and here we have the final say. And this projection of power was backed up by the US navy, and gunboat diplomacy. Nations seek to maximize their power and influence. And like Athens or Rome or Britain or France, by 1898-1904 the US flexed its muscles and established its empire.

MONROE DOCTRINE (OF DECEMBER 1823)

"The American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers" and the US would consider any efforts by European powers to extend European control to countries in the hemisphere that had already won their independence as "the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States" and a threat to its "peace and safety."

ROOSEVELT COROLLARY (DECEMBER 1904)

"chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power."

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