Julius W. Pratt
Expansionists of 1898
Johns Hopkins Press:1936
In Pratt's own words, the purpose of this study, Expansionists bf 1898, is to
"trace the rise and development of the movement for overseas expansion from hesitant
beginnings under the Harrison Administration...to its surprising triumph in the
ratification of the treaty with Spain in Febnary, 1899".
The book begins with some reflections on the ideological origins of the expansionist movement, that is the concept of "manifest destiny".
This concept he feels
was not due in any sense to economic influences but rather derived from individual
motivations, such as Captain Mahan's "study of history", or interpretations of
Darwin's Origins of the Species, etc.
Prof. Pratt also delves into the attempts
by Harrison, Blaine and Foster to secure a foothold in the Caribbean.
But major
emphasis goes to the gradual development of the Hawaiin annexation movement.
fully analyzes the carefully L
oessfuly carried through
-s
4.
He
and the steps by which these plans were suoBut the issue reached a stalemate
on the assension of Cleveland to the presidency when a policy of neither restoration
of the old pre-revolutionary monarchy nor annexation of the American-dominated
Provisional government became official policy.
It took the momentous sentiment of
the Spanish-American iar to put annexation over.
The final subject covered by Pratt is the Spanish Ame ican war itself,- its
origins, partisans and results.
One of the theses which Pratt Ze
labor with is
that business as a whole was opposed to our involvement in the Spanish-American war,
until, that is, the full import of the war was made clear to them.
This was due
to both the lack of much personal interest in "manifest destiny" among these groups
as well as to the fact that business having just recovered from a depression feared
a war would impede recovery.
The main &mpetus for the war, Pratt contends, were
the newspapers, religious groups and general national enthusiasm and rahrahisml
In conclusion Pratt says, "In reponse to the urgings of destiny, duty, religion,
commerical interest and naval strategy, the U.S. had utilized the war with Spain
-2-
to acquire an island empire in the Caribbean and the Pacific..."
Since I am not an economic determinist it
does not go counter to any of my
prejudices to learn that economic interest were not in
war,
favor of the Spainish-Amerioan
or even to discover that manifest destiny was not an ideology originating with
But neither can I accept the Prattian theory of a spontaneous,
the business classes.
coincidental enthusiasm of individuals causing the state of affairs that led to
reminiscent of such pre-soientific biological.
the Spanish-American war - ahe
theories as "spontaneous
generation".
Manifest destiny may have spng into
Mahan's head for a million and one obscure personal reasons - such as the study
of "history".
But manifest destiny didn't become an influential force until some-
thing more than individual prejudices were present capable of effecting more than
individual men.
it
Pratt does not wish (or if
If
tion of the conditions,
- social,
to the contrary) to 'blame"
I feel, either leave the whole question open
on economic interests he should,
due to lack of time on his part,
evidence is
or else enter into serious conjecture and explorapolitical and economic - which made post-civil war
America conscious of manifest destiny,
of expansionism and willing to make the
sacrifices necessary to translate this consciousness into a reality.
The possibility could also be explored that while American business interests
did not, due to certain economic conditions of the late 90's, want the war to
errupt at that time,
the war.
A war,
they were influential in establishing the prerequisites of
after all,
events prior to its
national policy is
is
not created alone by the immediate and direct
outbreak but begins faAtjter back when an entire temper of
set.
Nevertheless Prof Pratt does a clear and concise job of telling the story.
If
it
lacks profundity at times it
compensates for this by itwell
objective approach most of the time.
rounded and