Unit #2: Industrialization & Rise to World Power
Imperialism vs. Anti-Imperialism
In the late 1800’s, the United States began to acquire overseas territories. Albert J. Beveridge and
Carl Schurz were outspoken leaders on opposite sides of the debate over imperialism. Read the
following excerpts from speeches they made on this subject. (Beveridge was United States Senator
from Indiana at the time of his speech. Schurz, a German immigrant, had held positions as United
States Senator from Missouri, Secretary of the Interior, and editor of the New York Evening Post, but
was retired at the time of his speech.)
“The Star of Empire” speech
By: Albert J. Beveridge, 09/25/1900
“The Policy of Imperialism” speech
By: Carl Schurz, 10/17/1899
The sovereignty of the Stars and Stripes
can be nothing but a blessing to any people
and to any land.
I do not advocate this course for
commercial reasons, though these have their
weight… But I waive his large consideration as
insignificant, compared with the master
argument of the progress of civilization, which
under God, the American people are
henceforth to lead til our day is done…
We are this at last, a great national unit
to ready to carry out that universal law of
civilization which requires of every people who
have reached our high estate to become
colonizers of new lands, administrators of
orderly government over savage and senile
people. And being thus prepared, the lands
and peoples needing our administration are
delivered to our keeping, not by our design, but
by occurrence beyond our control…
Here are our “manifest destiny” men
who tell us what. Whether it be right or not, we
must take and keep the Philippines because
“destiny” so wills it… The cry of destiny is… put
forward by those who want to do a wicked
thing and to shift the responsibility…
Here are our “burden” men, who piously
turn up their eyes and tell us… that this burden
consists in our duty to take care of the poor
people of the Philippines; and that inorder to
take proper care of them we must exercise
sovereignty over them; and that if they refuse
to accept our sovereignty, we must – alas!
Alas!—Kill them…
We may avoid that mournful way of
taking care of them by killing them, if we simply
recognize their right to take care of themselves,
and gently aide them in doing so…
Comprehension Questions
1) What arguments did Beveridge propose in
favor of imperialism?
Critical Thinking
3) Though Beveridge said he did not hold his
position for commercial reasons, such reasons
were used to justify imperialism. What were
some of these commercial reasons?
2) Why did Schruz criticize the arguments that
supported manifest destiny and the burden of
civilized people?
4) With which excerpt are you most in
agreement? Explain your answer.