Negative Effects Of Albert Beveridge Letter To The Philippines

The expansion of America was desirable, creating a false duty to get rid of barbaric influence from asianic countries to expand America’s empire. After the end of Spanish rule in the Philippines, Senator Albert Beveridge saw potential in recruiting the Philippines as US territory. He writes, “...The Philippines gives us a base at the door of all East”(Beveridge 1). He wanted to expand America's commercial trades with Asia, but in order to do so would need an ally near the east. Knowing that the Philippines had just come out of Spanish rule, Beveridge suggested in the letter that they were not capable of self-governing, and America's intervention would be needed. In doing so, America would be able to create a base in the East, expanding their commerce. However, even with his desire to expand US commerce into the east, it is ironic how many white Americans did not want Asians in

With intent to influence the senate and president on why they should fight to keep the Philippines, he uses his negative view on Asians to his advantage and make them look like lost and hypnotized savageries. It states, “They mistaken kindness for weakness, forbearance for fear…could not be otherwise unless you could erase hundreds of years of savagery…”(Beveridge 1). Beveridge writes that they were not capable of identifying good from bad intents, making them look dumb. He is able to support this claim by writing that they were in control of the Spaniards' rule for hundreds of years. This quote shows Beveridges attempt to use emotion to appeal to the idea of American imperialism. This tactic would have worked, as most Americans tended to look down on Asians during this time. They did not think Asians were capable of thinking for themselves, which was a normal way of thinking for Americans. Continuing on American imperialism, Beveridge wanted to quickly get hands on their territory, before the other competition took them