Cuban rebel flag

Cuban Revolution

• history of instability - 8 revolts 1823-53
• Maximo Gomez revolt 1868-78 - Ham. Fish, Virginius
• Jose Marti raids from U.S. - Carlos Aguero 1884
• U.S. investments grew - $79m trade annually
• $33m in land - Olney's friend Edwin F. Atkins
• 1894 tariff ended duty-free sugar since 1890
• new revolt began Feb. 24, 1895 - "Cuba Libre"
• "juntas" in U.S. - "Cuban Legation" at Raleigh Hotel
• Cuban Leagues raised $1m - Cigar Makers Union
• Spanish Allianza fired on U.S. ship March 8

Spanish Restoration

• Regency of Maria Cristina, widow of Alfonso
• to preserve constitu. monarchy, privileged interests
• but financial crisis 1892, protectionism, revolts
• Katipunan 1892, Rif in Morocco 1894, Cuba 1895
• Liberal Sagasta sends Weyler & army to suppress
• reconcentrado policy begins Oct. 21, 1896
• revolt and suppression both bloody, destructive

Cleveland's reluctance

• neutrality June 12, 1895
• Olney seeks Mora claims from Spain - no belligerency
• fear of anarchy in Cuba - not capable of self-govt.
• use diplomacy to protect property, seek compromise
• avoid jingo rhetoric growing in Congress, press
• April 2 1896 Congress resolution for Cuban bellig.
• April 4 Olney note to Spain for mediation, reforms
• August - Spain asks Brit. help vs. U.S. intervention
• Dec. 2 Cleveland speech - autonomy, not indep.
• navy to patrol - possible force - "higher obligation"

Republican eagerness

• 1896 election - McKinley & TR defeat Bryan & silver
• Secretary of State John Sherman of Ohio - for Hanna
• Henry Cabot Lodge, Albert Beveridge in Senate
• A. T. Mahan, George Dewey in Blue Water Navy

Yellow Press

• Hearst NY Journal vs. Pulitzer NY World
• NY junta of Toma Estrada Palma provided stories
• good Cubans vs. evil Spain; democracy vs. tyranny
• 1897 Fred. Remington, Richard Harding Davis sent
• Feb. - "Does Our Flag Shield Women?"
• Aug. - Karl Decker brings Evang. Cisneros to U.S.

McKinley's appeasement

• June 16, 1897 - Hawaii annexation submitted
  • protectorate declared - against Japan
• minister Stewart Woodford to Spain
  • demands armistice, withdrawal
• Aug. 9 - Conservative Canovas killed
• Oct. - Sagasta promises autonomy, removes Weyler
• Dec. 6 - McKinley says Spain on "honorable path"
• Feb. 9, 1898 - de Lome letter to friend in Cuba
  • "weak and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd, a common politician...
  • Hearst: "Worst Insult to the U.S."