A Request to Recognize

Dear President William McKinley,

I, NAME, urge you to treat the Philippines as an ally, bringing advancement through encouragement and the ideals of self-determination.  Like the citizens of Cuba, my people are fighting to overcome the unwanted imposition of imperial powers.  The anti-colonialist movements in these lands still look to the United States as the only world power that resists the imperialist sentiments that have plagued our world for generations.  No matter the state of affairs in the controlling country, continuous annexation of new territories is not a solution.  Trade is inherently a communal activity and one that offers the most benefit for all parties when there are agreement and friendly relations.  The people of the Philippines are thankful for U.S. assistance in our struggle against the unjust Spanish occupation.  I want to bring the desires of my people to your attention, to give you the best information with which to determine the United States’ place in the future of the Philippines and U.S relations..

History has shown that forceful actions breed nothing but forceful responses.  It is not my intention to directly challenge a world power like the U.S.  With that said, the history of the U.S. is filled with perfect examples of this cause and response reaction.  One must not forget that the U.S. was once shackled under the weight of British rule.  Britain’s imperialist actions were justly offensive, and your rebellion was both righteous and empowering.  The sentiments that fill the hearts of my people are the same as those that once motivated your ancestors to rebel against such imperial leadership.  They are the same as those that gave cause to the people of Cuba, who fought valiantly against Spanish oppression.  Soldiers from your country fought the same fight as the Cubans’, against the same opponent.  When two groups of people fight together and achieve a goal, there is no reason to drastically change such a winning dynamic.  

Although the military might of the U.S. is undoubtedly superior, the Spanish defeat in the war was significantly aided by the actions of Cuban rebels.  My soldiers provided necessary assistance for Commodore George Dewey’s troops in their battle against Spanish troops in Manila.  With our combined forces, we easily outmatched our Spanish opposition and won the day with minimal tragedies.  A combination of forces strengthens both sides.  Commodore Dewey knew this statement to be true, stating “these people [the Filipinos] were our friends and we have come here and they will help us just exactly as the negroes helped us in the Civil War.”   When one side pushes to excessively on the other, strengthening is lost, and the partnership is doomed to ultimately fail.  U.S. history provides appropriate examples here as well.  During the U.S. civil war, freed slaves were a crucial component in the Unions victory over the Confederate forces.  People fight with unflappable determination when they are fighting for freedom and respect.  Although African Americans are not on completely even terms in your society, they willingly volunteered to fight in the Spanish-American war because they wanted recognition.       Recognition is the true goal of any society that has endured the injustices of an imperialist structure, and people will eventually fight to improve their lot when the proper amount of recognition is not given to them.

Do not let the shouting of the imperialist parties change your opinions about diplomatic duty.  You once said that “our diplomacy should seek nothing more and accept nothing less than is due us. We want no wars of conquest; we must avoid the temptation to territorial aggression…Arbitration is the true method of settlement of international as well as local or individual differences.”   Spanish rule existed on strictly imperial terms, and we Filipinos had been waiting painstakingly for the opportunity to escape from their clutches.  There are options outside of total control, and a complete lack of contact between your country and country like the Philippines.  My people fully acknowledge the U.S.’s participation in our fight and would be happy to award you fair due for your actions.  At the same time, any form of the conquest of territorial aggression is not in the best interests of my people or yours.  The United States has always prided itself on resisting the tendencies of a truly imperialist nation.  Annexations are one of the first steps toward undoing that notion and fundamentally changing the core values of the American people.

Despite the insistence of imperialist supporters in the U.S., the annexation of the Philippines remains an undecided topic for the American people.  My focus will always be on the best interests of Filipino’s, and likewise, I expect your primary focus will be on your own citizens.  Ignoring for a moment the social discontent that imperial actions would cause here in the Philippines, annexing my country comes with serious economic and social consequences for the American people.  Although recent depressions in the U.S. economy have put pressure on expanded foreign endeavors, taking control of the Philippines does not guarantee any sort of positive economic growth.   Without an economic justification for annexation, the societal problems the takeover would create gain significant weight.  The U.S. has always placed high cultural value on the ideal of freedom and annexing the Philippines would shake this belief to its core.   Imperialistic motivations are a dangerous group to enact, and countries often find themselves stuck with imperialistic profiles.  

Once a country enters in colonial actions, it becomes hard to internally identify these actions for what they really are.  Examples of this effect come as recently as the Spanish dilemma with Cuba.  Despite your best advice, Spain refused to make any positive changes in the interactions with the predominately hegemony state of Cuba, and relations between the two countries proceeded downward into outright war.   Spain could not see the problems their imperialist actions were causing or refused to acknowledge them.  Either way, they could not easily escape their imperialistic tendencies after so many years of practice.  Integration becomes an issue, as the high volume of Filipino citizens would tax the U.S. ability to accommodate them.  To accommodate the Filipino people, while introducing significant separation would only weaken the unified nature the U.S. has been striving for.   The continued lack of rights afforded to African Americans provides ample examples.  Despite improvements to African American privileges, there is little unification between them and white society.  Adding more people to a similarly alienated class will only hurt the unification of the American nation.

Although annexing the Philippines holds significant support in your country, providing us with support in our quest for independence offers the greatest potential for a positive future.  The U.S. has always been willing to fight alongside a just and rebellious cause.  Partnerships have already proven successful in the field of battle, and it is time they got their shot in the post-war period.  Do not fall for the false positives imperial actions bring.  History has shown time and time again that imperial control creates dissent and not growth in any local populations.  The imperial model has been tried repeatedly and has failed, even in your home nation.  Mutual recognition and respect deserve their chance in the spotlight.  Together, we can bring a new era of prosperity and growth to both of our nations.

Sincerely,

Name

Bibliography

Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

Graseck, Susan. CHOICES Program, Beyond Manifest Destiny: America Enters the Age of Imperialism, 4th ed. Providence, RI: Watson Institute for International Studies, 2006

William, McKinley. Foreign Relations of the United States, "Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, with the annual message of the president transmitted to Congress December 6, 1897." Last modified 1897. Accessed February 19, 2013. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/FRUS/FRUS-idx?type=turn&entity=FRUS.FRUS1897.p0007&id=FRUS.FRUS1897&isize=M.

William, McKinley. Foreign Relations of the United States, "Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, with the annual message of the president transmitted to Congress December 5, 1898." Last modified 1898. Accessed February 19, 2013. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/FRUS/FRUS-idx?type=turn&entity=FRUS.FRUS1898.p0050&id=FRUS.FRUS1898&isize=Mcgi-bin/FRUS/FRUS-idx?type=turn&entity=FRUS.FRUS1897.p0007&id=FRUS.FRUS1897&isize=M.