LAD #22: McKinley's War Message

President William McKinley, who delivered his war message to Congress in 1898

The revolution in Cuba is one in a line of insurrections against Spain. The brutality exercised in it has shocked the United States and made it difficult for the United States to remain neutral throughout the war. A final military victory doesn't seem possible for either side - an alternative would be the physical exhaustion of one or both sides.

Last time, he had laid out the options: recognizing insurgents as belligerent, recognizing Cuba as independent, neutral intervention, or taking a side; however, forced annexation is not among the options. He decided that the U.S. would have to intervene and that the proclamation of neutrality wouldn't accomplish any of their goals.

Intervention to stop the war is justified as follows: It is human duty to put an end to the cruelty in Cuba; they owe it to American citizens in Cuba; there has been great injury to American business and property; and the proximity of Cuba to America threatens their peace. The explosion of the battleship Maine illustrated this danger and horrified the nation.

For the sake of humanity, the war in Cuba needs to end. McKinley asked Congress to authorize him to take measures to end hostilities in the Cuban war. Though he said Spain had recently agreed to suspend hostilities, he emphasized that their decision to authorize him was of utmost importance.