The next chapter will cover that. There is also a sentence in the most recent chapter that mentions the Philippines.
America's Silver Era, The Story of William Jennings Bryan
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The next chapter will cover that. There is also a sentence in the most recent chapter that mentions the Philippines.
I was too late in discovering this TL. I could've given some input regarding the alternate Spanish-American War.
For example, the Philippine Revolution broke out months before the actual 1896 elections. Though it doesn't effectively butterfly the OTL events until the next year.
I want to ask, where was Admiral George Dewey when the Cuban War broke out? It's crucial because his position would influence Bryan's strategy. The war hawks in his government will definitely press to get more out of Spain, and I don't think he can just shut them up entirely. He'll have to give concessions, eventually.
Additionally, in OTL Span-Am War, the Americans are always on the lookout for a possible Spanish atrack from the Pacific, so they always include the Spanish Pacific fleet in their strategy, which also influenced the decision to eventually attack Manila.
Eventually, if the Americans do attack Manila ITTL, they'll eventually learn of the actual situation there and if Bryan is committed to his Just War he'll help the Filipino rebels just like he did with Cuba.
I subscribe to this idea if you could still make him have 5 non-consecutive terms.
The war focused much more on the Caribbean than OTL and that is where Dewey was during that time. The war ended before US ships reached Manilla (though there were some battles in the Pacific).
Anyway, the next chapter is about Spain and the fate of the Philippines will be revealed. I should have it written soon.
Five terms would have been a bit much I think. XP
Anyway, this is what I thought the election was going to look like; you might see why I was a bit shocked at what you calculated.
George Dewey (D-VT) / John W. Smith (D-MD) : ~41%, 235 Electoral
Robert La Follette (R-WS) / Morgan Bulkely (R-CT) : ~39%, 195 Electoral
William J. Bryan (D-NE) / Thomas Watson (P-GA) : ~17%, 46 Electoral
Henry C. Lodge (R-MA) / Joseph B. Foraker (R-OH): ~2%, 0 Electoral
A nail-biter Republican hold of Ohio I supposed was going to be the focal point, sending the election to the House where Dewey would be set to win once the Bryan bloc coalesced around him. Dewey in turn would have been set to deal with a Republican Congress and supported by a fraying coalition of Democrats and Populists, the latter distrustful of the former due to the methods implemented to subdue their voting power in the former Confederacy in Dewey's favor. Bryan in turn would temporarily retire, dejected by the scale of his defeat, but convinced he had done the right thing in ensuring his supporters had a voice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well with Bryan out of the way, I honestly doubt that he is going to run yet again and would be better served at this point as an Elder Statesmen of the Democratic Party, I await the nomination challenge to George Dewey by Randolph Hearst in 1908, and potentially Theodore Roosevelt entering Presidential politics as well provided he managed to stay Governor of New York.
Anyway, this is what I thought the election was going to look like; you might see why I was a bit shocked at what you calculated.
George Dewey (D-VT) / John W. Smith (D-MD) : ~41%, 235 Electoral
Robert La Follette (R-WS) / Morgan Bulkely (R-CT) : ~39%, 195 Electoral
William J. Bryan (D-NE) / Thomas Watson (P-GA) : ~17%, 46 Electoral
Henry C. Lodge (R-MA) / Joseph B. Foraker (R-OH): ~2%, 0 Electoral
A nail-biter Republican hold of Ohio I supposed was going to be the focal point, sending the election to the House where Dewey would be set to win once the Bryan bloc coalesced around him. Dewey in turn would have been set to deal with a Republican Congress and supported by a fraying coalition of Democrats and Populists, the latter distrustful of the former due to the methods implemented to subdue their voting power in the former Confederacy in Dewey's favor. Bryan in turn would temporarily retire, dejected by the scale of his defeat, but convinced he had done the right thing in ensuring his supporters had a voice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well with Bryan out of the way, I honestly doubt that he is going to run yet again and would be better served at this point as an Elder Statesmen of the Democratic Party, I await the nomination challenge to George Dewey by Randolph Hearst in 1908, and potentially Theodore Roosevelt entering Presidential politics as well provided he managed to stay Governor of New York.
One of my scenarios kind of looked like that, but Illinois and Indiana were switched, La Follette won Oregon, and Bryan won Alabama (which had a very strong populist movement). And Lodge won a few states as well.
As for Theodore Roosevelt, he is a US Representative at the moment.
As for Theodore Roosevelt, he is a US Representative at the moment.
Chapter XIII, The Sun Sets on Spain
The Philippines were seen by many as the last remaining symbol of Spanish power. And this is one of the reasons that the Spanish government desperately tried to keep the islands under its control. In late 1900 Práxedes Mateo Sagasta replaced Cánovas as Prime Minister. Within a few months of taking office, he realized that things were going from bad to worse in the Philippines. The rebels reversed most of the progress made by the Spanish military by New Year’s Day of 1902. While his predecessor would have simply thrown more men at the problem, Sagasta saw the writing on the wall. In 1902 the Spanish government discontinued its Repoblación program (though few Spaniards wanted to participate in it by that point). The majority of those in government agreed that at least some of the Spanish East Indies must be sold before they were lost. Some hardline supporters of the Dos Equis Movement protested, but for everyone else the question was not if Spain should sell its colonies, but how many colonies it should sell and who it should sell them to.
A large faction within the Spanish Cortez believed that Spain could still hold on to Luzon. They couldn’t come to terms with abandoning Manilla. This all changed when rebels besieged the city in June of 1902. Though they lost they inflicted high casualties on the Spanish garrison. Meanwhile, across Spain, small anti-war protests were organized. The protests grew and became outlets for people to express their frustrations against the current system and agitate for Democratic reform. Some called on the government to allow for more competition against the established Partido Liberal-Conservador (Liberal-Conservative Party) and Partido Liberal (Liberal Party). These two parties agreed to the Turno Pacifico (Peaceful Turn) where they would have alternating periods of power. One of the large groups that sought to challenge the two-party system was the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (Spanish Socialist Workers Party). They were well-organized and quickly took over the protests in Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona. The protesters called for a complete withdrawal of Spain from most of its colonies and they were joined by many veterans.
As all of this was happening, Prime Minister Sagasta died on August 1, 1902 at the age of 77. That same day, Spanish soldiers in Madrid fired on a group of protestors, killing several and injuring many more. Then, some of the more revolutionary-minded protestors decided to strike back. In every major Spanish city, riots erupted. By the time Eugenio Montero Ríos assumed his duties as the new prime minister the situation was spiraling out of control. His government decided to give in to some of the demands, particularly the democratic reforms. The government announced that there would be free and fair elections held in 1904. Some of the more violent revolutionaries were deported to Puerto Rico, however. While peace was restored at home, peace seemed far away in the Philippines. By 1903 every departing ship seemed to carry droves of Spanish citizens desperate to go to Guam, Aichow, or anywhere else. It was also apparent that the rebels were receiving arms from foreign nations, Spain suspected Japan.
(Philippine Rebels)
The first country to offer payment for Spanish colonies was Italy. However, it did not offer enough money. Germany and Japan were also potential buyers. However, the eventual buyer turned out to be an old enemy. The United States approached Spain in 1904 and offered to buy the Philippines. The Senate narrowly approved the purchase and by August of 1904 the transaction was complete. Us President William Jennings Bryan felt sorry about his failure to liberate the Philippines and believed that if the US did not buy the islands, the Philippine people would be subject to another cruel Darwinian Imperial power in Spain’s place. He was also concerned that, in case he lost reelection in November, a future administration would annex the Philippines and make it a US colony. Thus by purchasing the islands, Bryan denied the imperialists a victory. The Philippines would be made an independent nation, allied with the United States.
On August 16, 1904, Spain officially announced that its soldiers would withdraw from the Philippines. On February 16, 1905, the Spanish flag was lowered for the last time in Manilla. Spanish Governor-General Fernando Rivero de Rivera was booed by locals as he embarked on a ship headed for Spain. And just like that, centuries of Spanish rule came to an end. Once all the soldiers and government officials were gone, there were great celebrations. Later that year, Emilio Aguinaldo would be elected as the first President of the Philippines. Even before the last Spanish soldiers left, American businessmen began to trickle in. That trickle became a flood over the next decade. After Bryan left office, the American presence on the island began to take the form of military bases.
(Emilio Aguinaldo, First President of the Philippines)
The people in Spain who still supported the Dos Equis Movement were furious. But there was not much they could do. Their presence in the Spanish Conservative Party was a liability to that party’s electoral prospects. Many within the party wanted to be rid of them. Their influence in government continued to wane. In 1905 their remaining supporters were further infuriated when the rest of the Spanish possessions in the Pacific were sold to Germany. Spain and Germany became allies shortly afterwards. The Dos Equis Movement became a target of mockery worldwide. In a 1905 meeting with government officials, Mexican President Porfirio Diaz reportedly grabbed a bottle of Dos Equis beer and sarcastically announced the beginning of a Mexican century; that Mexico was going to retake the American Southwest, and that they were also going to conquer China. This story may not be true, but it shows how Spanish Imperialists became the laughing stock of the world.
-Excerpt from The Dos Equis Movement, Spain's last gasp for power, by Ona Andreu, Seville Press, 1997.
A large faction within the Spanish Cortez believed that Spain could still hold on to Luzon. They couldn’t come to terms with abandoning Manilla. This all changed when rebels besieged the city in June of 1902. Though they lost they inflicted high casualties on the Spanish garrison. Meanwhile, across Spain, small anti-war protests were organized. The protests grew and became outlets for people to express their frustrations against the current system and agitate for Democratic reform. Some called on the government to allow for more competition against the established Partido Liberal-Conservador (Liberal-Conservative Party) and Partido Liberal (Liberal Party). These two parties agreed to the Turno Pacifico (Peaceful Turn) where they would have alternating periods of power. One of the large groups that sought to challenge the two-party system was the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (Spanish Socialist Workers Party). They were well-organized and quickly took over the protests in Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona. The protesters called for a complete withdrawal of Spain from most of its colonies and they were joined by many veterans.
As all of this was happening, Prime Minister Sagasta died on August 1, 1902 at the age of 77. That same day, Spanish soldiers in Madrid fired on a group of protestors, killing several and injuring many more. Then, some of the more revolutionary-minded protestors decided to strike back. In every major Spanish city, riots erupted. By the time Eugenio Montero Ríos assumed his duties as the new prime minister the situation was spiraling out of control. His government decided to give in to some of the demands, particularly the democratic reforms. The government announced that there would be free and fair elections held in 1904. Some of the more violent revolutionaries were deported to Puerto Rico, however. While peace was restored at home, peace seemed far away in the Philippines. By 1903 every departing ship seemed to carry droves of Spanish citizens desperate to go to Guam, Aichow, or anywhere else. It was also apparent that the rebels were receiving arms from foreign nations, Spain suspected Japan.
(Philippine Rebels)
The first country to offer payment for Spanish colonies was Italy. However, it did not offer enough money. Germany and Japan were also potential buyers. However, the eventual buyer turned out to be an old enemy. The United States approached Spain in 1904 and offered to buy the Philippines. The Senate narrowly approved the purchase and by August of 1904 the transaction was complete. Us President William Jennings Bryan felt sorry about his failure to liberate the Philippines and believed that if the US did not buy the islands, the Philippine people would be subject to another cruel Darwinian Imperial power in Spain’s place. He was also concerned that, in case he lost reelection in November, a future administration would annex the Philippines and make it a US colony. Thus by purchasing the islands, Bryan denied the imperialists a victory. The Philippines would be made an independent nation, allied with the United States.
On August 16, 1904, Spain officially announced that its soldiers would withdraw from the Philippines. On February 16, 1905, the Spanish flag was lowered for the last time in Manilla. Spanish Governor-General Fernando Rivero de Rivera was booed by locals as he embarked on a ship headed for Spain. And just like that, centuries of Spanish rule came to an end. Once all the soldiers and government officials were gone, there were great celebrations. Later that year, Emilio Aguinaldo would be elected as the first President of the Philippines. Even before the last Spanish soldiers left, American businessmen began to trickle in. That trickle became a flood over the next decade. After Bryan left office, the American presence on the island began to take the form of military bases.
(Emilio Aguinaldo, First President of the Philippines)
The people in Spain who still supported the Dos Equis Movement were furious. But there was not much they could do. Their presence in the Spanish Conservative Party was a liability to that party’s electoral prospects. Many within the party wanted to be rid of them. Their influence in government continued to wane. In 1905 their remaining supporters were further infuriated when the rest of the Spanish possessions in the Pacific were sold to Germany. Spain and Germany became allies shortly afterwards. The Dos Equis Movement became a target of mockery worldwide. In a 1905 meeting with government officials, Mexican President Porfirio Diaz reportedly grabbed a bottle of Dos Equis beer and sarcastically announced the beginning of a Mexican century; that Mexico was going to retake the American Southwest, and that they were also going to conquer China. This story may not be true, but it shows how Spanish Imperialists became the laughing stock of the world.
-Excerpt from The Dos Equis Movement, Spain's last gasp for power, by Ona Andreu, Seville Press, 1997.
And thus the US still frees the Philippines, while Spain's attempt to hold power ends badly. Glad to see some things don't change.
That's the way it is with a lot of history. Even if D-Day fails, the Nazis still lose, it just takes a little longer. Even if Romulus Augustulus isn't deposed the Western Roman Empire still falls, it just takes a little longer.
In my original TL, I had the Italians buy it.
I have a strong feeling that this version of the Philippines is going to effectively become an analogue to Cuba, in that there is going to be a constant mix of autocracy, corruption, violent unrest, and with the United States constantly putting its foot further and further through the door. The Japanese, who certainly will want to pull the Philippine Republic into their sphere, won't help matters whether it means funding insurrectionists or whatever political opposition may exist.
Why would the US Congress, and before it the people, accept a new state thousands of miles away and the population size of the then largest US state, New York, just made 99% of Oceanians, to become the second most powerfull state in the House of Representatives?
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Note my use of the word 'should' as opposed to, say, 'could'.
I was also interested in why the Phillipines didn't evolve to a US state, since it was an US protectorate in OTL, but the answer convinced me of it's ASB-iness. More likely you could wish for Cuba to become a state.
Regardless, Hawaii isn't even a state yet and it has already been annexed by the US. The tricky part about the Philippines is that A) they'd have to give up their sovereignty, and B) most of the people who live there aren't white.
Not to mention we're:
- Catholics and Muslims
- not whites
- might destroy the South's sugar industry(?)
Not to mention our nationalist fervor didn't get destroyed like OTL. So many will not support US statehood unlike OTL.
There is no story written with any level of realism that can result in the Philippines being anything more then what it was historically, for a myriad of reasons that center around racism, nationalism, and economics primarily.
Interesting story. So, as we enter the 20th century, what can we expect from the new President?
(BTW, watched.)
(BTW, watched.)
Glad you like it! As for the new president, you will have to wait a few days. The next chapter should be up today, and the chapter after that will deal with the new president and should be up by the end of this week.