Meanwhile the introduction of general mili tary service into Germany raised new interna tional questions about the status of immi grants. Congress took the broad ground (1868) that °The right of expatriation is a natural and inherent right of all people' thus asserting that all foreigners had a presumptive right to come to the United States and acquire citizenship. Nevertheless the same year a treaty was made with Germany, admitting that under some cir cumstances a naturalized citizen might lose that status.
The question of the right of immigration was raised in a different way by the increase of Chinese immigration under a treaty of 1868. Congress passed several bills denying the privi lege to Chinese, and popular feeling pushed through statutes prohibiting the immigration of any Chinese laborers. See CHINESE IMMIGRA TION.
The Latin-American question entered on a new phase when in 1879 a French company pre pared to construct a canal across the Isthmus of Panama. In spite of protests by President Hayes, who declared that any such canal must be part of 'the coastline of the United Congress and the people could not be aroused. In 1881 Secretary Blaine tried hard to get rid of the Clayton-Bulwcr Treaty, so as to give the United States a free hand in dealing with the canal question; and he also made great efforts to put an end to the wars between the South American states and to bring all the American nations together in harmony and perhaps in some form of union.
Expansion Policy (1895-.1904).—For nearly 15 years after 1881 no serious diplomatic crisis arose and no new policies were adopted, except a series of Pan-American issues, beginning in 1890. In 1895 a dispute between Great Bri tain and Venezuela as to the proper bound aries of British Guiana suddenly drew from President Cleveland a new statement of the Monroe Doctrine, in which he denied the right of European nations to hold colonies in the Americas and declared that the United States is practically sovereign on this con tinent, and its fiat is law, ending with a threat of war. Great Britain, convinced that the American people were behind the President, gave way and agreed to arbitrate the question, and from that time on sought the good will and friends" ip of the United States.
This friendship was shown in the Spanish War of 1898. Cuba had long been a source of
trouble between the United States and Spain, and annexation had been predicted for many years. The Spanish government was weak and overbearing; the American people as usual sympathized with the effort to set up a republic. There seemed no end to the Civil War that began in 1895. Hence in 1898 Congress took the momentous decision to intervene by force, adding the Teller resolution, which denied any intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over said island except for the pacification thereof." This little war brought about a change in foreign policy unexpected by the country. Not only was Cuba occupied, but the neighboring island of Porto Rico was conquered almost without a blow. On the other side of the world the city of Manila and eventually the whole archipelago of the Philippine Islands were oc cupied by American forces. Guam, Tutuila and other Pacific islands were added. The Hawaiian Islands were annexed. Thus the United States became a Caribbean power, a Pacific power, an Asiatic power and a colonial power. In 1900 a detachment of United States troops was part of the force which marched up to Peking and released the Ambassadors to China.
As soon as the war was over President Roosevelt entered on a new and vigorous canal policy. The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty was re leased by Great Britain, and preparations were made to buy out the unsuccessful French canal company. An attempt was made to negotiate a treaty for canal rights with Colombia (1903). When that treaty was rejected by Colombia the province of Panama revolted, and its independ ence was at once recognized by the Roosevelt administration. A treaty with the new republic was concluded for the virtual cession of a canal strip. Next year work began on the canal and in 1914 it was opened to traffic, under the ex clusive ownership and authority of the United States government.
The growing consciousness that the United States was a populous, rich and potentially strong nation, one of the first-class powers in the world, was shown in 1902 when a German fleet was sent to enforce payment of certain claims. President Roosevelt appealed to the Monroe Doctrine and insisted that Germany should give a pledge not to seize or even to land upon Venezuelan territory.