CARIBBEAN, American Interests and Diplomatic Relations in the. The United States has had a long historical interest in the Caribbean and its problems. This interest was early expressed by the long struggle to obtain trade with the British West Indies, the western desire for a trade outlet at the mouth of the Mississippi, the sympathy for the Spanish colo nies in their struggle for independence and the American annexation of territories fronting on the Gulf. In the decade and a half after 1845 its continuation and increase was indicated by the Panama transit treaty with Colombia (then New Granada) in 1846, the ship canal agree ment with Nicaragua in 1849, the famous An glo-American Clayton-Bulwer treaty of 1850, a series of negotiations for the acquisition of Cuba and certain West Indian naval stations and various efforts to prevent the danger of European interference in Central America and the West Indies. In the Civil War American attention was attracted toward the Caribbean by the problem of blockading Confederate ports against blockade runners operating from cer tain West India bases; and after the war, the earlier propositions for greater influence in the region were kept alive by the memory of the difficulties and limitations of the American navy in maintaining the blockade of the Con federate ports, and also by the unsatisfactory conditions of Spanish rule in Cuba.
The Spanish-American War, resulting in the American possession of Porto Rico and the assumption of new international duties in Cuba, brought the vision of new economic and politi cal advantages in the Caribbean and the real ization of new responsibilities. The develop ment following the war revolutionized the American national position. By the logic of events the United States was forced into a place of increasing importance in international leadership in the Caribbean. The construction of the Isthmian canal under American control, the logical conclusion of a long series of events and the immediate result of a wise diplomacy and policy which terminated a long period of irritating discussion and delay, attracted the attention of the United States to the neces sity of larger responsibilities in the develop ment of the Caribbean tropics to serve the world's needs.
Under the administrations of Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson, the general policy of the American government toward Caribbean coun tries was fundamentally the same in the as sumption toward weaker neighbors of increasing responsibilities which might involve inter vention to keep order. A positive policy,
preventative rather than remedial, gradually supplanted the former negative or passive policy which involved intervention only after a wrong was done. In 1903, under President Roosevelt, the government extricated Venezuela from a humiliating experience with Germany and other European powers. In 1905 it assumed control of customs collection in the Dominican Republic, and soon thereafter exercised its treaty right to interfere in Cuba to preserve order. Later, under President Taft, it actively intervened to terminate a revolution in Nicara gua, and negotiated with Nicaragua and Hon duras treaties for the extension of agreements similar to the one in force in the Dominican Republic. Later, under President Wilson, it retained forces in Nicaragua for the preserva tion of order, and sent a force of American officials to the Dominican Republic to supervise the elections, and (in 1916) ratified convention arrangements for establishment of fiscal protec torates over Nicaragua and over Haiti. In 1917 the policy of increased police duties in the Caribbean also resulted in the acquisition of the Danish colonies.
The object lesson of Porto Rican develop ment under American control, and of American supervision in Cuba and San Domingo — a practical demonstration that public order and security of life and property is an essential condition for economic development — has made a deep impression upon all Caribbean peoples.
As a result of the construction of the Pan ama Canal, the international importance of the Caribbean has greatly increased by the develop ment of new trade routes which will make it the trade centre of the American tropics — the cross-roads of the western world; and the United States more than any other great power is concerned in the political ownership of the territory, the fiscal policies of their govern ments, the extent and direction of their foreign trade, the problems arising from the peculiari ties of their population, their financial status, the exploitation of their natural resources, their foreign investments, the protection of health, and other problems which have a bearing on foreign policy and necessitate more intimate American relations with these communities.
Bibliography.—Blakeslee, George H. (ed itor), 'Latin America' (1913) ; Callahan, J. M., and International Relations> (1899); Jones, Chester Lloyd, 'Caribbean Interests of the United States' (1916); Latane, J. H., 'Dip lomatic Relations of the United States and Spanish America> (1900).