University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1950 Italo-American relations 1870-1914; A study in American diplomacy George Howard Veith The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Veith, George Howard, "Italo-American relations 1870-1914; A study in American diplomacy" (1950). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 5186. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/5186 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Italo-Americaa Relations, 1870 - 1914 A Study in American Diplomacy _______George Howard Velth________ Bo A. , College of St^lhomaSp 1945 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Montana State University 1950 Approved: Dean of the Graduate “^hhooX UMi Number: EP40650 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertstteft PBblisMfig UMI EP40650 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 -f 'It'S0- B ift TABLE OF CONTESTS i CHAPTER I Introduction. »,....... 1 CHAPTER II The Secretaries of S t a t e ...» 14 CHAPTER III Treaty Relations ....... „. 30 CHAPTER IT Immigrations Military Service, and extradition .............. * 51 CHAPTER ¥ Violence and Maltreatment ........ 88 CHAPTIR VI The International Scene .......... 127 CHAPTER VII Commercial Miscellany ............. 140 CHAPTER ¥111 Diplomatic Miscellany ..... ..... 153 CHAPTER IX Summary .......................... * 166 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............ ........ ...» 171 APP1HDICIS ................................ 176 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION International relations are conducted by states. It is states tbat engage in diplomacy, make treaties, arbitrate dis­ putes, and go to war, Even when an individual has an interest to promote or protect, such as a financial claim against some foreign state, there is no way to handle it internationally except through the diplomatic machinery of his state. It fol­ lows that the state is the basic unit in the world community, much as the individual is the basic unit in national and in local communities. Why do states act as they do? The answer to this question is not simple, but, broadly speaking, the policies of states are reactions to environmental stimuli. Because of the attributes of characteristics of modern states, certain reactions appear to be quite natural. Under given circumstances states find it possible to cooperate with each other, while under other environmental stimuli states are 1 liable to refuse cooperation, become aggressive, or go to war. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relations of two states, The United States of America, and the kingdom of Italy, This examination covers the time after the completion of the unification of Italy, up to the time of the treaty between the two nations for the advancement of peace, just prior to the first World War. 1 Norman Hill, International Relations (New York: Ox­ ford University Press, 1950) P a g e 3 During the earlier part of this period, nearly every occurrence of much importance in the diplomatic history of Europe was connected with the Franco-Prussian War, The war itself brought about efforts to prevent the outbreak of war, the protection of the neutrality of Belgium and Luxembourg, German seixure of neutral property during the war, and the sale of munitions of war to the belligerents. In Gctober of 1870 Russia announced that she would no longer be bound by the terms of the treaty of Paris {1856} relative to the Black Sea. In September, 1870, the Italian Government occupied Some, and the diplomatic history of a United Italy commenced, German demands for the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine and the evacuation 2 of France were diplomatic problems up to 1873. In the United States,,Ulysses S. Grant was president. Described by Bailey as a narrow and bewildered military hero, Grant, suddenly elevated from a seat in the saddle to one in the White House, was a pathetic and gullible misfit. By a happy accident, says Bailey, he chose Hamilton Fish*who was . a wealthy and socially prominent New Yorker, as his Secretary of State. Fish found the diplomatic problems to be the trouble in Cuba. Santo Domingp, the difficult Alabama Claims, and 3 other problems. 3 Anderson and Hershey, Handbook for Diplomatic History (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1918) pp. 9-10. 3 Thomas A, Bailey, A Diplomatic ^History of the American People(Hew York: Appleton, Century,Cr'ofts, Inc., 1946) pp.406-425 After the Franco-Prussian War and until M s retirement in 1890, Bismarck dominated the international affairs of Eu­ rope to a degree seldom paralleled by any other individual. From 18?1 on, Bismarck's chief and almost exclusive aim in foreign policy was to preserve for Germany the gains she had secured by the Franco-Prussian War. As the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine made the restoration of a really friendly feeling between France and Germany impossible, Bismarck was haunted with the fear lest France should find allies and de­ velop a coalition hostile to Germany. Bismarck therefore bent his efforts toward securing the complete isolation of France. His success was remarkably speedy and complete. It was secured and maintained throughout the period by the arrangement called commonly the League of the Three Emperors. The Franco-German war scare of 1875 showed the kind of danger to which France was constantly exposed ovring to the isolation 4 forced upon her by Bismarck. About this time there were war scares in American cir­ cles. By January of 1876 the great diplomatic plans of>Fish had broken down and recommendations to Congress for interven- 5 tion in Cuba seemed to be enough,to precipitate war with Spain. In 18?6 the most important features of European diplomacy arose out of the Eastern Question, as the problem of the exist- *- 4 Anderson and Hershey, on.cit.« p. lo 5 Samuel Flagg Beads, American Secretaries of State and their Diplomacy. (Mew York: Alfred Knopf, 1928) Vol. VII,p. 200 ing status and future disposition of the fttoman Empire was then called. Turkish misrule, especially in the Balkan pen­ insula, resulted in tiie Bus so-Turkish was of 1877-1878. The settlement of this war was the cause of great dissatisfaction in many different quarters and created conditions which had a large influence in bringing about the World War. Soon after the adjournment of the Congress of Berlin, Bismarck obtained from Austria-Hungary recompense for the assistance he had rend- 6 ered the Dual Monarchy. At the Congress of Berlin Bismarck professed to play the role of ”honest broker”, i. to seek no personal or no German interest, but to act as the impartial friend of all parties, thus to facilitate the arrangement of a satisfactory adjustment. Meanwhile, he found the necessary arrangement for trench isolation in the form of a close alliance with Austria- Hungary . Three years later the arrangement was altered by the addition of Italy to the combination, the formation of the Triple Allianee. Bismarck was able to continue the complete 7 isolation of France by his reinsurance treaty with Russia. Throughout the entire period, but especially in the leier years, questions arising out of the colonial enterprises of Europe occupied much attention. Little attention was giren 6 Anderson and Hershey, op. cit., p 10-11 7 Anderson and Hershey, op. cTt., Introduction, pp. 9 ff. to th@ United States, As late as 1878 only a small portion of Africa, consisting chiefly of the Mediterranean coast, the southern end of the continent, and scattered regions along the west coast was under the control of European countries. Bivalry. for possession and the adjustment of boundaries gave rise to a series of diplomatic disputes, A large number of questions arose as, in the next dozen years, nearly all of the unclaimed portion of the African continent passed under European 8 control. Many of these questions were settled by the powers directly interested. The United States was not involved. At this time, however, the United States was beginning to take a place in world affairs. During the years after the Civil War the energies of the American people were absorbed by industrial expansion and transformation. The consequent economic and financial maladjustments brought about a number of crusades for popular panaceas, notably greenbacks and free silver. At the same time the enormous task of conquest of the continent involved real ©state, railroad building, Indian fighting, buffalo shooting, homesteading, and other pursuits. In brief, Americans were so busy with their own affairs that, in the absence of compelling issues of foreign policy, they had little time to give to their relations with other powers. 8 Among these problems were the establishment of the French protectorate over Tunis, the dual control of Egyptian finances, the Sudan question,.the British occupation of Egypt, Anglo-German rivalry in Southwest Africa, the formation of • the Congo Free State, the Berlin conference, British relations with the Boer republics, and the questions about the Portuguese colonies* The five Secretaries of State from 18?7 to 1893, with one ex- 9 ception, were without previous diplomatic experience, and they 10 were appointed primarily for political reasons,.