Editing Mark Hanna (section)

==== Spanish–American War ====
{{main|Spanish–American War}}

Even during the second Cleveland administration, Americans took keen interest in [[Cuban War of Independence|the ongoing revolt]] in Cuba, then a Spanish colony.  Most Americans believed that Cuba should be independent and that Spain should leave the Western Hemisphere.  Beginning in 1895, Congress passed a number of resolutions calling for Cuban independence.  Although Cleveland pursued a policy of neutrality, his Secretary of State, [[Richard Olney]], warned Spain that the patience of the United States was not inexhaustible.  Sherman, then a senator, favored neutrality but believed that the US would inevitably go to war over Cuba.{{sfn|Morgan|p=250}}  Soon after Hanna was appointed to the Senate, McKinley called Congress into special session to consider [[Dingley Act|tariff legislation]].  Despite the stated purpose of the session, a number of resolutions were introduced calling for independence for Cuba, by force if necessary.  When the press asked Hanna if he felt there would be action on Cuba during the session, he responded: "I don't know.  You can't tell about that.  A spark might drop in there at any time and precipitate action."{{sfn|Morgan|pp=252–253}}

Through 1897, McKinley maintained neutrality on Cuba, hoping to negotiate autonomy for the island.  Nevertheless, pro-war elements, prominently including the Hearst newspapers, pressured McKinley for a more aggressive foreign policy.{{sfn|Morgan|pp=254–255}}  On May 20, 1897, the Senate passed a resolution favoring intervention in Cuba, 41–14, with Hanna in the minority.{{sfn|Croly|p=274}}  As the crisis slowly built through late 1897 and early 1898, Hanna became concerned about the political damage if McKinley, against popular opinion, kept the nation out of war.  "Look out for Mr. Bryan.  Everything that goes wrong will be in the Democratic platform in 1900.  You can be damn sure of that!"{{sfn|Horner|p=245}}  Nevertheless, the Ohio senator believed that McKinley's policy of quietly pressing Spain for colonial reform in Cuba had already yielded results without war, and would continue to do so.{{sfn|Phillips|p=91}}

On February 15, 1898, the American warship [[USS Maine (ACR-1)|''Maine'']] sank in Havana harbor. Over 250&nbsp;officers and men were killed.{{sfn|Leech|p=166}}  It was (and is){{sfn|Gould|p=74}} unclear if the explosion which caused ''Maine''{{'}}s sinking was from an external cause or internal fault.  McKinley ordered a board of inquiry while asking the nation to withhold judgment pending the result, but he also quietly prepared for war.  The Hearst newspapers, with the slogan, "Remember the ''Maine'' and to hell with Spain!" pounded a constant drumbeat for war and blamed Hanna for the delay.  According to the Hearst papers, the Ohio senator was the true master in the White House, and was vetoing war as bad for business.{{sfn|Gould|pp=74–75}}  Hearst's ''New York Journal'' editorialized in March 1898:

{{blockquote|
Senator Hanna, fresh from the bargain for a seat in the United States Senate, probably felt the need of recouping his Ohio expenses as well as helping his financial friends out of the hole when he began playing American patriotism against Wall Street money&nbsp;... Hanna said there would be no war.  He spoke as one having authority.  His edict meant that Uncle Sam might be kicked and cuffed from one continent to another.{{sfn|Horner|pp=251–252}}
}}

As the nation waited for the report of the board of inquiry, many who favored war deemed McKinley too timid.  Hanna and the President were [[burned in effigy]] in [[Virginia]].  Assistant Secretary of the Navy [[Theodore Roosevelt]] shook his fist under Hanna's nose at the [[Gridiron Dinner]] and stated, "We will have this war for the freedom of Cuba in spite of the timidity of the commercial classes!"{{sfn|Morgan|p=277}}  Nevertheless, Hanna supported McKinley's patient policy and acted as his point man in the Senate on the war issue.{{sfn|Horner|p=248}}

The Navy's report blamed an external cause, believed by many to be a Spanish mine or bomb, for the sinking of ''Maine'' (modern reports have suggested an internal explosion within a coal bunker).  Despite the increased calls for war, McKinley hoped to preserve peace.  However, when it became clear that the United States would accept nothing but Cuban independence, which the Spanish were not prepared to grant, negotiations broke off.  On April 11, McKinley asked Congress for authority to secure Cuban independence, using force if necessary.{{sfn|Gould|pp=73–85}}  Hanna supported McKinley in obtaining that authority, though he stated privately, "If Congress had started this, I'd break my neck to stop it."{{sfn|Beer|p=202}}  Spain broke off diplomatic relations on April 20; Congress declared war five days later, retroactive to April 21.{{sfn|Morgan|pp=86–88}}

The war resulted in a complete American victory.  Nevertheless, Hanna was uncomfortable with the conflict.  He stated during the war to a member of the public, "Remember that my folks were Quakers.  War is just a damn nuisance."{{sfn|Beer|pp=205–206}}  After the [[Battle of El Caney]], he viewed the American casualty lists and stated, "Oh, God, now we'll have this sort of thing again!"{{sfn|Beer|p=205}}  After the war, Hanna supported McKinley's decision to annex Spanish colonies such as [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Guam]].{{sfn|Croly|p=256}}