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Why did some U.S. senators oppose the Treaty of Paris of 1898?

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Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders — Spanish-American War Theodore Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, 1898; print created by Kurz & Allison.

Some U.S. senators opposed the Treaty of Paris of 1898 primarily because they viewed the acquisition of the Philippines as the beginning of an imperialist policy that contradicted fundamental American traditions.12

Anti-imperialists argued that controlling and governing distant, alien peoples violated the nation's long-standing commitment to self-determination. They expressed deep concern that such an expansionist path would threaten the integrity of the republic itself. Despite this significant opposition, the treaty was ultimately ratified by the Senate in February 1899, passing by only a single vote. The ratification was largely secured because Democratic leader William Jennings Bryan encouraged his party to approve the treaty, intending to make the issue of imperialism a central focus of the 1900 presidential campaign.12