1889-Spring: Secretary Blaine’s instructions to the American delegates for the Berlin Congress on Samoa underscored his broader strategic vision, noting the …

1889-Spring: Secretary Blaine’s instructions to the American delegates for the Berlin Congress on Samoa underscored his broader strategic vision, noting the “early opening of an isthmian transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific.” This looming reality made the control of Caribbean transit points, such as those in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, a matter of urgent national priority. Blaine’s policy sought to promote American commerce with Latin American states as a means of eventually displacing European influence and securing the approaches to the future canal.