Newspapers and the Spanish American War: Effects on a Midwestern Community
The Spanish American War had a profound influence on United States' foreign policy throughout the twentieth century. Stearns County. a Midwestern German community in central Minnesota, expressed their reaction to this national occurrence through their local newspapers. Like other communities distant from major media centers, Steams County newspapers responded slowly to the growing prewar issues in 1898, determining their relevance for the local population The Democratic St Cloud Times, the German Catholic Der Nordstern, and the Republican St. Cloud Journal-Press were the most influential newspapers in the region. Each St. Cloud newspaper took a differerent position on the war and its potential political consequences. This study will prove how these newspapers. with their respective party affiliations. brought Spanish American War issues to the local population by illustrating a variety of interpretations as they followed the Stearns County volunteers during their eighteen months of service.