Abstract
Willard Straight used to be a favorite of historians. The sometime diplomat and full-time imperialist promoter enjoyed a brief glory period after his death in the influenza epidemic of 1919. His friend Herbert Croly eulogized him in a full-length life-and-letters biography, portraying him as an energetic and tragic figure.1 A later historiographical generation awarded him even more prominence as a stock villain in the drama of expanding capitalism. After all, he worked for E. H. Harriman, J. P. Morgan, and National City Bank; served in the Department of State under Elihu Root and then Philander Knox; and had the approval of Theodore Roosevelt. He popped up at all the key moments of American expansionism, and he was likely to say, flat out, I am a borne [sic] imperialist, a rank imperialist, an Imperialist confirmed and deep dyed.2 Straight's eager
Published Version
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