▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁however , ▁the ▁sudden , ▁unexpected ▁out bur st ▁of ▁big ▁city ▁crime ▁associated ▁with ▁boot leg ging ▁und erm ined ▁support ▁for ▁prohib ition , ▁and ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁took ▁up ▁the ▁cause ▁for ▁repe al , ▁finally ▁succeed ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁International ▁policies ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁precip itated ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Empire ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Paris ▁giving ▁the ▁US ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁former ▁Spanish ▁colon ies . ▁P erman ent ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁issue ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁president ial ▁election . ▁Bry an , ▁although ▁strongly ▁support ive ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁against ▁Spain , ▁den ounced ▁the ▁permanent ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁which ▁was ▁strongly ▁def ended ▁by ▁Republic ans , ▁especially ▁the ▁Vice - Pres ident ial ▁nom ine e ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t . ▁President ▁Ro ose vel t ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁bo asted ▁of ▁his ▁success ▁in ▁gain ing ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal , ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁Democr ats ▁attacked ▁the ▁move , ▁but ▁their ▁attempt ▁to ▁apolog ize ▁to ▁Colombia ▁failed . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁also ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁world ▁scene ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁years ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁President ▁Wood row ▁Wilson ▁tried