The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-03
Mr.. 0LNEY ON ISOLATION
UNITED STATES HAS CARRIED IT
BEYOND ORIGINAL INTENTION.

Washington, Who Originally Expressed
the Rule of Isolation, Enjoined Us Not
to Permanently Ally Ourselves with ANY
European Power, but This Does Not
Mean That We Should Not Protect Amer-
lean Citizens and Commercial Life.
Cambridge, Mass, March 2.--The Sec
ond lecture in the series being given
during the present year at Harvard
university on "Civic Duties and Re
FORMS" was delivered in Sanders thea
ter this evening by the Hon. Richard 4
Olney, ex-secretary Of state. His sub
ject was "The International Isolation
of the United StaEs." Long before
the hour appointed for the lecture San
ders theater was completely filled, Mr.
Olney was introduced by President
Eliot, who alluded briefly to his public
career and eminent qualifications to
speak on the subject of the evening.
Mr. Olney spoke substantially as foI-
lows: '"The civic duties with which
this course deals are very varied.
shall limit myself to the national as
pect of civil duty, speaking from my
own experiences in national affairs. TO
be sure, foreign affairs have to be
managed by constituted officers, but
there is nothing about them which does
not merit the study of the ordinary
citizen. When affairs of foreign policy
are concerned the citizens vote is much
less potent than public opinion. An
example Of this was seen in the Vene-
zuelan incident. A large mass Of pub
I;,1
though dimly understanding the cir
cumstances A smaller part opposed
the governments policy and event af-A
| ter England's recognition of our right,
attributed the result to England's pus
| silaminity.
What I mean is this: The United
| States is one of the great nations Of the
world, yet it does not accept all the res
| sponsibility of that position. Allied to
| this question is that Of the Monroe doc
| trine. The rule of International isola-
tion of the United States was original-
| ly expressed in the farewell address Of
Washington. 1t could not have BEEN
more faithfully observed If it had been
a part of the constitution. But we
have extended it beyond It's original in~s
tent. Now what is it that Washington
enjoined us not to do? 1t was that we
should not permanently ally ourselves
with any European power nor enter in
to alliances on this side. What we are
1 to avoid are the ordinary vicissitudes
of European politics. But this does not
mean that the United States must not
protect its citizens and commercial life.
But suppose that American missiona-s
ries are injured. then II cnly by alli-
II ance we can get reparation we areS
1 bound to make that alliance. Doubt
| less we could not assert some just
/ rights against all Europe, but If by an
| alliance we could assert those rights,
/ we should be bound to do SO. Take for
example the international conference
on Africa held in Berlin some time ago,
/ The United States was invited to send
a representative and did SO. The then
/ minister to Germany was our repre-
| sentative and was largely responsible
for the declaration of that conferences.
Yet his name could not be signed to the
document with the names of the other
foreign representatives
1.-THE whole theory Of Washington's s
rule of isolation was that the country
] should have time to grow and until 1T
was grown that we should not. be dis
turbed by foreign entanglements. But
! at that time three great foreign coun-
/ tries had possessions on this continent.
| Now conditions have changed WASH
ington never intended that his rule Of
isolation should be maintained when
the country was in it's maturity. The
time is past when we should hold alOof
from the councils of the nations. But
If we should retax the Washington
rule we would not have to expose our
selves to needless hazards. We should
still be governed by principles Of inter-
/ national low. 1t is a misfortune to be
governed by rule of action that has
outlived it's usefulness to apply to our
set of conditions a rule that was
meant for an entirely different set of
conditions. But even Washingtonis
rule of isolation was limited to politics..
1t did not apply to commerce. Never
theless the evils Of the protective sys-
were largely due to the influence OF
that large body. Political isolation
may not be inconsistent with CONNER
cial freedom, where country is weak
and small, but-when a country becomes
great power coving vast continent,
l
GUS impediment to commercial Develop
ment. The two evils go together. The
result is such an inconsistency as Is
illustrated by our position in the Ber-
lin conference when we accepted with
alacrity the privileges of the declara-
ton, while we firmly declined to take
any responsibility for it. If we stand
without friend in the world, it is be-
cause Of this attitude.
"And now when our shipbuilding
trade has gone as a result of this policy
our shipbuilding is crushed by restric-
tion which forbids registry of foreign
built ships. The fact is that in all cur
protective restriction legislation we are
on the wrong track. This country
should recognize the changed condi-
tions and accept it's present situations
with all it's burdens and all its advan-
tages. The mission of this country,
while looking after its own interests,
is to further the cause of civilization
throughout the world. There is no
doubt with what nations we should CO.
operate. England, our most formida-
BILE rival, is our most natural friend
There is such thing as patriotism for
race as well as for country. Nothing
less can be expected from the commu-
nifty of interests of Great Britain and
the United States than that, both shall
use their influence not only for their
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