The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-23
SENATOR PLATTs SPEECH.


SENATOR PLATT'S SPEECH.
The second speaker of the evening, |
Hon. Orville H. P!att, was accorded d !
rousing ovation. His speech in full is |
appended:
cannot within the time which I may |
properly occupy exhaust, or indeed Ella |
borate the subject upon which 1 am |
asked to speak.
Whatever may have been the former |
policy of this government, it must be |
apparent to the most casual observer
that it cannot in justice to itself. or in |
justice to the world. feel Indifferent to
the questions which arise between
states and nations. Until very recently |
it has been supposed and asserted that |
our true policy was one of isolation. |
In other words, that our proper attitude |
towards foreign states might be aptly |
expressed in the homely phrase ''let US |
alone and we will let you alone" Pre- |
cisely how this motion of our supposed !
policy grew up it is perhaps difficult to
explain. The sentences in Washing |
tons farewell address, and in Jeffer-
sons inaugural message with reference
to alliances with European nations
have doubtless been relied on as estab- |
fishing such a policy for this govern
ment Neither of these utterances pro-
claimed the indifference Of the United
States as to what might take place in
the world, or can be justly cited as au-
thority for the doctrine that we should
in no way take part in such affairs.
eL; 10
permanent alliances" Jefferson ad-
vised us to cultivate peace, commerce
and honest friendship with all nations,
entangling alliances with none" but
this was very far from the assertion
that we had no concern in what might
be going on between the nations OF the
old world, nor was it so understood
even in those early days. 1t was per-
manent and entangling alliances which
were to be feared and Stunned, and
there could never have been a purpose
on the part of Washington or Jefferson
to say that our interests we're to be
neglected or that as one of the nations
of the world we have no concern as to
what other nations might do either in
derogation of those interests or affect
mankind.
A nation has no right to live to itself
alone. To assert such a right is to con-
tend for the doctrine that selfshness is
right. Selfishness in nation is as
much worse as selfshness in the indi-
viduaI, as the nation is stronger and
more influential than the Individual
There is what has justly been called
family of nations, embracing all the
governmental powers of the world, and
to be member Of the family confers
responsibility and creates duties. In
family the able and strong must care
for the weak and the helpless. The
father and the mother must care for the
children, and the children in turn care
for the parents. The elder and stronger
brother must interpose his strength in
defence of the younger and feebler Of
the children. But duty in such respects
corresponds with ability and power.
and so it is not strange that when the
United States was weak among nations
its people felt that it's duties were cir
cunlscribed by its boundaries, that our
true policy was to build ourselves up,
caring little for what happened to 9TH
ers outside of our borders Upon the
ground of inability our Indifference may
have been excusable. In our early his
tory we We're weak. Like the youngest
child of the family we naturally felt
that we could get along well enough If
our own rights were not infringed
upon, and that if they were we might
Justly and properly call on the stronger
members of the family to see that we
were not unjustly treated When it
was understood among foreign powers
that this was our feeling, naturally
enough they sought no advice from us
and were disposed not to heed any sug-
gestions that we might make as re-
garded their dealings with each other
We had practically asked to be let
alone, and we were most severely let
alone, So much so that we were
scarcely recognized as enc of the faml-
" of nations, or if we we're recognized
at all the others applied to us that
honely maxim, "Children should be
seen and not heard.' But as we grew
in strength and power and came to rea-
lie that we ought in all fairness to be
consulted, the situation became gazing
rather than agreeable. We began TO
think that the time had come when we
should be allowed a seat at the family
table and not be put off in the nursery,
or compelled to sit at side table in the
corner, and yet that was the position to
which we were consigned because of the
attitude which we had voluntarily as
sumed, and also by reason of the fact
that we were so weak and powerless
that our views even if asserted were
entitled to little respect. I know of
nothing in connection with our national
affairs which stirred me more in my