The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-27
ORVILLE ~. PLATT.
Mr.. Lodges fine Tribute to the ConpeC,
ticut Senator.
From The Congressional Record.

From inc congressional Record.
To be anonymous in his work was nuoh
more characteristic of MIR. Platt than TO an,
his signature where all men might read IL
He seemed to me not only to care less ,n !"
self-advertising but TO be more averso IN /,
than almost any public man | ever knew. Va
longed for results, and was finely indiSeron,
when IL came to the partition Of the crsdi,
for obtaining them. This is q phase OF nina
a kind of personal pride and self-resnsc.
not unworthy of consideration, for II X spN''
GENTLY rare in these days of ours. 80 flooded
with news and so overwhelmed by easy
printing. l do not think MIR. Plat ever roo.
soned the matter out and then rested. sn, lsdad
that lasting fame and a place in the history
of the time had no relation whatever to thu
noisy notoriety OF the passing hour, with ia
deafenlng clamors ever ringing In our ears
II was simply part Of his own nature, becauss
ostentation in all it's forms was dIstastefpl N
him and because he shrank from exhibiting
himself. his emotions or his works as sedu.
lousy as some men strive to avoid anything
which resembles retirement OF privacy. m,
industry was unfagging. and again, in small
things as in great. in defeating a doubtful
claim as in building UP a great law, he sought
results and nothing else. II he could uass tho
measure he desired he was more than ylad
to diis29ense WIN hmaKlnG 2 speech I he
ton, or throw out a bad amendment on a
point Of order, he was quite content to avoid
as formida BILE as, a lucid. trained. legal mind
coupled with full information and a DOVE,
Of vigorous, clear statement, could make him
effective In the endless complications Of
great tariff as in guarding against the peril
which beset our Indian legislation. Outside
this chamber his services to the Indians, and
TO the good name and credit Of li' nitej
States in its dealings with those di"lr At and
helpless s%aveges. performed durinG many
Committee, on, Indian Affairs, will never Ia
rightly. valued OF. understood. II was tho
must be In itself and In the doing thereof ~ !.
own great and sufficient reward.
those qualities which seem to me especially
to distinguish Senator Plat as a statesman.
for 2 statesman Of high rank he most ,cer.'
dwelt almost exclusively upon his effective.
ness. his Indifference to self-advertisement
and his undTeSm m pursuit y ,hd Of Results and
went, to make up the man and to account for
his large success His great ability, BIZ
Justice. his feairiessness in The battle tilsS viii
wrong, his capacity for working with other
men. We're all conspicuous in Mr.. Plat, and
ments of his life; He possessed also a very
much rarer gift ip his complete retention Of
that feEibility Which is 50 apt to diminish .;
muscles, tends TO stlfen as We grow Older.
and, only too frequently no effort is made t,
avoid the conseauent rightly. Both mind
mirably the particular functions 70 which
they have been accustomed, but they both
alike sHstti reeoh From from a al pe tT,s lds e. or p an u4wcn,d
Extraordinarily free. Neither his age nor H;
natural conservatism hindered the move.
a new idea or tremble and draw bacE from frSa
an unexpected situation.
In the last ten years of his life he saw sud.
dan nNA xAnf Nh n In Nhn .aI n . ,aE-. - Il
United States to the rest OF the world and "a
our national responsibilities. He did not
shrink from them or shut his eyes and try@
only with the fexibility. but with the keen
he brought to the solution Of the new prob
He did not turn away with dark forebodinn +
from the startling changes which the rush Il /
But butF sonfro sNed'S them sMeP With fSua a eReerf gP0 Se. ",
q smile upon his lips, and a firm faith in III
future of his people and Of his country.
We knew him mott An well we knew
The manly soul. so brave, so true,
The cheerful heart that conquered age,
Tho cpiidlikc. silver bearded sage.
Of a type which the country can i'll spare,
thorough, American, type. which we may vel
us. II is not a type which certain ephemeul
defamers, Just now very. vocal, admire; but
II y to statesmen Of, his precise kind sd
foundation and organization Of our Govern.
ment and the ordered liberty and individual
freedom which have made the United States
what II Is to-day. Senator Plat was a mAa
who was at once an honor to the country
which he served and guided and a vindicatio,
Of our faith, in q Government OF the peoph
who chose him as representative OF then
selves.
have spoken of Senator Plat only m
public man. But to us here his death is mud
more than a public loss. He was our friend
Those who come after us will know Of hs
public services, of the work he did, OF ID,
large place he filed In the history OF the tlnr
get. the honesty of heart and mind, the sim
pliGity, and purity OF life, the humor, the lOT
Of books and sound learning. and. above. al
the kindness which never failed and the 10y
atty which never faltered. Others may
with full faith In the destiny Of the republic
we can confidently say others will, come 2
his life was given. but the place which the
tried and trusted friend has left empty In oi