National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-13

guns, without ships, even the facilities for
building them in our navy yards, can it BIO
believed that there Is bill before congress,
and that men can DO found to advocate such
a bill, too, to buy ships in the cheapest market
and admit them duty free, while our own
shipyards, and everything they contain, are
taxed for the support of this government, ana
while tho foreign builders, who would come
in under a free ship law, are oxcmpt2
Such policy should raise blush of
shame on the cheek OF evory hon
est, patriotic man. Such policy
rs this would close every shipyard in the
country! Wo should then be without forts,
without guns, without ships, without ship.
yards, and without the skilled labor to build
them. One step moro and you will complete
tho disaster. Break down your shipyards
and you give yourselves up bound hand and
foot, to English capital and English greed.
Then where Is the skilled labor to come from,
you would be compelled to go for it where
you have gone for your armor plntes.
If nothing but cost is taken into account in
this country, why not engage England to do
your fighting rs we'll as your carrying She
| is the only nation you eau buy from. Can you
| trust horP Remember the Alabama, the
Trent affair, tho blockade runners. Pass
| your free.ship bill and you close the only
| practical school which educates your labor.
Depend upon 1t, those shipyards which you
would ruthlessly destroy are of more impor-
| lance to you than Annapolis, brave and eli.
ccnt US the men are who have been educated
there.
10 cotton and bread we must give the
credit for all tho respect that nations have
for us. Certainly not because of our means
of defense. But the advocates of free ships
will tell you that we build only few iron
ships, and, consequently, the loss to the
nation cannot amount to much. This is o
mistake.
! We have now afloat in foreign trade over
100000 tons of as good and efficient iron
| ships as there are in the world. These ship:
have been built within the last dozen years
| in spite of all the obstacles and discourage
ments that oppressive laws, burdeusome
regulations, and a narrow policy could throw
| in their way.
They are manned by 1000 seamen, and
b his is all the naval reserve you have.
These ships could all be converted into
cruisers in the event of war, and, commanded
| by your accomplished officers, they would, ~
commerce destroyers, he superior to youi
whole existing navy. In addition to thos'
we have the coasting feet composed of fast
handy steamers of light draught.
Let it be remembered that this naval re
serve or militia of the sea has been created
by private enterprise, not only without aid
from the government but actually in spite Of
public policy that is practically hostile.
II the country should suddenly become
involved IN war every one of these ship,
would be taken by the government, armed
with whatever guns could be found. and they
would constitute the most effective naya
force the country could show.
And now IL is proposed to pass a free.shi,
bill, the only effect of which would BIO to de
stroy the private shipyards in which th
naval reserve has been built and by which
alone II can be kept in repair.
Never mind tho sophistries of the free-shiI
advocates. Every man of common sens