The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-09-16
VANDERBILT AND HIS YACHT.

49, 49,
A.et Him Bnild Mt HOme-If He supports |
Foreign shipbuilders Lot Him Pay tho
Penxlty-No Loyal American Would Dis
honor Our Flag.
Tho free trade press have recently
made great fuss because Mr.. Fred W.
vanderbilt's foreign built "undocu-
'mented" steam yacht has to pay slight
money" dues on entering our ports,
says the Marine Journal. 1t is sought
to make it appear that the payment of
this tax is an injustice put up by the
present administration. Now, Mr.. Van
derbilt is presumed to have knowledge
of the laws of his country. He knows,
and the free trade press know all too
well, that American shipbuilding and
the coasting trade are, and have been,
protected, in part, by the law COM
planned Of for seventy-five years past.
Every vessel owner OF the United
States understands that he can not 60
abroad and bring foreign built vessels
into our trade free of protective taxes
While the laws remain properly as they
are. there can not be, nor should there
be, any special privileges granted to
rich men, or to pleasure yachts, that
can not be given to poor men and
freighting vessels.
Mr. Fred Vanderbilt is not under
competition, that he should be protect
ed He was under no constraint to 60
to foreign country for yacht. He
got his money here and can afford an
American price. Our builders can build
him better than he can buy abroad.
That we can have builders able to do
this, it is necessary to protect them.
The getting Of Mr.. Vanderbilt's yacht
built abroad is full and complete dem
onstration that our yacht builders need
to be protected. 1t shows that our rich
and unpatriotic people care nothing
about the existence of yacht building
skill in the United States. Many of
them care nothing for their country.
and are ready, like Peter, to deny their
companions and disown their brethren
on this side of the ocean. For exactly
this class of people, the navigation laws
were enacted for wise restraint.
Mr. Fred Vanderbilt made his money
here and owes fealty to our laws All
his countrymen stand bound for the
protection of his life and property, and
among them are the mechanics who
build steam yachts. The fathers of the
country of Mr.. Vanderbilt declared
their independence of Great Britain,
and pledged to each other their lives,
their fortunes, and their sacred honor
to create new flag for ''the land of the
free and the home Of the brave" 1t
took seven years war, thousands OF
lives and millions of treasure to, create
tlis emblem of independence. The pa
triots who endured to the end of the
revolution. and started our government
never intended this flag should be dis
honored at the mastheads of foreign
built yachts They never intended to
compromise or sacrifice the independ.
ence which they had won. Hence the
navigation laws" which they made to
preserve it. Why should Mr. Fred w.
Vanderbilt despise the wisdom of the
fathers and repudiate their loyalty?
Why should he impeach the skill and
insult the dignity of American mechan-
les? What does he want of British
built yacht? His grandfather would
have scorned to 60 to England for a
steamer. Noloyal American ever went
there for one. "The country be
damned" is the spirit displayed. 1t is
the same with the free trade press
There is not a loyal pen in its service
With their writer's it is all foreign, for
eign interest which they seek to serve
British for the most part, if we had a
war with England there would be occa
sion to hang more spies than ever thu
world knew of before.
The administration does we'll to ap
ply the laws as found on the statute
book Let the free traders kick They
need to see that money makes no differ
ence for Anglomaniacs bent on pleas
ure That which is good enough .fol
honest freighting schooners and steam
crs is good enough for yachts. As foi
Americans who wish to sport with for
eign built steam yachts, we say, give
them no favors, but plenty of con
tempt. In dishonoring American build
ers they scandalize the country and be
little themselves. ,.D