The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-05-21
MAKE A MISTAKE.

club to permit LaWSOn'S Boston boat
to enter in the trial races for the sell
ection of a cup defender will un-
lessening the national interest which
has always heretofore been manifest
ed whenever a race for the old Ameri-
cas- cup was being arranged. Under
the claim of the New Workers the
ace is in reality nothing but a con-
test between the club and any Eng
lishman CT other foreigner who takes
a notion that he would like to take
the trophy across the ocean and hold
it until such time that the club now
in possession of it may be able to re-
take it. 1t has always been understood
that the New York Yacht club, under
the deed of trust by which the cup
reverted to it, is simply the custodian
of the trophy; that it was to be held
as a perpetual challenge cup, and
while this may give the club the first
right to be it's defender, the narrow
ness for which New York is proven
bal should not allow the men of
| Gotham to the responsibility,
of saying that if they are not able to
successfully defend the cup no n
| else shall have the privilege Of try
ing to retain it for the United States.
If the New York Yacht club simply
regards the cup as a trophy solely its
own. as long as it can be successfully
defend it, the people at large will
probably cease to have that interest
and feeling in the races of the future
in which it is contested for that they
have had in the past, and if it is lost
to Upton, or any other foreigner, they
will not regard the matter as n of
national interest. Their national
pride would naturally impel them to
lean to the side of the New Workers,
but the distinctively international
character with which the past races
have been invested will cease.
Mr.. Lawson has spent a large sum
IL l1OllCS III va Spol 1lS a DCoI CAioe IN
thinks is fit to enter the lists of de-
tenders and the American spirit of
fair play demands that he be given
an opportunity to show what his yacht
is capable of doing. In going to the
expense he has in constructing his
boat he has given ample evidence of
his craftsmanship and he may be de
pended upon to abide by the decision
of the judges in the trial races, be
that what it may, and if found inferior
to any other craft ambitious to have
the honor of defending the cup he
may be relied upon to be the first tc
say his boat shall pe Withdrawn. But
the New Workers have barred him and
the protests of the public or Mr. Law
son will avail nothing. If the cup is
lost the regret will probably not be
so profound under the circumstances
as it would be were the gentlemen
who have it's custody to manifest the
same spirit as has been shown by the
Boston man in personally undertak
ing what only a syndicate Of the
wealthy Knickerbockers had the hardi
hood to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of {
boat costing many thousands of dol
lars. Mr.. Lawson has the satisfac
ton of knowing that as a genuine
sportsman he stands higher in the es
timation of the American public thai
t the men who have denied him tn
right of making an effort in the di
5 rection of retaining for the countr.
: what has come to be regarded as
1 national trophy. If the cup is los
it will be only the New York zach
club and not the American peopl
who are the losers. If the forme
t can stand it the latter will probabl,
e try and worry along and not feel to-
I badly over it.