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SEPTEMBER 10, 10 Of
speed seemed appreciably to decrease on the
last round and before he reached the final turn
the stop watches showed that ho had lost The
French crowds were greatly disappointed but
largely owing to the popularity of the Wrights
in France and the general French recognition of
tho wonderful stimulus Americans have given
to the science of aviation, no foreign victory
could have been so popular as that of an Ameri
can. They immediately ran up the flag on tho
signal pole on tho .time keepers' stand in front
of ,the tribunes and the bands played 'The Star
Spangled Banner There was great rejoicing
among the American spectators."
ALLj THE world was interested In a dispatch
that went over the wires September 1 from
Dr. Frederick A. Gook. This message was sent
to Dr. Cook's wife in Brooklyn, N. Y., and read:
"Successful, well. Addressed Copenhagen." An
other dispatch from Dr. Cook received by the
Brussells observatory read: "Reached North
Pole April 21, 1908. -Discovered land far north.
Returned to Copenhagen by steamer Hans Egede.
Signed Frederick Cook." A Copenhagen cable
gram carried by the Associated Press says:
"That Dr. Frederick A. Cook, the American ex
plorer, reached the north pole in his expedititon
which has just ended, was given full credence
here, although details aTe lacking of his intrepid
dash across tho ice. A message was received at
the colonial office hero this morning, via Ler
wick, Shetland islands, announcing that Dr. Cook
had reached the pole April 21, 1908. The dis
patch was sent by a Greenland official on board
the Danish government steamer Hans Egede,
which passed Lerwick at noon today en route for
Denmark, and read as follows: 'We have on
board the American traveler, Dr. Cook, who
reached the North Pole April 21, 1908. Dr.
Cook arrived at Upernavik in May of 1909 from
Cape York, The Esquimaux of Capo York con
nrm Dr.. Cook's story of his journey.' It is
understood that the Danish consul at Lerwick,
where the Hans Egede remained for two hours,
was officially notified byDr. Cook's success In
his attempt to reach the pole, but that he was
bound to secrecy concerning the extent and na
ture iQfvthO' explorer'sudiscoverles. Director Ry
berg head of tho Greenland administration
bureau, said tonight that he did not expect to
receive any further details of Dr. Cook's achieve
ment before the arrival of the Hans Egede at
this port, which probably would be Saturday
afternoon. The vessel will make no stops on the
voyage from Lerwick to Copenhagen. Director
Ryberg proceeded to the American legation and
informed the minister, Dr. Maurice F. Egan,
that Dr. Cook had reached the North Pole. The
announcement caused the greatest enthusiasm
throughout the city and many Americans called
at the legation to congratulate the minister.
Among these was Alexander Kouta of New York,
a warm personal friend of Dr. Cook, who said
that he had believed the explorer had perished
long ago. The legation was overcrowded with
visitors tonight. The noted explorer, Command
er Hovgaard, leader of various north polo ex
peditions, was convinced that the message that
Dr. Cook had reached the pole was true, but
remarked that it was strange that no mention
was made in the cable as to whether or not
there is land at the pole."
TWO WEEKS ago a relief expedition sailed
northward for the purpose of locating Dr.
Cook and his party, it being feared they were
lost. Frederick Albert Cook, physician and ex
plorer, is a native of New York. He was sur
geon of the Peary Arctic expedition in 1891
and surgeon of the Belgian Antarctic expedition
in 1897 and 18994' He led the expeditions to
explore and climb Mount McKinley in 1903 and
190.6. He Is president of the Explorers' club
of New York and author of several works on
polar exploration. Dr. Cook is 43 years old.
The Associated Press gives the recent efforts to
locate the North Pole as follows: "Lieutenant
Peary, April 21, 1906, was 203 miles from the
pole; Ronald Amundsen discovered northwest
passage, June to September, 1905; Duke
d'Abruzzi was within 238 miles of the pole in
1900; Erickson, a Dane, rescued on Saunders
land in 1903; Professor Andreo left Tromsoe,
Norway, in a balloon in 1897, never heard from
afterward; Baron Tall and party,perished north
of Siberia in 1904; Dr. Nansen in the Frarm
Penetrated within 261 miles' on April -7, 1895;
the Greeley expedition penetrated to within less
than 500 miles of -the pole in 1882; Anthony
The Commoner.
a'Aruz"1903' Cam6 ne&rw thau th0 Duka
MAURICE F. EGAN, United Stato minister at
Copenhagen, has telegraphod tho American
stato department that Dr. Cook's reported dis
covery of tho North Polo has boon verified by
Dergaard Jensen, tho Danish inspector of North
Greenland. Nikola Tesla', tho famous sciontist,
has made tho following statement concerning
the alleged discovery of tho North Polo: "That
tho announcement of Dr. Cook should find such
a powerful echo is but natural. This country
was always keenly alive to scientific advance
ment and has contributed more than Its share
to tho progress of discovery and invention. Horo
were successively dovoloped tho tolophono, tho
incandescent lamp, the electric transmission of
power, tho electric railway, electric welding, tho
aluminum process, tho modern press, wireless
art and numerous improvements of tho greatest
Importance. Dr. Cook's achievement adds an
other to the many honors America has already
won. As an example of endurance and energy
it is extraordinary. To undertake such a jour
ney even under tho most favorable conditions
must be fraught with tho greatest dangers and
difficulties. To embark on it in mid-wintor with
but a few men and tho scantiest resources and
to live through it is little short of miraculous.
It Is difficult to estimate the consequences of
Dr. Cook's exploit, but if ono is-to follow tho
promptings of scientific intuition they will be
far reaching in geographical and astronomical
observation if nothing else." That tho flag
planted by Dr. Cook on tho new Arctic continent
will be defended by the United States was the
opinion expressed by Attorney Genoral Wicker
sham in an interview at Lawronce Beach, L. I.,
his summer home. "Tho constitution will fol
low the flag if the new land discovered by Cook
proves to be of any value," said Mr. Wlcker
shom. "Tho now territory may perhaps not
prove to be a very valuablo acquisition, but if
human being can live there, or if there are na
, tive races living there, a serious question of cit
izenship will have to bo considered. However,
before taking any position in the matter I pre
fer to wait for information of a little moro
definite character in regard to the exact meaning
and scope of Dr. Cook's discovery." '
SOME OF THE newspaper editors aro dls
, posed to poke fun at the North Polo en
thusiasts. Tho Lincoln (Neb.) Journal prints
this editorial: "Suppose it is true that Dr.
Cook has set his heel on the axle of tho earth,
that tho point where, latitude ends, whence
dangle all the lines of longitude, has at last
been discovered. What of It? Is mail and the
world any better off for the feat? Originally
there was a tangible object In northward ad
venture. There was the northwest passage, tho
long sought short cut to India, to be found.
Only Jour years ago this waB really found by
Amundsen, and of course is so blocked with
perpetual ice as to be useless. But the polo
was known in advance not to be worth a sou.
Yet money and life have been poured out freely
to buy the bauble.' The thirty-seven relief ex
peditions sent after Sir John Franklin, cost
something like five million dollars, and the
Franklin expedition lost every life, 138 officers
and men. For half a century past there has
hardly been a year without its polar expedition
and its tribute of human life to that object.
Was it worth while? Measured by cash divi
dends on the investment the answer is, it was
not worth while. There have been some ma
terial gains. Incidentally to these efforts new
whaling fields have been discovered and made
available. Mineral deposits that may eventually
be of value have been found. But compared
with the material gains of Columbus' dash to
the west, or of Stanley's pathflnding in Africa
the polar gains aro insignificant. It is in the
less tangible but more real moral account that
the profits of polar research appear in plenti
tude. Man is man and not monkey because he
could not take a dare. His Inability to rest in
the presence of the unknown sent him across
Europe, over the Atlantic, through Africa, into
tho air, and toward the poles. Each achieve
ment inspired to greater. The fact that men
kept throwing themselves against the Ice pack
is a' sign that the human soul is still growing.
Were they to Bit supinely with .the northern
blizzards mocking their impotence we should
know that man had reached his zenith and was
starting back. The discovery of the pole, like
the conquest of the air, the two-mlnuU hor,
or the dlscovory of radium U essentially a tM
victory, rich in moral apoili." . v
AS THOUGH in roply to tho skeptical nV
paper men, Dr. Edwin 8. Huston, scientist'
and author, of Philadelphia, nays: "I haveal
ways been of tho opinion that tho northorn re
gions of tho world aro by no moans usolcsa
from a commercial standpoint. Many of us
will doubtless yot sco tho hyporborlan or under
north Boreas regions carefully cultivated, as it'
wore, for tho ivory of walrus, tho eidordown of
various arctic birds and probably, if deep waters
aro found, for tho cultivation of tho whalo and
fur seal."
THE NORTH POLE dlscovory is tho sensa
tion of tho ago. Associated Press dis
patches of September 6 say: "Peary has suc
ceeded! Stars and stripes nailed to tho north
polo. From out tho Arctic darkness thoro was
Hashed this message which stunned tho scientific
world and thrilled tho heart of ovory layman.
From tho bleak coast of Labrador Peary gavo to
tho world tho. news that ho had attained his goal
in tho far north, whilo at tho samo moment, in
far-off Denmark, Dr. Frcdorick A. Cook ofc
Brooklyn was being dined and lionlzod by roy
alty for tho same achievement. Undeniably
Yankeo grit has conquered tho frozen north, and
thoro has been created a coincidonco such as
tho world will novor see again. Two Americana
havo planted tho flag of thoir country In tho
land of ico, which man has sought to ponetrato
for four centuries, and each ignorant of tho
other's conquest, has flashed within a period of
five days a laconic message of success to tho
waiting world. Cook In his first mossago to his
countrymen was brief but non-committal; Poary
was even briefer, but specific. 'Stars and stripes
nailed to tho north polo,' ho said. That was
all, but never before havo so fow words con
voyed to a people a greater meaning or a greater
satisfaction. Five days ago, on September 1,
Dr. Cook sent out from tho Shetland Islands
tho first message of his success a messago
which has aroused a storm of controversy around
tho world. Today Robert E. Peary, lost from,
vlaw in tho land of ico and unheard from since
August, 1908, has startled the world by a simi
lar messago sent from Indian harbor, Labrador.
There was no qualification; it loft no doubt. It
announced unequivocally that ho had reached
tho top of tho world. Thus two flags with tho
stars and stripes of tho United States are float
ing in tho ice packs, proving tho courage of tho
intrepid Americans."
THE FOLLOWING dispatches werosent by
Peary: "Indian Harbor, via Capo Ray,
Sept. 6. To tho Associated Press, Now York:
Stars and stripes nailed to north polo. Peary."
"Indian Harbor, via Cape Ray, Sept. 0. Her
bert L. Bridgman, Brooklyn, N. Y.: Polo
reached. Roosevelt safe. Poary." "Indian
Harbor, via Capo Ray, N. F., Sept. 6. To tho
New York Times, New York: I "have the pole
April 6. Expect to arrive Chateau Bay Sep
tember 7. Secure control wire for mo thoro and
arrange to expedite transmission big story;
Peary." "Indian Harbor, via Capo Ray, Sept. 9,
1909. -Mrs. R. E. Peary, South Harpswell, Me.:,
Havo mado good at last. I have the old polo.
All well. Love. Will wire again from Chateau.
Bert." In replying Mrs. Peary sent the fol
lowing dispatch: "South Harpswell, Me., Sept.
6, 1909. Commander R. E. .Peary, Steamer
Roosevelt, Chateau Bay: AH well. Best love.
God bless you. Hurry homo. Jo."
REPRESENTING THEMSELVES
There is something fundamentally wrong In
any legislative system in which the legislators
represent themselves instead of their constit
uents. In the United States senate men having
large pecuniary Interests In railroads serve on
tho railroad committee. Men financially inter
ested in tariff schedules act on committees which
fix tariff rates and men largely interested in
banks formulate tho laws governing banking.
Can these men be expected to act fairly and Im
partially? How can the plain people expect to
have their rights respected and their interests
guarded so long as public opinion permits legis
lators to act upon questions in which they havo
a pecuniary interest adverse to their constitu
ents. Wo will not allow a judge to try his own?
case. Why allow a senator to vote money Into .
his own pocket?
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