Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-06-18

their sponsors in congress. The Walker
pull lost its potency when the admiral
went on the retired list. He made an
effort recently to obtain the appointment
as assistant secretary of the navy and he
failed. The charm ia broken. The Walk.
er pull no longer works.
Peary's Coming Outing.
But the Peary pull Is in good working
order, and this summer, unless conditions
change, Lieutenant Peary will 60 away on
leave once more to make ono Of his private
polar expeditions. d
Now a polar expedition may be an OK.
cellent thing in its way, but whet interest
has the government Of the United States
in polar expedition that it should pay
one of it's naval officers for 10 months
work every year and give him six months
of that time for private enterprisef
Lieutenant Peary has been in the govern.
ment service for 10 years and one-half of
that time has been spent ION leave. "
When Lieutenant Peary Is not on leave, be
devotes great part of his time and atten-
ton to preparing for his next excursion
into the far north.
1t Is not very serious matter, this sal
airy of Lieutenant Peary, but the principle
Is all wrong. Lieutenant Peary's recall
has stirred up a great deal Of feeling among
the less favored officers of the navy. One
Of them is at work on a new gun which
will be of much more value to the navy
than either the north or the south pole
could ever be. Another has design for
an anchor in mind. Still another Is in
venting new engine for marine use
Why not give each Of these men six
months out Of every year to pursue his
private work. Why wasn't indefinite leave
given to Captain Mahan, so that he could
pursue his literary. work unhamperedP
Captain Mahan resigned his commission
within few months of the time when he
would have gone on the retired list be-
cause his official duties interfered with his
literary work. It would have been far
more appropriate, 1t seems to me, to have
given an indefinite leave of absence to
Captain Mahan than to release Lieutenant
Peary from active duty. Mahan's books
have a greater value for the navy than all
of Peary's contributions to our knowledge
Of the Eskimo.
Greely's expedition to the north was
made under the auspices Of the navy de-
partment. Greely's mission was to es-
tablish station at Lady Franklin bay
In accordance with the plans Of the inter-
tional polar conference held at Hamburg.
Relief expeditions sent in 1882 and 1888
failed to reach Greedy, and congress author
ICED the secretary Of the navy to organize
q third expe :tion regardless Of expense.
Commander Sohley had charge OF the
third expedition. He found Greedy and
a few of his men almost deod. Seventeen
of the party had died of starvation. Mean
time reward Of $26, 900 had been offered
to any ono not in government service who
would find Greedy.
Whom James Gordon Bennett fitted out
the Jeanette expedition, the government
gave no aid, but congress had to appropfi-
ate 9176, 600 in the following year to At
out relief expedition. The government
also sent q relief expedition to find Sir
John Franklin In 1850, but almost all
the expense Of the enterprise was borne by
Henry Grinnell, q New York merchant
~ Govsrnnasnt and Science.
Aftee the 6chley expedition congress ap-
propriated money for presents, which were
taken by an officer Of the navy across ST.
IBERIA 20 be delivered to the persons who
had been kind to General Greedy and his
men In their hour Of need, but with that
the government washed its hands Of polar
expeditions, and the excursions Of Peary
have been made without direct government
aid. Congress does make fool Of itself
now and then. It appropriated money for
the Eainmaking experiments eight years
ago. Before that 1t spent many thousands
Of dollars for hole in the ground which
was 10 be q sunnel between the capitol and
the government printing office. Some per-
sons have an idea that the government
ought to encourage all scientific research
with liberal appropriations. One of these
ID Professor Langley Of the Smithsonian,
who wants $500, 900 for his visionary fly
Ing machine. But If the government Is to
support science, why should 1t not sub
sidise music and arts Some persons will
tell you that music and artare as valuable
in tho work Of civilization and enlighten-
ment % science Is
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