The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-27
THE GREAT NORTH POLE.
What Will We Do With 1t When We Get It? Is the
Question Which Walter Welman Discusses
in the Review of Reviews.

What is the use Of trying TO reach tho
north pole? What IL to bo gained for
mankind? What will you do with the
pole when you get 1t?
These are questions which every friend
of arctic exploration IS often called upon
to answer. They are propoundet in all
seriousness and good faith, and deserve
reply in kind.
Many men who applaud a Lick or
Yerkes for their liberal endowment or
great telescopes with which TO discover
new stars in the stellar universe have
fallen into the habit of sneering at the
men who propose 10 discover the north
pole ard thus add 10 our knowledge OF
our own world.
Men who rejoice whenever a new fact
IS learned concerning the heavenly bodies
or the internal structure or history OF our
globe have little patience with those who
venture into the unknown regions Of tho
north with View to learning what IS
there. They forget, perhaps that this
earth was given 10 man for his home,
and that the desire 10 conquer and to
know all or & Is ss instructive as life
Itself
The results OF efforts 10 explore tho
great unknown area abogt the pole may
be divided into two parts: one has 10 do
with the extension Of knowledge. with
the ascertainment OF those facts which
build up and broaden and perfect the Sci
ences: the other caters 70 love % adven-
t}Ee. TO admiration Tor conquest Of diff
culties and certainly these are not the
least praiseworthy traits OF human na-
ture.
To the man who asks, can people live
about the pole-what can be grown
there?" and who thus implies impotence
with exploration which does not open up
either mines or farms. or some product
I've industry there ~ 10 answer. TIE
same man might ask. OF what use + q
poem? lie must be permitted 10 20 bis
way, along with the man who can SCR
no value in dredging the depths 81 the
sea scaling the heights Of mountains. or
widening our knowledge of the stars. be-
cause I'm mona o. these places ran wheat
or corn be grown or precious metals BE-
mined.
Bar 70 those who look upon The garner
iug Of every new fact concerning our uni
verse IA a contribution % fhe sum o.
human knowledge. and therefore 20 hui
man power and human happiness the
value OF arctic exploration is obvious
nowhere are more questions 20 be
found for which 20 seek answer" wrote
Prof George CserlarG. the physicist
than IN the polar regions. Mans
disposition 20 make all the earth his home
and himself at home everywhere in IL -
only sharpened by the problems offered
there. and the tendency 70 50 becomes
irresistible.
The explanation % the g.aciatl9n o.
the northern part Of or temperate zone
during the see age. stu unf1and is a
matter % great importance. tor enc fopo-
graphy O. the lard n the present time
was brought ont and thu organic life o.
the whole earth was modified oy r ard
II Is the general opinion that tea Ts.stio0
or TIA problem is % los found. II & -
found rs stu8y % the polar seaora
&an c0ui4 act rfa from
irsau!ring iufo the rature aoa reas9n q
these things * be 2ould and Ganna be IS
willingly or urF~ll'iagig led % RE Dales.
where ne u brought into the eiasssI re-
IS.onS with tLSs. and where tAz .xp4a4a-