The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-11
Another Case of Plain Duty.

We note with scornfui increduiity the
report that the Duke OF Abruzzi, cousin
or brother of the new King Of Italy-we
are not sure as to the details-has just
penetrated the frozen solitudes of the
polar region TO a point much further
/ north than has been reached by any of
his distinguished predecessors. We are
told that Peary was. at last accounts.
preparing for "a dash at the pole"-what-
ever that may mean-and, of course. ii Is
possible that the dash" may yet ma
terialize. Meanwhile, however, the Duke
only Greedy and Peary but Nansen him
self are in eclipse. The Italian noble has
made the dash" while the others were
talking about 1t, and he now holds an un-
disputed supremacy among the dashers
IL is clear to our mind that American
explorers must be up and doing some
thing. Shall we sit supine while the
pampered sprigs of foreign royalty outdo
as in the arena OF our chosen and pecul-
lar superiority? For years we have been
proclaiming TO the world that only
member of the Anglo-Saxon race need
ever. ever hope to reach the goal. Eng
land has done nothing in that direction
of late years-there are no diamonds or
gold mines there so far as any human
being knows-but she has patted our
back. and ''sicked" us on, and generally
encouraged her dearly beloved American
cousins TO go in and win. Previous en-
gagements prevent her undertaking the
great enterprise herself. but nothing
would please her more than to see the
United States irrevocably embarked in a
determined and concentrated attempt TO
cannot be used as an ally in predatory
schemes, we can serve Englands purpose
next best by Withdrawing altogether from
the hurly-burly and making a speciality
of science. What England cannot use she
always desires to obliterate.
II happens, however. that we quite fall
in with this arrangement. Anxious to see
our country released from all entangle-
ments with European powers, we regard
with eager gratitude any proposition
looking to that end, no matter In what abb
surd embarrassment ii may temporarily
involve us. We demand, therefore, that
the American people from this day forth
devote all their spare cash and energy to
the defeat of the Duke of Abruzzi's dark
italian designs upon the north pole Our
A., ho% a.
rigid finger England is too busy burning
Boer farms and expatriating or killing
Boer warriors to oppose the Latin con-
spiracy against the pole. Germany is at
present wholly occupied with her mission
of Christianity in China and her assertion
of William Irs divine origin and in
spiration through the agency of the
shambles and the holocaust Only the
United States remains TO check the Duke
Of Abruzzi in his nefarious course As
Mr.. Mckinley said in his message 10 Con-
gress, advocating free trade with Porto
Rico, 'our plain duty" is to take the sit
uation by the throat.
We propose, therefore, that the govern
ment shall at once organize an expedition
to the north pole. We do not insist upon
Gen Otis as the head of the enterprise
though. in view of his remarkable success
in the Philippines, he is obviously the man
for the occasion. The administration.
which has managed everything else-+es-
pecially in Cuba-with such unmistakable
tact and good feeling. can safely be trust
ed 10 place the north pole in the very
best of hands. OF course. we should like
to see the whole thing put in charge Of
Capt. Peary and Gen. Greely. They have
done more in the arctic region than any
other two scientists known TO history. All
We ask is that, whoever is finally assigned
TO the command, shall be prohibited IN
der penalty of early death, from return
ing until his mission shall have been ac-
complished