Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-08
THE OPENING SESSION
Congress Of Geographers Con-
venes Today.
ADDRESS OF WELCOME
COMMANDER PEARY PRESIDES
AND EXTENDS GREETINGS.
Prof. C. D. Walcott Speaks in Behalf Of
President Roosevelt-Recep-
ton Last Night.

national geographic congress in the main
lecture hall of George Washington Univer-
sity, at 18th and H streets, this morning
was replete with interesting features Com
mander Robert E. Peary, the world-famed
arctic explorer, presided. and in his formal
address spoke to eager audience in en-
tertaining fashion of his ideas as to how
arctic and antarctic explorations should be
conducted in the future. Commander Peary
said that such expeditions should be robbed
of all sensational tendency and should be
regarded as .'humdrum business PROPOSE
tions." The loss of a few men and a few
ships should be discounted. The knowledge
to be gained in the frozen fields of the
north and the south, he declared, Is worth
the price that will have to be paid.
Prof. c. D. Walcott, director of the United
States geological survey. welcomed the dele
gates and members of the congress in the
name of the President of the United States,
who Is the honorary president. In acknowl-
edgment- of this address, the congress
ordered telegram sent to President RooSe-
welt at Oyster Bay. thanking him heartily
for the welcome. Mr.. G. X. Gilbert, acting
president of the National Geographic So
ciety, welcomed the congress on behalf OF
the Washington society.
Invitations to hold the next congress in
Geneva and in Budapest were received and
will be considered. The representatives of
foreign countries replied briefly to the many
words of cordial welcome spoken.
The varying accents of many foreign
tongues made up the drone of conversation
in the Convention Hall prior to the begin
ming of the session. There were gathered
together some of the most eminent scien-
lists of the world-the workers in gc1g-
raphy. a science more closely appealing to
the people of all nations than almost any
other branch of higher study. A large
number of ladies interested in geog1 aphic
work and societies were noted in the dis
tinguished international audience.
Represents President Roosevelt.
Promptly at 1915 o'clock Commander
Peary mounted the platform. He was I'M
mediately recognized and was given an
ovation. Briefly he stated 1t was an honor
and a pleasure to declare the eighth inter-
national geographic congress open. He
then introduced Prof. Walcott. who. he
stated. would speak in behalf of President
Roosevelt. After the rounds of applause
had subsidized Prof. Walcott stated Il had
been the hope of President Roosevelt to
attend in person and open the first session
of the congress and welcome the members
to Washington in the name of the American
people. This impracticable, however
and the speaker was asked to represent
him in fulfilling the pleasant duty.
This is the first time your body has met
on this side of the Atlantic" continued
Prof. Walcott, land it is very appropriate
and timely visit. We have, with our Cana
dian and Mexican neighbors, large coun-
try, containing a great variety of geo.
graphic features, and in the work of max
ing it a fit place of abode for the Ameri-
can people geographic factors have had
much influence. Hence the study of our
own geography has had a practical bear
ing, as well as a theoretical interest to US,
and it has received much attention.
Recent events, moreover, have intensi-
fed the interest of the American people IN
geography and expanded the field of their
study to the limits of the earth. The
United States has recently been placed IN
a position involving widespread duties and
While other countries have
for generations borne the burden of policing
the remoter parts of the earth, this coun-
try has until recent ytaken little part in
those labors.
The expansion of the country has in
creased the geographic knowledge of the
mass of the people; for the country's well
fare holds the attention of every citizen
auickened our thought concerning the prob
lens of all the east. While all aspects of
geography have had great revival among
us, we are, perhaps, especially anc most
directly concerned with the commeTCldI as
poets of the science
Mr.. Gilbert's Address.
Commander Peary next introduced MIR.
G. K. Gilbert, who greeted the congress on
behalf of the National Geographic Society
or TINS CITY.
Your visit to our land said he, finds
us in the midst of a period of exceptional
growth of geographic interest. AS you
have Just been told in the message brought
by DR.. WaIcott from the President of the
United States, our geographic outlook as
a nation has been revOlutionized by the
recent acquisition of number OF lnsular
dependencies. While our people as lndl-
viduals are divided in opinion as to the
advantage of that acquisition, we are OF
enc mind in accepting the responsibility
involved and in recognizing the need OF
colonial policy and a colonial system. with
that acceptance and that recognition comes
a new need for broad geographic knowl-
edge, and the nation Is eager, as never
before, for information on wide range
of geographic subjects and an important
array of geographic problems.
I'm the field of physical geography we
have long been active, and we have felt
that we were measurably in touch with
the geographic scholars of other lands,
but in the geography of countries, in the
geography of industries, and in the geo
graphic problems of administration we are
the merest tyros And now that you. the
geographers of the old world have come
to our shores. we are eager to listen to
all that you have to tell US.
1.-THE National Geographic Society, having