The Washington herald., 1907-12-13

National pride is pardonabe. even when
it reaches the point OF arrogance for on
such pride is patriotism founded. This
pride is reached only through knowledge
Of ones own country. and a knowledge Of
foreign lands, when comparison may be
made. II a greater national pride has
arisen in the past two decades than the
country had before known. a due share of
the credit ought 10 go 10 the society
whose banquet of 500 covers is TO he held
in Washington tomorrow evening II
daily educates its members 10 higher
spirit of patriotism These members are
reached by means Of the magazine which
the society sends 10 EACH magazine
which is not a money-making scheme. but
q clever disseminatOr of knowledge. Some
OF the contributors have been Secretary
Taft. Robert +. Peary. Hon John ".
Foster Mai. Cen A. W Greely DIR. Alex
ander Graham Bel. Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Baron Kentaro Kaneko. and men who are
heads Of various scientific movements in
this and other countries.
Unknown corners OF our land have been
written up and many members CT the
animal world have been studied and pho
tographed for the edihcation Of the So
=
OF other lands have been noted. and great
explorers Of international fame have writ
ten down their trying experiences that
others might know and understand the
price the modern world must pay for such
knowledge. The work Of the nation in
forestry and in the reclamation of arid
lands. the experiments of scientists in
proving new theories, and the projected
internal improvements in the United
States have all been discussed in print for
these members Maps have been care
fully made for distribution. maps that
delineate fully the features of whatever
country. island. or State that al that time
happens to be most prominent in the
public eye The disputed boundary line
OF Alaska called for q series of twelve
maps. showing the claims of the two ma
tions. The Philippines and Cuba have
come in for their due share of attention,
and cne Of the best based on the latest
arctic explorations shows the work OF
each nation in unfathoming the mysteries
of the far North, and the route taken by
each explorer.
The National Geographic Society en-
courages exploration. and gives financial
assistance to such ventures into known
and unknown lands whenever the funds
permit One expedition sent out by the
society went 20 Alaska Another was
sent TO Mont Pelee and La Soufriere
From each Of these expeditions valuable
contributions were made to the general
sum OF knowledge possessed by the So
ciety's members and friends.
One expressed aim Of the society Is to
award a gold medal annually for geo
graphic achievement. So far the COM
mittee on awards has chosen only two
on whom TO bestow this high honor Last
year at the annual banquet Robert Peary
was decorated with this golden trophy
in recognition of his ''farthest north
achievement. and tomorrow Roald
Amundsen receives the second one. From
this it may be seen that the society recog-
niZes no geographical limits where
achievement and merit are concerned.
and any man Of any nation may be con-
sidered in line FOR such decoration when
he has done some great thing for the
furtherance Of geographic knowledge
The society owes its origin to the late
Gardiner Greene Hubbard. a man Of high
scientific attainments, social prominence