The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-16

commission, Commander Peary is go
ing to Rave some very unpleasant half
hours. So far only one new 5paper that
comes to this office takes any stock
In Peary's grave and entirely unsup-
ported charges against Cook. That
paper is the New York Times, which
secured the Peary story and seems to
think on that account it ought to do
everything in it's power to discredit
and belittle Cook. The leading news
papers in New York, Philadelphia.
Buffalo Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati
Louisville, New Orleans, Indianapolis
Pittsburg, Cleveland. Nashville, Chat
tanooga, Knoxville and so on are
evidently disguised with Peary's exhi-
bition of envy and violation of ethics.
None of them accepts the Peary
charges as entitled to credence, and
most of them pay their respects to
the back-biting explorer in no uncer-
tain terms. In this attitude of the
press, we believe, is reflected the gen
Feral sentiment of America. We are
a people that love fair pay, and we
do not believe in preferring charges
against even the humblest individual
without producing satisfactory proof.
Certainly any Esquimo gossip that
Peary may have heard will not for
one moment be accepted as proof.
As matter of fact, the Peary ac'
count of the dash from the S4th par
I allel of latitude to the pole is more
incredible than that of Cook. The lat
ter made this 416 miles in twenty
three days, or at an average of IS
miles day. The first ten days he
averaged IA miles a day, the next six
27.5 miles a day, and the last seven
1914 miles day. Cook made the last
two parallels of latitude in eight days.
Now, suppose Cook, when he came
back, had given to the public Peary's
story. There is hardly anybody in the
world who would have believed him
For instance, when Peary left the Saith
parallel he travelled eight days at the
rate of ST. miles a day, five days at
the rate of IA miles, four days at the
rate of 16 miles, one day at the rate
of miles, five days at the rate OF
1875 miles, and the last four days al
the rate of 50 miles a day. On the
return trip he arrived at Cape Column
bia in 16 days, or an average of &c
miles day.
Now if Cook had brought back any
such record, what would the experts
have said? They would have noted
the fgact that he was averaging about
- miles day up to the time when
he sent all his white companions back
Then with negro and four Esquimos
he makes a great squirt and travels
139 miles in four days, reaching the
pole. They would have said thai
Cook had no trustworthy witnesses tt
this impossible exploit, and that hi
had sent his white companions bacl
purposely. They would also have sait
that his wonderful squirt back, cover
ing 4S0 miles in sixteen days, proved
! that he had never been within two
parallels of latitude Of the pole.
The whole thing would have beer
accepted as ridiculous invention Of
a highly gifted liar, if Cook had told
| it; and the phenomenally rapid return
would have been explainable only or
the ground that before he reached the
SSth parallel he faced about and hik
ed for home.
If Commander Peary is so quick tc
bring grave charges against Cook
might it not be just as well to require
him to submit the same proofs that
he has reached the pole that have
= been demanded of Cook? His story
is much the more improbable of the
! two.