The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-03
GREAT VICTORY
 FOR DR. COOK Paris Newspaper Speaks In Praise of the American VALUE OF HE DISCOVERY There Are Many Things Which pr. Cook Must Clear Up to Satisfy the Critical When He Ar
 rives from Trip.

Paris, September 3.-The Matin com
 menting on Dr. Cooks success says:
 'The dawn of a new century has seen
 marvellous discoveries, not the least of which is that brought to us over the
 telegraph on Wednesday night that the
 north pole had been discovered and that an American explorer has attained that
 point of the globe, which is wrapped in
 mysterious legend and has always been deemed inaccessible.
 Tt is difficult at this hour to esti- mate what science will gain by this dis covery. It is notably difficult to know
 if Nansen's theory-the famous theory,
 according to which the north pole Is
 only a sea covered with a thick crust
 of ice drifting from east to west-will
 be confirmed or upset. pr. Cook, in his
 account, does not make clear if the ice on which he planted the flag covers
 terrestial soil or the depths of the sea-
 It is difficult also to appreciate the value
 of observation of all kinds that savants
 have not failed to make in the course
 of their expeditions.
 But one thing is certain, a great feat
 has been accomplished and marvellous
 victory has been won by the courage and
 tenaclty of man over the savage brutality
 and relentless resistance of matter, and
 none will seek to stint America the en-
 thusiasm which the glorious conquests
 of admiration well earned by one of her
 sons for the triumph which he has
 achieved for civilization
 The Paris morning newspapers are characterized by benevolent, doubting tone with regard to Dr. Cooks reaching the pole. They are influenced prinoi- pally in this attitude by interviews with scientist explorers, such as Mel vile and Baldwin.
 The Figaro says:
 "Dr Cook is a polar exporer of such experience and worth that one may safely believe in the complete success of his attempt, but on the other hand, so far as we can judge from the nec- essity hastily telegraphic news received up to the present, we must, to proclaim | his success, admit that he was able to | cover in 36 days, that Is to say, at the l rate of IS kilometers a day the $50 kilometers which separated the pole | from Cape Hubbard Such perform l ance corresponds in no way to the ex- | perience of other explorers, but new ertheless, it is quite possible that pr. 1 Cook was favored with exceptional l luck"
 The Eclair says.
 "A certain doubt shrouds the expedl- l tion. We have fairly detailed ac- | count, but this comes from the doctor 1 himself 'Testis unus testis nullus,' says l on old proverb, but skeptics have still | a right to smile. Let us hope that the l journal of the expedition, with the de- tails of the observations made. will 1 soon come and throw light on the ex-
 ploration."
 The Petit Republique says: | If Dr. Cook really put his foot on the | poe the name of this American citizen | from today is famous. He will have ] ended what Nansen calls polar obession | and will have realized the dream by | which man has been haunted for the last 1 five cehturies.'
 l M, Quenisset, distinguished astronoml- | cal photographer in an interview, said | there was no reason to doubt the sue | cess of the attempt. Dr. Cook, he pointed l out, is not unknown to scientists and cer- | tainly would be incapable of making a I claim he was in no position to substan- | tiate.
 1 The Petite Parisienne says: ''It was astounding news that arrived | yesterday in the capitals of the world, so | astounding even that many are skepticai. 1 But why shouldn't it be true? Until more l amply informed no one has the right to doubt the word of the hardy explorer who, as is acknowledged by everyone, had pledged his life in advance in the l cause of science. The exploits surpasses, | if not in bravery, at least in success, those of Shackleton.'