The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-05
DIR. COOK SHOULD ACT.

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( DIR. COOK SHOULD ACT.
In discussing The DR. Cook situation
The Tribune. on October 23rd, referring
10 the stcadtast friendship indicated
towards the Doctor by the Danes. said
that it was time DR.. Cook was doing
something for himself The Danes
have done great things for hun. ami
the corroboralivc report brought by
knUd Rasmussen from the arctics stat
ling that the talk current among tic
EsquimauX stating that DR.. Cook had,
in fact, reached the north pole WIS very
strong support of his claim, But DR..
Cook seems 10 have neglected his own
interests here, and 10 have spent his
time altogether too much in running
around the country lecturing and cG
loving receptions on the strcn"tu of
what he had done before ne had
proved his case. Accordingly. we said
that the time had come for him TO
come to the front with his proofs. This
view Is corroborated by the American
Review of Reviews for November in the
following editorial;
The scientific world was entirely ready
10 welcome Dr Cook and IL has bccu,
ana yet is, thoroughly ready TO pass upon
all his records and proofs. and 10 exam
Inc them from the standpoint OF pre-
sumption that DR.. Cook is not roIRJnceI.
but a real explorer and a man OF the
scientific spirit. Dr. Cook was accepted
at Copenhagen upon the face OF his state
ments, with the distinct understanding
that lie could and would justify the un-
Stintcd kindness and honor conferred
upon him by submitting to the University
of Copenhagen. and the scientific men as
sociated with 1t, all the Data that would
be needed 10 satisfy them OF the truth
Of his claims. Having decided In the
first instance upon this mode OF proceed
urc. DR.. Cook seems 60 think that the
attacks upon him do not create reason
therefore, 10 submit his proofs 10 a tri
bunal 10 be improvised In the United
States The Danes. meanwhile. are not
only preparing 10 go thoroughly into DR..
Cooks records and data. but have also
been making some Inquiries in Greenland
on their own account. by way of getting
at certain relevant information. IL may
be safely predicted that when the Euro
neau and American men Of science get
through with DIT. Cooks claim that will
have settled the matter TO the satSlac-
tion OF people OF average sense and IN
tcligencc. Since. however Dr Cooks
claims and statements are now seriously
questioned by n good many men Of scien-
tiflc knowledge it would seem to he well
for DR.. Cooks reputation as man OF
good taste and sclf-TcspcCt to expedite
the examination OF his records, and to
discourage Official and public honors un-
I'll after the University of Copenhagen
has pronounced IFS verdict.
In the meantime. Or. Cook has been
visiting Montana, apparently with the
idea of shutting up the clamOr of Ed
ward Barrill and others there that he
Mckinley. Edward Barrill, who was
Cook s guide on that occasion, made
that the alleged summit of
Mount Mckinley. where the picture
was taken, was, in fact twenty miles
from the summit, aud was on an elcya
sea level Fred PrintZ was with DIR. |
Cook on that trip. He went TO Mount
Mckinley but was not with Barrill aud
Cook at the summit. Printz made an
affidavit supporting Barrill so far as
he knew the circumstances, and stat
ing that he believed The Barrill affi
dayit, Print, however, under date of
October 10, 1909, wrote tho following
letter TO DR.. Cook:
Missoula Mont. October 12. 1909
Friend Cook:---I am very sorry that ]
can't come at present. But will come |
and see YOU in bout fifteen days II you
will send me three hundred and fifty
$500 90. and | will say that the report
In the papers Chat DR.. Cook did not
ascend Ait Mckinley rrom what | have
is not true. Hoping 10 see you soon,
your friend. FRED pRINTZ.
IT appears, therefore. that Printz of |
fcrcd, for 500. TO 60 East and state
that his affidavit in support of Barrill |
was a lie. Mr.. Ashton, of Tacoma, who |
took Barrill 5 affidavit, admits that !
Bnrrill received IN The nciohborhood of |
$500 for expenses and time involved >
in making the affjdavit.s SO that 10 |
particular credence is to be given either |
TO Barrill or 10 PIiutz in this conDcc-
lion. 1t is 4 pretty bad muddIe, and |
il j. not easy to see what can be made
Dut of the BarrrlI attack upon Cook :
reracity with respect 10 the Mount Me
klnley matter, and this Mount McKin
lev contention, we presume, may he
eft out of the account
The situation. however, remains pra"-
.ically as before. il is time for DR.
jook TO make good on the main propo
,ition that he discovered the north pole
md vindieatc the confidence that his
Danish friends have reposed in him,