The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-09-23
COMPETENT men
TO SATISFY. COOK
Expresses Willingness to Abide By
Their Verdict.
HIS Def IS WIRED TO PEARY
Brooklyn Explorer Says He viii
Bring to America Human Wit
nesses to Prove That He Dis
covered North Pole.

come from the pole. have
brought my story and my data
with me. have not come home
to enter into arguments with one
man or with fifty men, but | am
here to present clear record Of
piece of work over which have
a right to display certain amount
of pride.
I am perfectly willing to abide
by the final verdict on this record
by competent judges. That must
be the last word and that alone
can satisfy me and the public.
Furthermore, not only will my
report be before you In black and
white, but l will bring to America
human witnesses to prove that
have been to the pole.
Such is the sum and substance OF
the first message DR.. Frederick A.
Cook brought home in person to
America, answering his critics the
world over. Under seas and over land
it travelled north as fast as electricity
could carry 1t to where another ex
plorer, Robert e. Peary, homeward
bound from the pole. was pacing the
decks with his hand to his eyes for q
sight of his wife and children.
Ship Purposely Held Back.
Throughout long and uneasy
night, a fiotilla of tugboats, outposts
of a continental curiosity, had tossed
in the darkness for a glimpse of the
Oscar H., bearing the man from whom
nation waited word. The Oscar II.
had purposely been held back so as
not to disarrange the reception plans
of the Arctic Club of America.
When the steamer reached quaran.
tine the tug bearing Mrs. Cook and
her two daughters quickly came
alongside and DR.. Cook clambered
nimbly down Jacobs ladder and with
no concern for the cameras trained
on him, made a rush for his wife.
For the moment he even missed the
children, who stood a few feet away,
until his wife silently led him to
them. Then as he lifted his youngest
daughter to his shoulder, the silent,
watching crowd that lined the rails
OF the Oscar II. broke into a storm
of cheers.
Nations Representative Absent.
On shore the really formidable part
of the day for DR.. Cook still awaited
him. AS he stepped ashore 1t was
noticeable that no representative of
the nation, the state or the city was
there to greet him. Bird s. Coler,
president of the borough of Brooklyn,
had welcomed him on the Grand Re.
public for that borough, but the
city of New York sent no official rep
resentative. But sincere and enthusi.
astic to the point of tumultuousness
his welcome may be best described
as neighborly affair, devoid of Off.
cial significance. :.
ent OF a continuous ovation ever
DR.. Cook has been the recipi.
since his arrival on the steamer Os.
car II. Everywhere he goes he is the
center of the most remarkable dem.
onstrations. No triumphant warrior
returning from the field of battle ever
received warmer greeting. DR.. Cool
found time amidst the busy whirl Of
entertainment to say something about
his remarkable expedition. He ex-
pressed delight at once more setting
foot upon his native land, and said:
Charges Based on Ignorance.
"As said upon several occa-
sions, all the charges, accuse.
tons and expressions of disbelief
are based upon entire ignorance
of the supplementary data which
l possess. No one who has spoken or
written on the subject in opposition
to my claim knows of the facts with
which such work of exploration Is
measured. All of the criticisms have
been based upon obvious errors in the
reproductions of my first dispatch or
upon the discussions of petty side is
sues presented by unfair critics.
Il have not come home to enter In.
to arguments with one man or with so
men, but am here to present a clear
record of piece of work over which
have a right to display certain
amount of pride. When scientists
study the detailed observations and
the narrative in it's consecutive or.
der, | am certain that in the, course
of events, all viii be compelled to
admit the truth OF my statement"
Whitney Has Delicate Data.
Referring to Commander Peary, DR..
Cook said:
Il have as yet heard nothing but
vague reports. ! prefer for the pres.
ent to believe that the statements
which have been attributed to Peary
are incorrect. | am fully prepared to
meet any charges, but must first see
something definite. Mr., Whitney has,
without any doubt. kept his promise
to me not to say anything about the
expedition and its results. aud feel
sure of my Eskimoss