The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-09-20
COOK AND pEARY.

All the indications are that the
friends and admirers OF DR.. Frederick
A. Cook and Commander Robert f.
Peary, respectively, will indulge in
a sort of Sampson and Schley con-
troversy. From the first announce
mept of Cooks discovery Of the North
Pole there has been disposition in
certain quarters to discredit him. II
Be had not secured so many indorse-
Inents of his claims from the Danish
and Scandinavian scientists and ex-
piorers he would have had a hard
time to retain his rightful honors.
1Et little clique in the United States
that is hostile to him would have
liowbeaten the general public into
the belief that DR.. Cook is a charla-
tan and a faker. Fortunately for him
his claims could not be overthrown
by the sneers of Admiral Melville and
ctber narrow partisans OF Command
e. Peary. Peary will get all the cred
4. he deserves, and 1t is an ample
share, but there does not seem any
probability that DIR. Cook can ever be
deprived Of his rights of priority. He
got there first and is entitled to the
fame that will be his as long as ci-
vilization endures on this earth.
behind all the disparagement OF
d.. Cook and all the efforts to dis
credit him there appears to be the
professional jealousy of little band
OF naval officers and their wives. One
day last week Mrs. Peary was quot
&c as saying that DIR. Cooks claims
were ridiculous because "he did not
belong to our set,' and was therefore
* is to be presumed, incapable of
finding anything more difficult to To-
cate than barber's pole. Too many
Lnyal officers regard DR.. Cook as an
lttruder into Commander Peary's
domain. Such men as Admiral Mel
Vile seem to believe that Peary had
q proprietary interest in the North
Fole and. that DR.. Cook had infringed
the naval mans copyright.
All broadminded Americans will
give Peary his due, when 1t is learn
ed exactly what he has done. AS DR..
Cock magninamimously says, "the
Pole is good enough for two Peary
may really be a fairer and bigger
man than some of his satellites and
t-umpeters in the United States. In
that case he will not attempt TO
treat DR.. Cook superciliously, nor
"camn him with faint praise He
seems destined to be the popular he
70, anyway, as he thoroughly repre-
sents American initiative, individual
ity and daring. These are the greatest
qualities OF the race, and far more
important in the long run than the
prestige OF a handful of naval officers.
IL Is men like DR.. Cook who make
this country supreme along so many
Lines OF practical endeavor. The in
trusion of the feminine element OF
social snobbishness into the contro-
sfrsy was probably inevitable in
anything that concerned the navy.
but nevertheless that element Is al
ways detrimental to efficiency In any
OF the higher lines of action as wei.
as fatal to generous and manlv senti-
ments. During the war that England
waged against the Beers, filled as 1t
was in the beginning with the most
failures, 1t was charged
again and again by the best minds in
iAndon that drawing room influences
were responsible for British disas-
teis In South Africa by inducing the
government to send to the front or
retain In command incompetent gem
Drals and other high oficers. The So