Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-04-16
Conoress and Commander Peary.


hal, from, to account for the spirit OF
hostility which is displayed toward
Commander Peary in some sections of
the country. This brave citizen after
nearly a quarter of century OF cour-
aeeons effort. during which he under
went MANY dangers and lardshipS, IL
nally won the contest OF the centuries
and planted the flag Of ms country VI
thn North Pole. 1t would certainly
seem as if brave man VINO hao
brought this honor TO his country de-
serves nothing but praise anu Soou
will from all its patriotic citizens. and
vet in certain sections OF the country
we find q spirit of hostility to this
successful and courageous man who
has done So much to advance the
honor of his country that it is rs mar
roo. and yindictive as it is dIspicable.
There are reasons for the existence Of
this spirit which arc not always seen
or recognized by the general public,
but which ale more or less potent in
their way. When Commander Peary
was straining every effort to secure
the funds necessary for his last ana
succ essful expedition. it became neces-
sary for him to enter into an arrange
ment with d certain newspaper to slVe
that paper all exclusive right 10 tie
story Of his polar experiences 1t was
in this way that the final money was
raised to finance this expeoltlo'i'
Naturally when he came back from MS
quest successful many papers re-
sented this handling Of the ln1of1ha-
ton at his disposal. Many otherS
hastened to buy the fake story Oh the
irnnoster Cook. Having been buncoed
into purchasing this tissue ol talse-
hoods. and having III turn 1uncoet
their readers by having pGblished
them they seemed to cherish spirit
of ani1nosity toward Commander
Pearv. II must be admitted that it
was unfortunate for the able and sue
cessful explorer that he had these
newspaper groucheS and animoSltieS
to contend with. inaslnuch as they
undoubtedly went far to shape and in
fiuence public opinion regarding his
achievement So far as the attitude
of Commander Peary toward Cook was
concerned he did only what it was
his plain duty as an honest citizen
to d. II a citizen should see a man
robbng bank, or know of him to
have robbed one and failed TO lmpart
that knowledge to the authorities, he
would make himself d party to the
crime. In the same way Commander
Peary, knowing the knavery of Cook.
as no ether man was in position to
do, had he failed to impart this knoWl-
edge to the American people would
have made himself u partner in the
gigantic fraud which the bogus ex-
plorer undertook to practice upon the
world He did what any honest man
should have done under the same cir
and he deserves the com
mendation rather than the reproaches
of the American people for the man.
ner in whici. he performed this i'm
perative but unpleasant duty. The
situation as regards Commander
Peary has been emphasized of late
by the attitude of certain congress
sional sra5shopperS on the Committee
of Naval Affairs who have not only
on the most tlilnsy and illogical
grounds. blocked the honor which was
justly due the man who has planted
our flag at the North Pole, but have
further shown their small calibre by
to cast reflections upon
his good faith. These men arc abso-
lutely controlled and pulled around by
the nose by the members of the naval
set at Washington. In this select
coterie are many retired officers and
q. number of active ones. few of whom
have ever accomplished anything
worth while in the world, but most all
of whoul play a good game of bridge
whist and cut more or less of I, sWath
in the social circles Of the National
Capital. TheUe mon have always been
more ur less Jealous of Commander
Pear. First. because he Is not an
officer Of til" line. and, second. he
cause his achievements shine 50 bril-
hantly III comparison with their own
The bitterness with which they have
assailed him in a thousand covert and
subtle WAYS can only be appreciated
by one Who naS lived in the atmos-
plerc which they have created Tn
auestionably the sentiment toward
Commander Peary is more narrow.
more bigoted. and more bitter in the
city "f Washington than in any other
community i'll the country, especially
among the people who are residents
oi that city. and who come more or
less under The influence If the naya,