The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-03
ICE FOR THE SOUTH POLE
ietWeen England and Amer
at Is Expected 10 Arouse the
ting Blood of the world.

oOulu pOIS may do VIGIL
n and be discovered The
cans and English are after
when both branches of the
yo-Saxon race start out to do
ng there is nothing more to
AS Captain Robert F. Scott,
eader of the prospective Brit
expedition, expressed it, he
stay two years if he does not
cover the Pole in one, will stay
ee years if he does not discover
in two, and added, 'In fact,
shall jolly well stop there till
thing is done"
AS for the American expedition
is commanding spirit will be
Robert E. Peary, even thought he
is not to accompany it in person.
1t is Peary who plans it, Peary
who turned over to it the $40, 900
given him in New York, Peary
who donates to it the use of the
Roosevelt and Peary's companions
in the discovery of the north pole
who will man the expedition.
Since Peary tried for the other
end Of the world for tweuty-three
years, it is unnecessary to say that
the exploring party organized by
him aud animated by his spirit
will also Jolly well stop there till
the thing is done"
There have been few finer ex-
amples than that furnished by
Commander Peary in this entire
affair. His correspondence with
Captain Scott to determine if an
American expedition would be ac-
ceptable to the British, who
through the Shackleton and other
explorations had established a
prior claim in the antarctic field,
revealed the instincts OF the sports
man and an honorable regard for
the feelings Of Others. Peary 5
donation of his $4,000 Gift and of
the Roosevelt had a dramatic touch
and exhibited unselfshness. This
same unselfshness was displayed
by his voluntary accomplishment
of the honor of leading the expedi-
ton.
Those of us who criticised Mr.,
Peary for his attacks on Dr. Cook
should now be the more ready to
render tribute to the true discov-
erer of the north pole. While per
sonally not for long deceived by
the Cook claims, I, like the ma
jority of other newspaper men who
wrote on the subject, regarded
Peary' structures on his rival as
ungenerous and in bad taste. Sub
sequent events have to some eX-
tent justified him, or at least have
shown his provocation. When
one has worked twenty-three years
for a certain thing and at last has
attained it only to have some pur-
veyor of fiction beat him to the
cable office and claim the laurels
well, who wouldn't yell stop
thief"
The last heard of DR., Cook he
was in South America, but he was
not looking for the south pole. He
has doubtless had enough of the
polar proposition to last him the
rest of his natural life. The doc
tor seems to be yearning for OBJ
security. Why not let him have
it?
1t is now Peary's turn. The
House Of Representatives may not
be willing to make him a rear adj
miral, but why should that dis
turb him? There are platoons of
rear admirals, but only one pole
discoverer. Who knows h e
names of six Of our estimable rear
admirals? Yet who in the circle
Of the nations has not heard of
Peary? Some of these holders of
toy titles and gilt shoulder straps
get an inflated notion of such
things. In the big world of real
men and women what do they
count for? What have thev to do
with the ages? So long as history
lasts Peary's fame will last What
could a rear admlral's title add to