Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-17
psing Language Seldom
Heard in Best Society,
Quickly Answered, and Poinied|y
Too, by Peary's Friends.
Predicted President VIII Veto
SuIIoway BIII L Passed.

Washington, Feb. 16.-Isep. Macon
bf Arkansas, speaking in general de-
bate on the naval appropriation bill
u the House tonight made sensa-
iona! attack upon Capt. Robert l..
Peary. denouncing him "Fakir"
|ind declaring that should be driven
put of the naval service"
The bitter words used By the MEM
ber from Arkansas, we're quickly an
swered by Peary's friends, j. Hamp-
ton Moore. Pennsylvania, after vain
y trying to interrupt Macon. finally
got the floor in his own right. He
characterized Macons speech las un-
just. outrageous and offensive"
He said there was always some one
to he found to suspect every performs
Fipcc by a man of genius and courage.
He referred to Capt. Hobson's exploit
pf the Merrimac and to Dewey's vic
tory at Manila bay.
Heroes like these" said Moore.
have not the time to stop and deal
with every dog that barks at their
4leela''
Macon. who evoked a roar Of laugh
ter in the House several days ago by
announcing that in using the language
Wilful and deliberate liar. dirty little
piiferer of words and contemplate lit
Tie ass lie had gone about as far as
his fellowship with the Methodist
church permitted" added some orig
inai phrases to the history of debates
in the House tonight.
Hn GatI ~.
was Il Fake pure and simple" He
said his contempt for fake heroes"
was supreme and he intimated that
he put The hero of San JUN Hill"
jim that class. Macon denounced the
Peary Artic Club and charged that
it maintained a paid lobby in Wash
Iington. He said that Presiden. Taft's
Judgment in this matter was not to
be accepted for IL congratulated Cool,
Us heartily as he did Peary.
Paving his compliments to the cdi-
tors of the New York Times and the
New York Pest. Macon characterized
them as "Unblushing knowall tit-bits"
and "Pea-eyed, PIN headed. and pu-
trd- -tonguod infiritesimals.
He referred to Peary as Fur
trader" pictured him as "A self-ex-
|aggerated. lf-opnionated. puffed- up
ncar-hero" and finally denounced hin:
as AN unsaithfal servant and an
idle loafer, who ought to be driven
from the service instead of being pro-
NOTED"
Macon said he had the utmost con-
tempt for human beings so 'Weazen-
Drained that they were afraid to say
what they really thought about Peary.
Because they feared some unhlushinG
know all tit-bit editor OF yellow
journals. like the New York Times or
the New York Post, would call them
| ignorant blatherskites."
"I pity" he continued "a man who
! is SO ignorant as to be terror stricken
all the time for fear he will be called
ignorant by some sap-head or SO
|cowardly that he Is afraid to think his
own thought for fear some graft-loving
editor will find out what he is think
| ing about and adversely criticize him
therefor
Macon expressed the belief that
Peary and Cook, on one of the trips
to the North, when they were COM
panions, figured out that 1t would De
easy for a man to Fake" discovery
of the pole and he charged that they
| both started out at the same time 10
claim the discovery. He said that IN
stead of being rewarded with pro-
motion to the rank of rear admiral as
President Taft and the committee on
naval affairs have recommended
Peary's feat was, at best, worthy oniy
of a medal like those awarded to
Marathon runners.
Macon spoke 1 hour and 40 minutes.
When Moore arose to reply he SAID
he desired to get into the record
few things in answer to "a most un-
just and outrageous assault Moore
said he had great respect for news
paper and newspaper men and noted
with pride that the press gallery re-
manned empty through the time the
gentleman from Arkansas had the
floor.
II am glad to know" said Moore,
that no one in that gallery was willing
to sit there and listen to the diatribes
of the gentleman from Arkansas Of
fensive as they were, upon one of the
great men to his country; or to listen
to the insolent epithets he applied to
newspaper editors"
Moore proceeded glowingly to praise
Capt. Peary. He said he resented the
terms "F'aker" and "Loafer" applied
to Peary by Macon.
Saunders of Va, spoke briefly in sup.
port of Capt. Peary.
Moore had read and put into the
record q letter from Rear Adaairal
Chester Of tlIsilnavy, who passed updf
Peary's proofs in which he said II
part: hsisiAaG atfots sf - &