East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-02-17
Congressman Macon Toasts
Alleged Discoverer of North
Pole.
CALLS HIS STORY
AN IMPOSSIBLE TALE"
Friends of the Captain Retort I'm
Kind-Speech characterized as
"Unjust, Outrageous and Offensive
Speaker Called n Swapping Dog
-Rooseyelt's Hero Record Assailed.

Washington, Feb. ia bitter de-
nunciation of Captain Robert E.
Peary as fake hero" who by means
OF an impossible tale" seeks rec
ognition by congress "for an alleged
discovery" of the north pole. was
given to the house of representatives
last night by Congressman Robert
Bruce Macon democrat, Arkansas),
speaking in opposition to the bill re-
ported by the committee on naval af-
fairs retiring the explorer as a rear
admiral and granting him the thanks
OF congress.
Several friends of Peary retor,ed
hotly. among them Moore of Penn
sylvania, who characterized the speech
as unjust, outrageous and often
sive."
Heroes like these have not time
to deal with every dog that barks at
their heels"
Macon's speech abounded in acri-
monlous criticism and sarcasm. He
prefaced his remarks by hot shot at
newspaper editors who have made fun
OF his opposition to Peary.
Attacks .Pea-Eyed'' Editors.
"There are many thousands of hu-
man beings who think just as do
about this matter" said Macon. BE
cause / would not accept the unsup-
ported and unreasonable tale OF
Peary and allow great honors to be
heaped upon him without corrobora-
tion, some Of the newspapers of the
country. like the New York Times
and the New York Post that are ed
tied by pea-eyed, pin-headed and
putrld tongued nfinitesimals, have
been trying to persuade the public 10
believe that ! am almost alone in
the position l have taken. But, sirs
IL they could read the vast number
of petitions, letters and newspaper
clippings | have received from every
quarter of nearly every state, the lit
tie atoms would change. their weak
minds about the matter, If there is
strength enough left in them tc
change.
"Peary roamed the fields of the
north. getting rich as fur trader
while the people were paying him g
fat salary for 20 years" Macon con
tinued The Arkansas member de-
clared that his story of reaching the
pole. was wonderful, to put 1t mild
ly," and compared 1t with a piece Of
strength where some Imaginative writel
made the north pole the scene of
monarchy.
"I also remember to have read
novel written in the first persoI
whose hero was a bombastic upstar
and braggart who never knew derca
or met an equal" Macon said, "ant
yet the self-exalted, self-puffed act
of the self-opnionated hero of tina
book does not in any way or in an,
degree excel the self-told deeds of th'
wonderful hero who penned the mar
rative of The North Role
Refers to Teddy.
Commenting upon heroes in gener
al and fake heroes in particular, Ma
con said
"San Juan Hill had one of thes
for a time, but upon investigation
was shown that he would have beei
q Spanish prisoner instead of an Am
erican hero IL it hadn't been for tn
Intervention Of negro troops.
"Less than a year ago a conquerini
hero Of birds and beasts marche'
forth from the jungles of Africa ant
crossed the European continent will
majestic tread. Finally he lande'
upon our Shores where he was me
by thousands Of hero worshipper
who received him as an uncrown q
emperor. But 1t was not many moon
before many of those who paid hir
: homage upon that occasion hum
their heads and tried to forget u
Thus it will be seen that 1t will nc
do to put fake heroes upon pinnacle
Of fame"
In conclusion Macon said there wa
a paid lobby" Of the Peary Arcti
club and friends OF the explorer @