Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-19
On. COOK GIVEN
WARM RECEPTION
BY HIS AUDIENCE
Famous Arctic Explorer
Endeavors to Prove His
Claim as Discoverer Of the
North Pole.


explorer, discovered the North Pole
1t yo fthose IN the fair-sized audience
which listened to his lecture at the
Pinney theater last night, IL the ap-
plause given him at the close can be
taken as criterion for he was given
an ovation and many Of those who
heard him remained to shake his hand
and express their appreciation of his
lecture and the belief that he had
gone to the top OF the world.
Step by step over the frozen ice
fields of the north by means of lantern
slides reproduced from photographs
taken on the trip, he took his audience,
giving the number Of miles travelled
each day, their experiences In the bit
ter cold and bowling wind, the hard
ships undergone because of lack of
food in the land of six months dark
ness, but finally the success In reach
ing a point where ones shadow was
the same throughout the day and
where the stars and stripes were un-
furled at the top Of the globe.
The pictures shown were the most
remarkable ever seen here and accom-
panied by an interesting description
made the lecture one especially enter
tanning While the doctor spoke con-
vincingly throughout his discourse, it
was not until the latter part that he
warmed up and handled the men with
out gloves, whom he claimed, had at
tempted to rob him, not only OF his
rightful credit to the discovery of the
Pole, but also of his reputation for
victory Upon the controversy, he spoke
as follows:
This brings up to the beginning of
the polar controversy. What l am
about to say is not being done with
malice, nor is it my aim to overthrow
MT. Peary's claim. But, you Will re-
member that this man, with the power
of the government and the navy be-
hind him, forced a controversy-a long
and unjust press campaign. by which
/ it was attempted to show that only
Mr. Peary had reached the Pole, and
that my work was all dream. You
cannot understand that controversy
without some very plain talking, and
therefore, what follows is being done
in self defense, and l hope you will
take 1t as such.
During the year Of my struggle ir
the north, Mr.. Peary was drinking
cocktails and enjoying the luxury OF
eastern life at other peoples expense
Two months after I had reached the
Pole two ships, fitted out at public
expense, started north for the Pole.
"The present administration ir
Washington, having before them II
black and white all that I have told
you and great deal more, has giver
this man a pension Of $4,000 per year
"Now let us follow briefly the poll
tical intrigue Of the stay-at-home ex-
plorers in Washington--the home OF
the steam roller.
"There we have the so-called Ma
tional Geographic society-a society
with big sounding name. generally
misunderstood. That society is MOI
national-it is not geographical. 1t Il
n private, political, self admiration bu-
reau. This society came forward, pos
ing as a scientific body, aiming t.
settle for all time and for all peoples
the question Of the distribution O
polar honors, but whence it's author
ity, who are its members?
For 50 per, any man of woman o,
child of this audience can become {
geographer in that society For tn,
same money and with equal facility
the man who sweeps the streets be
comes a full Pledged geographer, blu
when you fail to pay your two plunks
YOU have ceased to be a geographer
/ have not paid mine in several years
Political Shrimps.
Gas an organization Of politica
shrimps, that is all right. but whel
this society poses as a scientific body
It stoops to colossal hur1bug an
those of you who are members of tina
society are parties to that humbue
and two thirds of the newspaper edi
tors of this country are So geograph
ers in that society. Some have gon
in on the ground floor. without payin
the two, which explains the color c
our geogra phic news.
This society appointed jury
three of Mr.. Peary's own official as
sociates, to examine both claims-M
Peary's and mine. Chief in that~j ur
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