Evening journal., 1912-08-08
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Politics That Drove an
Active Explorer Into
Politics
By Holland


DR.. Isaac I. Hayes. who, between
1858 and 1875. gained a wide reputa-
ton as an arctic explorer. suddenly
abandoned his career. entered poll
tics and was chosen for several years
a member OF the lower house Of the
New York legislature, representing
one Of the New York city districts.
There never was any public eXplana-
ton why Or. Hayes was willing to turn
his back upon a career which might
have brought him permanent fame,
exchanging that career for the whlrl-
pool OF New York city politics
DR.. Hayes was surgeon under Or.
Elisha Kane. who was in command
OF the second Grinnell expedition in
search Of Sir John Franklin. That
expedition occupied two years While
serving under Doctor Kane, Dr.
Hayes became convinced that an
open polar sea existed and that If a
passage through the ice could be
found 10 that sea the sea itself would
furnish easy passage from the Euro
pean to the American continent.
So strongly did DR. Hayes argue in
ldNDI Ol MS View ildi nc WdS dbAt W
secure the interest Of several men Of
means. They enabled him to fit out
his expedition which sailed from Bos-
ton in 1860 upon the steamer United
States. In the spring of 1861 DR..
Hayes's observations showed that he
had reached latitude 81 degrees, So
minutes, which was farther north
than any arctic explorer had ever
been.
Or. Hayes returned TO the United
] States three years later. to find him
self a man of international interest
because OF his attempt to demon
strate that an open route for steam
ers to the pole was practicable If the
voyage was made in the summer with
Cape Frazer as the base.
One winter afternoon in 1880 call
ed upon DIR. Hayes by appointment.
He had promised to tell me why he
had abandoned arctic exploration and
also to give some forecasts of possi-
Bile future searchings for the pole.
II gave up my arctic work" said
DR. Hayes. chiefly because ielt
that I had not been properly treated
by the government al Washington in
1875. 7 had made three voyages TO
OF the second voyage. 7 reached what
at that time was the farthest point
north ever gained by an arctic ex-
plorer I demonstrated. as I thought
convincingly. that II was possible to
reach the pole by steamer if the trip
J was taken along a certain route
which pointed out and was sum-
mer dash toward the pole
Il 4
States authorized In 1875 an expedi-
tion to take up arctic exploration
work My friends recommended very
strongly that I he appointed TO COM
mand that expedition. Politics and
politicians. however. deprived me oi
that command
Il must confess that | was griev-
ously disappointed | said TO myself
that II politics would not allow me Il
take command of an expedition 70 tht
arctic regions. then 7 might as vel
myself enter politics. for II I could
not make a career as an explorer
might make one as a politician.
II told a few Of my friends in New
York City that 7 should like to enter
politics They told me that ii wa.
a capi 'dea. that my reputation az
|
In a canvass for election 10 the legis
lature. They nominated me in
strong Republican district and elect
ed me, and I have been a member o
the New York legislature ever since
IT nave now told YOU the rea
reason why ] abandoned arctic work
I am convinced that " had been pu
in command of the expedition of 1877
I would have demonstrated that thsr
is an open polar sea and that II ma,
be reached by steamer if the passag
is undertaken in July and August"
DR. Hayes died in 1881. profoundl
convinced up to the day of his deaf
that some searcher for the North Pol
would. within a few years. make tn
trip 10 the pole by steamer an
through the open poplar sea-a hypo
thesis that we now know to be in
correct
Copyright, 1912. by F. J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell {
The Financing That Established
New Record" "