The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-20

WRITTEN q THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
According to Professor J. VI. Latin, a
well-kuown strong man and all-around attn
Ie;e. one of the greatest sins OF the human
race Is its iHtemperance in the matter Of
meat eating. Coming from such a s:rurce.
the advice has peculiar interest. The plan
Of abstainins from meat eating is incidental
~ suggested as 4 means for defeating the
recent demands Of the Beef Trust.
professor Latin practices what he preach
es. He has frequently gone without meat for
six months at a time without losing weight
impairing his health. s0ftening his muscles
or in any way '7juring his usually superb
physical condition. Though 80 years old.
he weighs 24o pounds. and is a. fit for any
athletic exercise as ever in his life. II will
he remembered that he took the first prize
in Vienna in 1873 as the perfect man. ana
has been for a lifetime a prominent athlete.
BY J. NJ. LAFLIN.
Many 7ians have been suggested 10 avoid
paying the exorbitant prices demanded by
the Beef Trust. yet the simplest and most
logical plan Of all. it seems To me. has not
vet been mentioned. The prices OF meats
ste far too high. What more simple and
logical plan. therefore, than merely to stop
eatIn: meat?
l have been making a careful study for
years Of the nutrItive value OF foods. The
subject is one Of great. even vital. impor-
lance. I am a strong advocate of a no-meat
diet for athletes. especially. and for all
classes of workers. The present almost pro-
hibitive prices of meat make this subject
extremely pertinent. BY leaving meat out
Of our diet We can improve our health and,
at the same time, confound the Beef Trust.
The work of the world is done by men who
eat little or no meat. Such a statement
sounds extravagant. hut q little thought will
convince you tn. It is so. II Is perhaps
best to state at the beginning that I am
not a vegetarian. I do not avoid meat eat
ing myself for merely sentimental reasons.
but because I am convinced that ] am bet
ter. stronger. more healthy. happier with
out It.
I have observed the food OF different work
ers in all parts of the world. and have come
10 the inevitable conclusion that meat is
unnecessary. even injurious. AS for myself,
i frequently go for a matter Of six months
AT a time without touching meat. I have !
never discovered during any OF these periods
that my weight has gone Off. my muscles
have softened or my general health has been
in the least impaired. In fact. the effect
has been quite the contrary.
Now, the laboring classes as a rule eat
very little meat. This may not be strictly
true Of America but it is undeniably true
IN practically every other country in the
world. The abstinence is, OF course. due to
necessity for the most part. for meat is
high and the wages OF laborers small. But
look at the work this class performs, and
their strength and good health. |
As a rule. they have the frames OF giants.
can perform the most laborious tasks for
eight. ten or twelve hours on q stretch with
out discomfort, and are besides practically
immune from most diseases. Their bodies
md plenty Of nutiment from foods other
than meat.
There is no mystery In what they eat.
Observe the crowds OF workmen about the
city any day. as they sit near their work
to eat their dinners. Each nationality has
its own favortte dishes. but they are all
alike in that they eat little meat.
1t is the same all over the world. These
worlSmen whom we see in the cities are
Of large classes in the countries
across the Atlantic. In Ireland a diet OF
and potatoes has been sufficient
10 raise a particularly strong. healthy race
for centuries. The Englishman eats little
or no meat. We speak Of the beefy Eng
ushman, with the picture before US of a
great, bulky figure Of O man with q red
face. Yet this physique has not, as a rule,
been nourished with meat, or with very lit
tie of It Go up into Scotland, and you
will find magnificent specimens OF man
hood, who eat little or nothing but oatmeal,
and thrive on it.
l believe that the man who does not eat
meat will keep younger later in life .hap
the meat eater. He will find himself more
agile. with better color and better general
Perhaps the best example of all, however,
Is the French laborer or peasant You with
see hundreds of men, for example. along tie
banks OF the Seine-great, bury giants, who
do not eat meat for months at q time.
Or see what the Orientals can do on a
diet OF rice alone. And. again, the negroes
IN the South-those who work in the fields
are usually magnificent physical specimens,
and every one knows how little meat they
get / have, besides, seen fishermen down
IN Florida work for sixteen or eighteen
hours on a stretch at the hardest kind OF
work with no other food than a little dry
and a piece of salt fish. Similar In
stances could. be cited by the score.
All this points to tho conclusion that the
OF the world is done on food other
han meat. On the other hand, who are the
Ireat meat eaters? Well. as q rule. it is
The people who live In cities.