The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-18
HABITS OF GREATT MEN.
Simplicity in All Things a Noted
 Trait of Successful Characters.


 Scores of men who have achieved worldwide fame have been among those who cared the least for display or luxury in any form. Though some of them have been able to indulge in extravaganza they have steadily avoided it. ..
 Benjamin Franklin. who is famed for his discovery that Tightening is electricity and who introduced the American colo nial postal system, and who furthermore. as will be remembered, served America at the court of France as minister plenip- otentIary, was one of the leaders of early modern times in the study of nature and natures laws, and not the least in domes- tic science. His first maxim was: Eat not to dullness: drink not to elevation" " Even in his youth his mind was filled with schemes for self-regulation and guidance and he set before him the task of ac- quiring the habitude of certain cardinal virtues based upon simple living and hab- it's of thought. His constant effort was to better the condition of mankind and his methods were intensely practical.
 Since the early times simplicity of preaching, teaching and eating has been the great factor in the worlds advance ment. The great mass of mankind do not understand, nor care for, abtruse reason ing.
 The record of Abraham Lincoln is traced back to that time when he was seen sitting on a rail fence in one of Amer ica's small western villages, with a law | book in one hand and with a piece of maize bread in the other. Abraham Lin coin was a man of simple habits. and his greatness was to no small extent depend ent upon that early simplicity and good ness which gave strength to conscience, mind and body
 | Frederick the Great fostered above all agriculture and cultivation of fruits and vegetables. His endeavor to benefit his people was based upon the natural laws pertaining to their health and simple hap piness. He recognized the fact. ever since clear to the minds of the leaders of the Germans. that the body is the basis, and must be simple and completely nourished in order to perfect the soldier. statesman or the peasant.
 | Bismarck's great work had for it's basis the recognition of the simple laws of na- ture. He followed them, and as q result there came about new manhood and a new womanhood first in Prussia and later in the empire. BiSmarck's natural and acquired astuteness taught him. as a sim liar perception and reasoning had taught Frederick the Great, that political econ omy. rural economy and domestic econ omy are as sciences. closely interlinked and interdependent in their relations to the state.
 While in France as United States min ister Thomas Jefferson wrote respecting the education of daughter who was with him in Paris: "Of domestic economy she can learn it somewhere, as it is of more solid value than anything else" To his friend Peter Carr he said: "A strong body makes a strong mind" Jefferson practiced his preaching by subsisting mainly upon simple natural foods and he labored Zealously all through his busy life for the upbuiding of an American system of education which should teach men how to live in accordance with the laws of nature. He died at the age of S4 and he had not lost tooth nor was one of them defective.
 It will be recollected that the laws of Moses are replete with instructions re- garding the care of the body in sanita- ton and in diet. as well as in fasting and religious duties. It Is due to these laws that the health of the Jews when in reasonable conditions is so universally superior to that of the average of other peoples