The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-03
PARADOXEs OF DIET

growing his strength commercially at al.
events. Russia Is in a bad way ana
must remain so until it's people are wise
enough to eat more than one pound OF
meat a week.
AS beef spells bigness. so does sugar
make for sea power. All the maritime
nations eat sugar largely. Britain leads
the way in fondness for sweet Things.
John Bulls s,Eeet tooth requires seventy
pounds of sugar a year, and hall, the ships
on the seas fly the Union Jack. The next
great maritime power is the United
States; Uncle Sam eats sixty seven s
pounds of sugar year, and on the
strength of this is extending his navy
(national and naercantile). Germany fol-
lows third in the number of ships, but the
consumption of sugar is only seventeen
pounds per head. France is the fourth
sea power, tho it surpasses Germany with
thirty pounds of sugar per annum. The
artificial nature of the Russian merchant
marine is shown by the Muscovite's salts
faction with a bare ten pounds of sugar
a year. Finally, compare Servia's four
pounds Of sugar per head and no ships
with Britain's seventy pounds of sugar
and 5000 vessels The moral is so OBJ
vious that If Emperor William would re-
alize his naval and colonial dreams he
must make sugar a compulsory article Of
German diet. NJ.
| In considering the relation of drink to
| national status debatable ground is
! reached. This, however cannot be dis
puted: That the peoples that drink most
| tea and alcohol arc the most dominant
powers. Tea is the essential drink of pro-
gress. In a single century Australia has
made itself, and the Australian beats the
rest of the world by drinking ~ pounds
of tea in twelve months. The Canadians
manage six pounds, which is also the
quantity that the home-bred John Bull
requires to quench his thirst. The Amer
! lean has g preference for coffee which,
added to his tea, makes him drink no less
! than the Britisher. On the other hand,
Germany's national depression is dis
tinctly due to her consumption of a mere
two ounces of tea per head per annum.
When the Russian backs up his one pound
Of tea with more meat he will go ahead,
for if tea spells enterprise, beef means
strength. Just to test this look at the
opposite side. The Spaniard drinks only
half a pint of tea in. year. No WON
der he is depressed and bankrupt.
The consumption of alcohol is too vexed
a question to be discussed here. But it is
noteworthy that the United States, now
making such giant strides. drinks less
than half the alcoholic liquor imbibed by
Germany, France and Britain. On the
other hand, the teetotal races are sink
ing more and more into subjectivity. Now
as eyer 1t is the drinking peoples that lead
the progress of humanity. The Jews
!, drank and gave us monotheism. The
Greeks drank and gave us art and liter
allure. The Romans drank and gave us
law. The Teuton drank and gave us lib
erty. Britain was drunk (not always
), wisely and established commerce. What
have the teetotal races done for the bet
terInent of the world? What virtues and
l graces are associated with the sustaining
, Arabs, Turks, Hindus and Chinese? This,
too. is interesting: That drinking ma
| tons are the most humane. Holland has
the most drunkenness and fewest muir
} ders,. while in Spain intoxication is most
. rare and murders are most numerous.
! Such facts are signifcant--and if nothing
2 more than condolences they are striking.
"a E!H w. P. P.