Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15

pending somewhat upon the altitude IN
which we live above sea level. People who
live long in low levels will have more leath-
cry skins than those having prolonged resi-
dence at higher elevations. OF course mod
ern artihcialIties of life remove us some
what above the natural conditions. We
modify and control the climate of our
houses We modify ourselves and the ami
NAL kingdom. Transportation facilities
overcoming natural tendencies, until now
we. do not depend alone upon the food OF
one soil. Yet the gradual changes wrought
by our climate continue in their influ-
enoes.'
Asked about the stature of the future
American beauty, Prof Mason told the
writer:
Stature depends first of all upon nutri-
ton. The best, most nutritious food pro-
duces the greatest stature, and the founda-
ton for the most powerful physique. The
Chinese are not physically powerful types.
They eat little but rice, a peck of which is
required to make a stomachfull. Meat diet
people are usually tall; fish diet people.
snort and stout: vegetarians, meager in
body--as is seen among those Indians who
eschew flesh
America may already boast of the worlds
highest standard of beauty, according to
Prof w MCGEE, late director of anthro-
pology, Louisiana purchase exposition. Our
superior beauty is due not only to climate
and nutrition but. primarily, to our mixed
immigration and the pioneer movement
which has resulted therefrom. ever since
colonial days. We are composaa~ of the
cream Of the world.
Just as Decentralization is beneficial to
plant life and cross-breeding TO animal life.
the internthgling of the races In this coun-
try must produce the most beautiful, most
intellectual and most powerful race of the
world. Measured in any manner whatever,
the American, even today, presents the
highest type of beauty which ever adorned
earth Through irt rT,niy Ina
we absorb the best features of the other
| races and eliminate those which are objec-
tionable. The American standard of beauty
is, already, higher than that of the ancient
Greeks or Romans"
American beauty has the greatest stature
to be found In the world. said this ethnolo-
creased vigor seems to produce increased
pigme ntation-hence darker eyes. hair and
skin.
The beauty of our women Is greatest
where the parent stock has endured the
severest rigors of immigration or coloniza-
ton. other forces being equal. Thus did
Prof. MCGEE further opine in his conversa-
ton with the writer. The men and women
who emigrate to new countries represent
the exceptionally vigorous. The weaklings
are left behind, or fall by the wayside.
The hardships of our trans-continental
travel during the pioneer days exercised a
!
leys from the Atlantic to the Pacific he
compared to the successive chasms along
the inclined plane used by the manufacturer
| for ABSORBING shot. Lead pellets OF all sizes
are poured Unfortunately into the top Of
the chute, but the largest and most per-
| fectly nodded leap over the greatest num-
| Der Of chasms and fall into the farthest
| compartment. The smaller and more i'm
| perfect the specimens the shorter the dis
lance of their journey. Through this process
| 1t has come about that the California wom-
| en- are in Prof. McGee's opinion, the most
| beautiful in the country and In the world.
| In a measure, this law applies as well to the
entire Pacific coast. Oregon and Washing
| ton pioneers were Of great vigor, but they
! did not come In such steady streams as
| those of California. Hence the selection of
beauty and strength was somewhat less
| rigorous This asserting process would
| place the women of the Mississippi valley
| In the second rank; those of the Atlantic
| coast states In the third-so far az funda-
mental beauty is concerned.
So then, there Is no hope for our native
| blonde beauty! All of these sculptors at
| work will eventually cast VS. in bronze! To
! a soul, our posterity Is doomed to take on
| the black hair and darkened eye. which the
| brush has ever given to the devil and his
| inaps; to lose the golden locks and blue eyes
| of the angels Or will Yankee ingenuity
| come to the fore with bleach for eyes
| as It has for tresses and compilations?
| JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.