The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-19
LIVING LoNo on DYrNa sOon.

= a
 If any human being should under take to follow all the advice siven out on the subject of living. that human would soon be headed foS an asylum or . cemetery. The world is full of eminent men with one idea. and in many cases wrong wrong one. each of whom Is impressed with the belief that he is called on to tell humanity how to live. The fact that most of them do not follow their own advice makes no difference to them. apparently. for they continue to point out the road they never travel
 or late there is much said on the sub ject of long life. and how to obtain it. It is a matter which appeals to all alike, for almost every man or woman we meet desires to live long and enjoy robust health. Tn this respect there Is pretty general agreement among all. How to attain that end is the problem An eminent Russian savant asserts that people who do not live more than a century are really short-lived. HIS idea is that we should live to be at least one hundred and fifty years ola but he fails to tell us how to manage H. That isn't fair in him.
 Here's Thomas A. Edison. now, who Is certainly an eminent man in many re- spects. As an inventor, discoverer and a practical scientist he has few living equals. but whether that qualihes him to become an authority on longev" ity is another question. but at least he is entitled to express his opinion and he does so. He tells us in very brief words that all of us eat and sleep too much and do not work hard enough. Four or five hours of sleep out of twen- ty-four, a few mouthfuis of simple food at odd times and continuous hard work Is what we need. he says.
 Unfortunately, Mir. Edison Is not yet old enough to convince us that his the ory is correct. He is not yet three- score, and should at least reach to dou- ble that age before the world can be convinced that his theory of living is the correct one. As 1t is, how many are prepared to argue with him? To many healthy men the strict adherence to his plan would undoubtedly mean mort life, because we know that All could not stand 1t.
 As 1t is there are eminent teachers and savants who take an almost entire iy opposite view of life and living. They tell us with as much positivity as Edi- son displays that most people eat too much and sleep too little. More sleep, less eating and less work would cause us to be healthier and longer-lived. Whom shall we believe? Or. shall we refuse to follow either, and go our sev- eral ways?
 The truth of it is that no iron-clad rule can be applied to all humanity. There is no bed of Procrustes on which all of us can be laid and trimmed or stretched to fit in the matter of living. Napoleon Bonaparte slept three or four hours out of the twenty-four and seem- ed to suffer no inconvenience from 1t, but he did not live to old age, and |jwhether his habits hastened his end no one can say. Then there are men who nave BOuG On III SAO IShioOhAoh oSs wv lating all rules as to eating, sleeping and working, yet remain strong and healthy in spite of 1t, or because of it. we can't tell which. When he or his opposites pass the century mark 1t will be time to judge.
 If all the children were equally strong and healthy at birth, with no taint of inheritabie disease. 1t might be possible to formulate and adopt a plan of living that would insure health. strength and long life. but even then it would not be possible to force all to follow the fules and regulations essen- tial to success. As 1t is. human beings will continue to go on in the old way. some dying soon and some living long, in spite of all that the theorists can write. preach or practice to the end of days.