Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-06

I know gentleman who has created
the habit of ascertaining the mental,
moral and physical limitations of every
man and woman he meets for the first
time. One day l asked him why he
has constituted himself natures critic,
and he answered that it is his greatest
ambition to find out if an absolutely
perfect being exists. I replied that
such a being would be a monstrosity,
nay, that such a being could not live
a moment; and of course the gentle
man still carries within himself the
doubt which my reply created in his
mind.
If we study any natural product, an
apple tree, for instance, we find that
while the apples are developing and
ripening they are sound and healthy,
but the moment particular apple be-
comes fully ripe it falls to the ground.
Why? Because the process of decay
has set in. Hence the law which l
formulated (for my own use, remem-
ber, scientists" 23), viz: that any
natural product (and this includes
a human being) carries within
| itself the germs of putrefaction which
| become active the very instant perfec-
| tion is more or less attained. Remem-
ber, 1 say perfection more or less at
tained for absolute perfection is in
compatible with the scheme of the uni
verse to constantly change forms.
l. People who are somewhat familiar
with astronomy, geology, chemistry,
physiology and all other subjects which
deal with the origin, course and devel,
opment of planets and other material
| forms know that not a single form
remains perpetual. Hence the forms
| Of matter that existed millions of years
ago do not exist today. How are these
changes possible in view of the well
known and established fact that not
| a single particle of matter Is ever
added to. nor lost from, the universe?
| These changes are possible because the
moment a particular form of matter
becomes more or less perfect it disin-
tegrates and the means used by nature
to bring it about are the germs OF
decay
The foregoing applies particularly to
the physical makeup of man or any
other natural product which is more
or less definite in form. The mental or
moral side of formed objects 1T would
be more proper to study from the fnite
standpoint Che human standpoinO, for
| the reason that we can never ascertain
natures designs. In other words, II
we wish to know why a particular
| race of human beings practice certain
rites, or speak a certain language, ETC.,
we must study the history of that race
but why that particular race eXlsts at
all we can never know.
A few days ago a telegraphic news
item informed us that one Anthony
Comstock has been deposed by the
postmaster general from the office of
inuusitor and censor of the public
morals. and II goes without saying that
hailed the news with great JOY and
n deep sigh Of relief The very next
day, however, the postmaster general
reconsidered his action and in conse-
quence Anthony is again in the saddle'
! Anthony Comstock. as some of you
probably know. is an individual with
an eye defect that can never be rem
edied. If you will permit me to coin
a new phrase l will say that he suffers
from intellectual myopia; in other
words he can neither see nor think
straight. He thinks that nature in
creating the human being has made
a great mistake, especially because he
and she can whenever they feel in
clined to. reproduce themselves, so 10
speak. He thinks, too, that the human
| being must never look within or with
out himself i'm order to ascertain his
or her mental and physical proportions
or limitations.
Anthony (poor thingD because of his
great mental perVerson would like TO
undo the work OF nature. Are his
mother and father responsible for his
existence? He thinks that his exist
ence was a sad mistake and therefore
he would like to see how quickly the
human family can become extinct, or
how many lunatic asylums the people
can support. He has evidently made