Arizona republican., 1907-09-03
PHOENIX. ARIZ., SEPT. 3. 1sO7-
THEY NEVER GROW OLD.

lowing to The Republican,: would von kindly tell in your valuable jour nal what becomes of all the old people of Phoenix? Do they die or don't they ever get old? I ask the question for the reason that I never see any old neople around here An answer will greatly oblige-"'
 This is easy. The Republicans cor respondent never sees any old people because there are none here except few who grew old back east and have come out here to live their lives over again. If they are more than eighty or ninety years old it may be consid- cred rather a bad start and the best they can hope to do is to hold thelr own There is an occasional funeral of some one in advanced years for people are just as apt in this country as anywhere else, to fall off ladder. be run down by an automobile or shot for stealing horses. Occasionally an elderly person dies as result of some disease contracted before he came here. They are only so many years young An observing person will note the frequency of that expression in the news columns in connection with the passing ot some highly esteemed citi- zen. or in interviews with gentlemen whose Arizona experience dates back to the first settlement by the whites.
 An Arizonian if he be true blue is young when he dies, no matter what his age may be- It is so in all the west but more so in Arizona than any where else. It is that fact that makes the west more enterprising in propor- tion to population and capital, than the effete and petrified east. Growing old in the east is in accordance with ethical standards and established cus- toms. At twenty-one a youth enters mans estate and thereafter any obedience to youthful inclinations is warrant for the assumption that he does not appreciate the responsibilities of manhood. At thirtv-five he must have acquired a competence else he is not considered thrift. At fifty he is supposed to be a sage and to his dig nity and age all of more tender years must bow in deferential respect In the west If he was Bill Jones" at twenty. at sixty or seventy the worst he ever becomes is ''old Bill Jones" and 1t is said with an accent of fra ternal feeling which indicates that he is still ''one of the boys" IL is no unworthy testimonial for he lives the part until the end. which if 1t ever occurs is only after very brief illness indulged in as a fitting recognition of the importance of death. or more often | a snapping of the silken cord by over exertion. in his effort to defeat the con- spiracy of time. But always old Bill dies in the harness.
 The reasons, are the all prevailing | ambition and the good humor of west ern people. There is so much to achieve Tn the west that is honorable | upright and fascinating. that the peo- pie haven't time to worry, much less to die, except as a final alternative. Arizonians have a high appreciation of their mission on earth and are too proud to die and leave their work un- finished. As experience lengthens years are necessarily added to the period of their activities, merely out of | respect to the almanac by which af- fairs the world around are kept in | harmonious accord, but through it all | their youthfulness is retained. It is all due to the climate and the magni- tude of the wild and unconquoredI west. When Ponce de Leon in l5l2l landed on the Florida coast in quest of the fountain of perpetual youth. he was on the right track only he could not go far enough. He had wasted his strength in the luxurious life Of the European courts and when he finally touched American soil he lack ed staying qualities. Had he been per mitted to journey so far as Arizona. revel in her rejuvenating ozone, dip in the waters of her mineral springs and inhale the fragrance of her floral 1 verdure. he would undoubtedly be here yet, some 45O years young. an esteem-. ed citizen and member of the city council from the Steenth ward.
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 Arizona fn hax