Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-20
THE YEARS OF LIFE
The Chances Tor q Green Old Age for
Most Men--Fltrhuah Less Last
. Public Utterance Was 20 q
Pcnnsyivsnlaa
ny GEORGE NOX MCCAIN

COLONEL EDWIN G. COLE, of Potts.
~ Vile, like most ststisticians who have
to do with mortality tables, tentatively ex-
presses the opinion that the average Of
human Hfe is growing longer.
Advancement In the modern practice of
medicine, the vast strides in hygiene and
the inhnite number OF preventive measures
that have been designed to ward of disease
and prolong human life are responsible,
Colonel Coles believes, for the increased
longevity Of the highly civilized human.
The average person would be astounded
to know how many individuals reach and
pass the three. score mark" said Colonel
tenth year the rate Of mortality Is con-
stantly Increasing
At this point Colonel Cole delivers q
prodisious wallop at an age -old and popu-
lar superstition. lie says:
=, There has long been popular idea that
there was a dangerous age, somewhere
around forty five, and II this was once
passed safely one was likely to live at least
Into the sixties.
The American mortality table on which
all modern standard insurance Is based COM
pletely skaters the ides."
THE question Of the average duration Of
- human life IL no longer surmise.
1t Is a science. More than that; Il IL an
exact science on the basis Of whose estab-
tshsd rules millions Of capital are invested.
The Carlisle table as a basis for life in
surance computation and average is an
English table.
1t WAS the standard for over century for
the computation Of the approximate dura-
ton OF human life.
Its figures on longevity az compared with
those OF the American table are defective.
should rather say that the advancement
OF science as applied to the preservation and
extension of human life has shut the door
In the face of the Carlisle table.
Some interesting facts, Colonel Cole
points out, are to be derived from the
American mortality table.
Thus, 40 per cent Of those alive at ten
years OF age reach the age Of sixty i've.
Over IA per cent reach the age of eighty.
The Carlisle table on which insurance
was originally calculated shows that. 30 per
cent reach sixty five years Of age and some
thing over per cent reach eighty.
This old English table was, however,
oassd on population in general without
The American table Is based on insurable
risks selected by medical examination. II
represents the most nearly accurate table
thes I'm human calculation can devise.
a., Inc TACT is Colonel Cole says, that
the actual mortality is generally much less
than the tabular, an important element in
building up life insurance dividends. -
In iDlo, which was not by any means a
favor favorable year for mortality saving, only
nve l,ie insurance companies out of 1872
exceeded the tabulatcd estimate.
The terrors Of smallpox, diphtheria and
yphoid fever have been greatly lessened
through protective and preventive measures
II the same control can be exercised In
pneumonia, cancer, tuberculosis and Bright's
disease within the next generation, then
look out for big drop In mortality figures.
A NEWS story OF last week that 200 Civil
"A War veterans had journeyed down to
Antletam to dedicate q battle monument
TO their regiment or brigade Asuggests the
,I idea that hereafter oil monuments and me-
moral markers of the present generation
to the valor Of American soldiers must be
erected on foreign soil.
In the extra session of 1905 General
Fitzhugh Lee appeared before the Legisls-
ture one night in joint session and appealed
IGr Ean,,pp an appropriation toward the jamestown
The veteran Confederate leaders, appeal
was effective. The appropriation was made
and Thomas Il. Lynch, who was then e1-
ecntiye clerk. notified General Lee of the
Legislatures action
General Lee happened to be In Boston,
where he was addressing the Massachusetts
Legislature on the same subject.
He Immediately wired Governor Samuel
w. Pennypacker his appreciation in this
memorable telegram:
MANY thanks. shall refuse ever apo;n
TO ride to Gettysburg with a drawn saber.
(Signed) ''FITZHUGH LEE"
Over forty years before he had partici.
pated In General J. +. Il. Stuart's famous
cavalry detour around the army of the Po
tomac which eliminated In the skirmish at
Hanover and Stuart's finding Lee at last at
Gettysburg. 'S ~
In that telegram to Governor Pennypack.
er Fitzhugh Lee embodied all the sentiment
OF the gallant soldier and chivalrous gen.
tleman. ~"
II was his last public utternnce.
That very same night General Lee. coming
through from Boston to Richmond died ~
apop!exE on the sleeper between Jersey City
and Philadelphia. N'''
LION. CHARLES B. sPATZ has retired
L from journalism. fancy however. he
has not retired from politics. "'
One of his sons. Frederick W snot,
succeeds him in the control and manora,
ment of the Berks County Democrat, Of
Boyertown. Va
The new owner represents the third ysn.
Grafton In the editorial chair Of that pub.
lication. P'o'
For thirty six years Charles Il. Spotz
with keen business ability and .xcrljent
political judgment. conducted the ncwsnanar
which his father founded in 1857.
lie was twice reDrescntative In the
Legislature. In the sessions Of 1893 and 1000
Twice has he been q candidate for Con.
gress, but both times unsuccessful. n fact
which his old friends In the Lcgislatur. re. re'
gretted. for 'Spatzzy." as he was fon,ii.
iarly nicknamed. was well liked, thou1h h.
was as pugnaciously Democratic az "Star
Spangled" Spangler was efferyescent
But Mr.. Spatz's greatest honor "a m.
tact that he Is the father OF the famous