Life — August 22, 1912 — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a Sy Ua aud ea We Are Constantly in Receipt of Important Letters Which Are Too Long for Our Limited Space. Brevity is Bacteriology and Medical Progress t Metchnikoff’s latest discov- xed, is a microbe in the intes- tines of a dog to promote old age in man Perhaps his next find will be in the in- testines of man the microbe to promote old age in the dog. Who knows? About two centuries ago (1715) Dr. Archibald Pitcairn, the Metchnikoff of his time, and spoken as as “the greatest and most useful man of the recorded in his celebrated “ Works” the discove intestines of sheep a remedy, in part, for epilepsy. That is, one of the ingredients of the tincture recommended for the dis- ease was sheep dung. In some way his remedy bas fallen into disrepute ; but to- day we are told that Dr. Ralph H. Span- gier, chief physician of the Methodist Episcopal Hospital at Philadelphia, has found in snake venom the real, simon pure, sure and permanent cure for epi- lepsy. The “ venom is obtained from the scales of a living snake, dried between glass plates and dissolved in glycerine and sterile water"! Several centuries ago the advocated remedy for rheuma tism was bee-stings. But after a brief period it was cast upon the al scrap-heap, only to be recovered in 1863 for another trial. Again the scrap-heap: and again it has been brought forward pedir and employed within the past year or two. CEP Bostox, June 2 19t?. Not for Taft To nz Epitox oF Lire: The writer is wondering if, as the smoke clears away and the fog lifts, Lire possesses the satisfaction it ticipated and hoped for in the defeat of Mr. Roosevelt at the Chicago con- vention. Does Lire’s conscience rest casy after the manner of Mr. Taft's nomination? Does Lire believe that American ideals have been upheld, and the spirit of our government observed, wher, against the expressed wish of the people. Absolutely Essential to Publication a man has been forced upon them as a candidate for the highest office within their power to give, by means so foul and men so unfair that honorable men have left the Republican party in dis- gust? Now, Lire, you argued against Mr. Roosevelt's nomination because he had served two terms—which was not true. And because no American President had ever been so honored, you stand beside the other sentimentalists of the day and say, “Thou shalt not Has Lire ever seen any busine: thrive on sentiment? Does history r cord any people who ever thrived on sentiment? And how long, oh, Lire, do you think a thoroughly aroused people will permit sentiment to block their progress toward decent living and national righteous- ness? Mr. Taft can take no pride in his nomination. No honor went to him by the action of the Chicago conventior He had the same opportunity that his worthy opponent had, to refuse to per- mit his nam a convention But by his acti estimation of hin America straw.” to be presented before such jons he justified his own f, when he told the people that he “ was a man of Roy W. Price. Wasuincrox, D. C. Ten Years—Or Less Dear Lire I have en some discussion in your editorials and elsewhere regarding the Presidential term of office. We choose a President and try him out for four years, Then, if he suits, we use him for four years more, after which he is relegated to the political scrap-heap, no matter how good a man he may still be. It seems now to be more or less con- ceded that four years, or even eight years, is not a long enough time in which to get all the value we can out of a real good man. On the other hand, four years is too long to have to endure & poor man, As a remedy for all this I would pro- pose a Presidential term of ten or more years, subject to a popular recall at any time after the first two years, This may sound a little radical at first, but think of it a moment. The recall could be started by a petition from a certain percentage of all the voters. The peti tioners would be obliged to name an alternative candidate, so that the recall would be in effect simply a new election. If the voters are sufficiently intelligent to express their wants at the regular Ueetions, they ought to be able to do so at any special aifair. The usefulness of the above plan would depend on the size of the petition necessary to precipitate a new election. The number of required signers could be made so high that things would get pretty bad before a new clection would be possible, On the other hand, it could be made so low that we would have a ew clection every two years. Anyway, I think the above plan is worth at least thinking of. Gro. Henry Ettts, Powext, Wyosine, June 26, 1912, REESE I x oy A LITTLE FRIGHT MIGHT HASTEN MATTERS comicbooks.com