HARVE' ALDEN SPENCKR

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Vol. Ill, New Series, No. 33.

OCTOBER, 1899.

Whole Number 106.

HARVE ALDEN SPENCER'S . AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

A SUBJECT fraught with more stirring iucidetits than those in my own life might iuspire better efforts in prepar- ing a brief sketch to enlist attention of critical readers of Food, Home and Gar- den.

In business in New York for the last twenty years, I am known as H. A. Spencer, yet in literature and reform movements my name reads H. Alden Spencer: my full name is as in the above title, and as printed

under my medallion, sculptured by David S. Jones, Esq., of New York. He is the chief sculptor of The Art Memorial Co., of which I am the humble president. It is just to say of Mr. Jones that the greatest renown due him as a sculptor comes from his design and execution of the noble statue called Cuba Libre.

To be well born is fortunate but to be well made is a daily responsibility devolv- ing mainly upon one's self, since every part of body and brain is replaced every seven years. When we realize that the wonderful convolutions of the human brain unfolded will cover 300 square feet, then indeed must we consider the processes of its betterment and constant replacement a duty requiring the wisest discrimination.

Since birth, February 6, 1838, at Geneva, Ohio, and especially after twelve years of age, my life has been a busy one, mainly in the leading cities, north, south, west, and east. I am the fourth son of Piatt R. and Persis Duty Spencer. The free Spencer Memorial Library in my native town is in honor of my deceased parents. They were among the early pioneer reformers in the use of Graham bread. It is my purpose to endow said library with means to sustain a Spencerian Hall and have as a part of its mission the furnishing instruction by lect- ures and otherwise as to what constitutes "the best life- foods." Of course people can subsist on almost any organic substances if they have plenty of fresh air and water, but to really live and have the most perfect re- productive life-power, they should consume those nutritious products which, rising in their growth above the soil into pure air and cooked into ripeness by the sun, are of the choicest and purest order. Hearing my mother, when I was a child, speak of the beneficence of a man heralded as "Johnnie Appleseed," who traveled on foot, distrib- uting apple seeds to be planted along the

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borders of highways, I became impressed with the idea of the peerless benefit to the millions if the masses would take up the mission as to food-trees, vines, etc., to the end that all avenues of travel might be rendered more beautiful and useful. As we all have ownership of great wealth in at least the endless roadways of the nation, the vast strips of land in the waste borders should be fully utilized and the products be free for the benefit of all.

While in England I noticed with much interest that gardens were planted in former- ly barren places, almost up to the rails of railroads leading into Ivondon. In some parts of Germany fruit is raised on roadway borders and annually sold to the highest bidders for the benefit of the public treasury.

The Spencerian founded by my father up- wards of half a century ago, became the pride and model of the schools, and at the present time, in publication of regular slant and vertical writing, reaches nearly all students of English in the world of education and business. In connection with these works personal instruction has been given by me in the past to upwards of half a million students. I have often improved opportunities in my instruction to speak of the advantages of living on nuts, cereals and fruits, instead of consuming the dead forms of quadrupeds, fowls and fish.

Practical sanitary methods instituted by the lamented Col. Geo. E. Waring have, in their influence, saved multitudes of lives all over the world. Sanitary science as to best life-foods, widely made known, would lengthen the lives of millions. It is a mission to which duty seems to call me. The courts frequently engage my services as expert and counsellor in cases of ques- tioned handwriting. The solution of such intricate cases has become easier to me since I became a Vegetarian. Judge Lynn, of New York, says, in part, as follows: "Mr. Spencer was employed by us in a noted case of alleged forgery, in which he overmatched seven opposing experts." As a student at Hiram College, the afterwards President of the United States, James A, Garfield, was my instructor. His tutorage did not, however, make me politically sue-

cessful. Being naturally an independent, I was never of his party. After studying law I became a resident of New Orleans as a teacher and subsequently received appoint- ment as Judge, to hold court at Donaldson- ville, but refused to wear the official robes when required to mortgage them by making the Governor a constant custodian of my resignation . Becoming a resident of Texas a lew years later, upwards of 100,000 votes were cast for me for State Comptroller; afterwards I was tendered a nomination for Lieut. Governor, and also one for Congress, but declined, as I was then changing resi- dence to New York. In New York, I was regularly nominated for Congress, in 1888, in the 8th District, but was badly defeated by the treachery of bossism and machine politics. The latest political platform from my hand reads as follows in one of the planks :

"Free Food-bearing Trees, Vines and Flowers,

Borders of Highways, Streets and Bou- levards and Portions of Parks to be Planted with Food-bearing Trees and Flowers Af- fording Abundant and Perfect Food for all."

The Governors of several states, in answer to my letters, promise to lay this matter before their respective state legis- latures to have planting oti Arbor Days embrace also the planting of food producing trees. This plank is being sent to many political conventions to arouse agitation with the hope that it may finally be adopted.

Of my five sisters and five brothers, two sisters and three of my brothers are now living. As the only Vegetarian among them, ray early demise was predicted eleven years ago, when I gave up eating the bodies of dead animals, also quit the use of tea, coffee, chocolate and tobacco. I regret that my whole life has not known the boon of living on natural foods, instead of those less valuable by reason of nial-nutrition. If I were to seek matrimonial alliance it would be with a lady devotedly consistent as a Vegetarian. She would not need to be a cook, for that is really the high prerogative ofthesun,which matures all fruits and seeds.

Although weighing over 200 pounds, my health seems perfect and my strength is

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greater than most athletes. Nuts, cereals and fruits are my chief diet ; yet sometimes I use raw, whole wheat alone, with water, and greatly enjoy it. Mixing nuts with grains of wheat gives a delightfully flavored repast, which becomes a superior banquet, if you add to the meal choice fruits. Those who lack teeth for the healthy exercise of thoroughly masticating substances, should grind the wheat, oats, barley or other grains in a handmill and eat them within the same hour, while the vital phosphorus so essen- tial to the brain is present. American raw cereals steeped are superior for making warm drinks to either tea, coffee or choc- olate and cost much less. Fresh water, however, without ice, is the only fluid that immediately enters the circulation in due proportion to cleanse and purify the blood. Among all the endless food organisms there is no doubt but that the grain of unground, undistilled wheat is the perfect standard upon which one can be abundantly well fed at a cost of less than $10 a year. To form the habit of living upon it or on any other one thing requires some months of slow change and experience It is much superior to rice upon which three-fourths of the human family live. ■ A piece of meat or even an egg be- comes putrid with decay in a few days while the golden grains of wheat, kept dry, will not perish for thousands of years and will, in fruitful soil reproduce its species many fuld and yield to the hand of labor annually more millions of wealth than all the mines of so called precious metals. Fortunately the best foods for man cost the least in money and toil ; and if the world's industries were devoled to the production of necessaries only, its surplus energies could go to build bet

One of our correspondents says she finds that when discussing Vegetarianism with any one who raises flimsy objections to it, she finds it best to declare her aversion to flesh-eating and that is an unanswerable argument Nothing can argue a woman out of an aversion.