Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-05-07

in this manner exactly twenty-five suicides,
eight of which were females. OF this
number twelve Werc believed to have been
caused by. disappointment in love, six were
caused by mercantile losses and business
perplexities, two nom want of employ
ment, one from jealousy one from sick
ness, two from insanity, and one from
niisanthropy.9 o. bS6bslWonsoA al
In Saa Francisco, we read, suicide has
assumed an epidemic form, no less than
seven hundred bodies having within few
months been found foating IN the lay,
and in each case investigation proved sui
eide as the cause of drowning. The sui.
cida1 mania is attributed to the fact that
there are thousands of persons out Of en-
ployment In all the large cities of Califor-
MIA, and as consequence much destitution
has ensued. 1t Is also stated that Califor-
MIA numbers one insane person TO every
six hundred of its population, and insanity
is said to be increasing in greater ratio
than the increase, of population This is
a startling statement, and accounts more
emphatically for the augmentation of sui
cides than any hitherto assigned reason. "a
Suicides in the Saxon army, accord
increasing at an alarming ratio, and
the War Ministry, startled by the fearful
statistics, have lately had the matter before
them for investigation. No special cause
is assigned for this phenomenon, beyond
the fact that suicides are everywhere in
creasing at q ratio rarely before known in
times OF, peace During the prevalence of
great wars, or in the midst of intense ma
tional excitements. suicides are Tradition
ally more frequent than in seasons of
quiet. English Psychologists tell us that a
study of recent statistics forces the un-
pleasant conviction that suicide, like other
diseases, is likely to become epidemic.
The mania has prevailed several times i'm
European history when the Government
has experienced profound alarm, and
actually sought means for repressing the
universal evil The modern history of
France furnishes evidence Of the existence
of an intense suicidal mania among the
women of the empire. especially in Paris !;
and so great was the ratio among this
class, that Government ordered that the
bodies of all female suicides should be ex
posed in the streets TO the gaze of the null
titude; and this edict, it is said, proved
eflectual. From the recent records of our
own newspapers, we fear that the epidemic,
if epidemic ii is, is. extending to this
country. 80. ...r-
There is no class of suicides i'm this coun-
try more TO be regretted than those which
occur among business men, and every
year they are becoming more frequent
Men ofintelligence, position and stainless
character, almost daily pcrpetrate sclf-de-
structiOn by reason of pecuniary cmbar
rassment, and there are thousands in every
business community who are rushing ON
to the same vortex and the same inevitable
fate There is large and growing class
of such cases, in which disasters i'm bust
ness-sutden or long postponed, but
crushing to hope, ambition and high
sense of hOnOr-that rarely receive the
sympathy and words of friendly concern
which good business man and philan-
thropist could so promptly and beneficial
ly give. Many a noble, valuable. but tenn
porarily unfortunate person, unhappily
ends his life by suicide, when by few
words of friendly counsel and encourage
ment he might be saved to the community
that his life and his. efforts have contrib
uted so largely to cnnoble and build mp
Society owes il to itself to establish a
sweeping reform in this matter We can
not afford TO lose so many valuable lives
as are yearly being sacrificed merely for
the want of little friendly advice and
sympathy Our great centres of trade
and finance, where fortunes are made and
unmade in day, have become in more
senses than one, the gateway leading to
misery and despair. The rage of specria-
ton has become like q disease, - l.
Caught from some unhappy master,
Whom merciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster. - & /
until the life that had become burden of
unrest, flashed and flickered through the
cratic phases of a madman's malady, or
was snuffed out wcirdly by the suicides
stroke.
The great need of the American people,
in whom the tendency to suicide is grow
ing evil, is more relaxation and amuse-
ment. Life as we spend it is a reverend
ing turmoil and trouble. The merchant
cannot forget his ledger, the financier his
money-bags, the. professional his, en-
gagements, for the little recrea-
ton that is essential to the health
of the body and the happiness of the heart
Avarice and sordidness have grown into
our lives, but they yield only mental dis
appointment and perplexity, and bodily
mischief. We have but few popular games,
and still fewer universal holidays to divert
the mind from work. The sunshine that
would naturally find its way. into most
mems lives is shut ont by the clouds of
misanthropy. or the shadows of business
cares and responsibilities. The over
worked brain and the overburlened heart
are allowed but little rest and relaxation
Suicide and insanity rarely occur among
the Germans, although they are essential
~ a dreamy. metaphysical and thought
full people. They have ten holidays whese
we have one This persistent ignoring
of the simplest causes of health, mental
and physical, on the part of our over
worked and closely-domiciled pOpula-
ton, is, the primal anil paramount reason
of so much discontentment and unrest
that exist in the world. The misanthrope
who broods over ills, whether real or fan
cied, and refuses to enjoy the pleasure and
happiness that nature spreads out, before
her children, Is unconsciously taking rapid
and certain strides toward that vortex that
has already received countless victims.
We need to go forth into the open fields,
and let Gods sunshine fall npon our Scared
and shatterol lives, feel the divine influ-
ences of the countless flowers that are
blossoming around every pathway, and
open our. hearts to the glad music of the
summer birds; then shall we learn how
i = Sweet are the uses of adversely,
Which, like the toad ugly and venomous,
Wears yet precious jewel in his head; - ---s
And this our life, exempt from public haunt, !.
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running
brooks. r4.arf
sermons I'm stones, and good in everything. -
trsa -~-~u De W. VAN BUREN.
MARK TWAIN'S SECRETARYSHIP
l. fla D.:A..C 90 ~