National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-12-13
Theodore Thomas.
Children's Hospital.
BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
ssnsibls Suggestions on tbs subjsc.

TO the Editor Of the National Repu6Ifedn:
SIR: For the sake OF humanity, more especially
the poorer CLASSES desire to call attention to the
false IDEAS existing in regard to the Observance of
funerals and the burial Of the dead. The great
expense incurred in having "decent funeral' Is
well known, and yet there seems TO be no objec-
tion or dissent from the customs observed at the
present day. For exorbitsnt bills, generally, the
undertekers are ahead OF any profession of which
I am acquainted, and It is considered not only
dkeourteous to the undertaken, but disrespectful
to the dead to dispute his BILL or ask him to dis
count something ior cash. You can question the
painter, piumSer. or any class Of workmen except
the undertaken. Now, i do not Wish TO say that
the undertakers are worse class Of men than Is
found in other professions, but simply this. The
peculiar relation that they bear to the departed
place them in q different light to the friends Of
the deceased, therefore the immunity. The fact
IL, decent funeral so-called is too expensive to
the common and poorer classes, yet hard and
upyieldtng as the demands Of custom and public
opinion are, the masses fear 70 rebel. need not
J Statement, for have no Doubt every one is cog.
infant tf The facts sustaining what have said.
IsseaIl one case clerk IN the Departments TIM DIED;
amount was mostly paid by contributions from
clerks. Another, the psternsl head Of the family,
went into mourning externally, a. running into
debt for their apparel, while the undertaken
bill was paid BY contribution from clerks, I
no funds out Of which the funeral expenses Of
clerks can be paid, although Congress can sppro-
pirate money for q like purpose TO the members
and attaches of that body. "a
The widow and daughters, presume, thought
It would not be showing proper respect for the
somewhat doubtful whether they ever paid for it.
The world, society, would have frowned and peo-
pie would have said-that Is sonnet was sha boy
If they had not conformed to the demands Of
custom. Such expense under the circumstances,
In my opinion, was not only dfscourteousto the
dead but an insult TO the living, and the sooner
warts made against this Ubiquitous custom the
better. ] know poor widow with three children
to support, who Is straining every nerve 70 earn
enough TO keep soul and body together in the fam
undertaken bill incurred itIourying her:husband.
The bill was i've times as much as it ought to
have been, and before she pays the utmost farth-
ing It Is quite probable the children VIII incur one
in burying their mother. notice that this sub
lect is attracting the attention OF the people in
the subject here. Now, strongly recommend
that the dead be consigned to the undertaken to
be carried to the cemetery, thereby dispensing
with funeral eortege, which, in fact is more for
show than for anything else. Somewhere there
must be parting between the living and the
dead. I know Of no more fitting place than the
threshold Of the house. OF late the habit Is gain
ing favor-if the deceased was member OF some
order or associstion--ofh heading the funeral pro-
cession with q band, which, By the way, as the
How much better &c would be to dispense with
this, and, II the order or association wish to do
anything ont Of respect to the deceased, give the
money to the family. ] know Of not one single
argument that can be addueed in favor OF the
mourners following the deceased TO the grave
PRENTIss.
November Is 1875.