The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-06-27
The Increased Suicide Rate.

llshed In the daily papers. Every day
the dispatches chronicle the suicide of
from three to five persons, whose promi-
ncnce or the circumstances of who.e
death make the announcement of general
interest. During one month of the pres
ent year the weekly average of such sui
cides was over twenty, and possibly the
average has been nearly AS great for all
the months. The reported cases take in
all grades of society, and include young
people as we'll as old; people prosperous
aud in good health as well as people
disappointed and sick.
A correspondent Of The Inter Ocean ex.
presses his opinion that the increase in
the suicide rate is owing to the publica-
ton of the particulars of every case of
suicide, and the throwing about the act,
in so many instances, the atmosphere of
martyrdom or heroism. Believing that
the publication of such cases exercises an
unwholesome influence on persons of
morbid imagination, leading them to
adopt, for the sake of notoriety, the meth
DDS of the suicide, this corresp ,ndent asks
| that all suicide items be omitted, at least
from the weekly edition of The Inter
Ocean.
This approximates to a theory of sui
eide that has many advocates. AS a way
ward and disappointed boy takes mel
anchoiy satisfaction in doing something
that will make him sick, and picture the
remorse and grief of his parents when
they see him sick unto death, so it is ar
gued that person suffering from disease
or worried by disappointment and trou-
BILE, turns to resort that promises relief
from all, and to an act that, while it
stops all reproaches, arouses the sympa-
thy of friends aud appeals to the charity
OF enemies.
Has man been wronged, he imagines
that sef-destruction in some way makes
the fact prominent, and that his seltim-
notation makes the public the instru
ment for reproducing and Furnishing those
who have wronged him. A man who
thinks he has not been understood or APP
preciated, is apt to fancy that his sud
den taking off in mysterious way will
open the eyes of the world to the talent
and ability that was allowed to perish
With, him aud, animated by this thought,
he takes his revenge on the public by an
act which he hopes will tear their hearts
with remorse.
The letters left by many suicides show
that in some such spirit they contemplate
ed self destruction. Others write as
though they were simply tired of life,
and disguised with their own infirmities.
Others, again, write not at all, but carry
all clue as to motive with them into the
beyond. While the public looks upon
suicide as cowardly, it is easy for the
person who has determined on suicide to
convince himself that his act is in some
sense heroic. Certain it is that such
thinking on saicide makes men mad, and
in seeking causes for the increased rate of
selidestruction, We may find the princi-
pal one in the fact that with the change
in pubic opinion toward the suicide has
come disposition to dwell more On the
romantic aud peculiar features of suicide
cases.
In the old time the suicide was counted
in the list IF outcasts. The act itself re-
celved the severest condemnation of the
church, and was looked upon with hor-
ror by the people. There was in pub
lie print and common conversation no dis
position IL excuse and no tendency to
Justify the act OF an array of causes, or
10y charging upon the troubles and
trials of The deceased. There was no en-
enlargement to dwell on the subject in
secret or public, but popular sentiment,
custom, and tradition all were so many
influences to direct mems minds away
from the subject. The sentiment in the
churches, the attitude of the church it.
self, and the feeling among the people at
large, all have changed. There is now
more charity for the act, and more con-
,lderation tor the person who commits
suicide, than formerly, and the means of
directing public thought to such occur
rences, having greatly increased, are used
without scruple. In this change of pub
lie sentiment we may find one reason for
the increase in the suicide rate.
Supplementary to this is the fact that
suicides find apolo2ists and defenders in
many brilliant and cratic writer's. An
article is published written years ago by
John NJ. Buckley (who is said to have
committed suicide a few days since)
which is in effect strong plea for chart
table judgment on the suicide. If Mr..
Buckley did commit suicide, he applied
10 the disappointment of his career the
reasoning common 70 diseased minds, and
the article written in former years shows
that his mind had been dwelling ON the
subject, and that be had taken the first
step in the direction of danger. E
/ Many seek causes for the numerous
suicides in the hard times and incident
privations. As arule, how ever, the trials
OF people struggling against poverty tend
to rouse the very qualities in human ma
ture that contribute to wholesome and