The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-09-29
Not Exercising n Profound influence ON
the Coaniry ~ Yet.

DIX. LE AOfNE's CREMATOhf. 4 !,
Not ExcrcisIng n Profound influence or
theCountry n Yet.
Chicago Times. ag
Apparently the advocates Of cremation
are making no progress in this country
The New York society, according to 70,
cent report, numbers only about n hun.
dred. Although several meetings have
psen held during the past year and many
articles published favorable TO cremation,
only about twenty new members have
been obtained. The society has not been
able 10 collect money enough 10 erect u
erematory, and the expense Of taking bod.
les to Pennsylvania is greater than that OF
disposing OF them in the ordinary manner,
The advocates OF cremation attach much
Importance 10 the saving Of expense and
10 the quietness that attends, or may At.
tend, the disposal Of the dead. As vet
neither OF these results Inns been attained
In this country. The cost Of transporting
bodies long distances is great, and II many
persons ATTEND them it Is very greatly In.
creased. Tho fees charged at ere.
matory that Is seldom used must
Of necessity be high. These added
to the cost Of transportation make
the expense Of cremation greater than that
OF burial. So iar as attracting attention Is
concerned, burial is less Objectionable
than q cremation. The few crematjops
that have taken place in this country have
attracted large crowds OF curiositv.seekers,
and the accounts Of them have been tele.
graphed to oil the leading newspapers. A
funeral may be conducted very quietly,
with no ostentation, and ut a very small
expense, II people desire. Few men in
this country were better known than the
poet Longfellow and the philosopher Emer-
son. Still their dead bodies were conveyed
to their last resting places as quietly as
their living persons moved through this
busy world. There no display and but
little expense. When better taste prevails
In relation to funerals all the Objectionable
features Of them will be removed.
Funernls are expensive for various rea.
cons. Most OF oursecret and many OF our
benevolent organizations bury the bodies
oil their dead members, or pay a certain
sum to cover the expenses. The members
OF the societies turn out with regalia or
uniforms and attend by band OF music.
This display calls for large number OF
rriages and expensive floral decora-
lions. The friends OF persons who do not
belong to secret societies are in that way
encouraged to make display at funerals.
and the fashion becomes general. A move
ment on the part OF people OF wealth, cult.
ure, and high social standing to abolish
all display and ostentation ut funerals
would soon meet with general favor, and
their practices would be followed. As
matters stand at present, poor people
think they are under obligation to society
to spend large sum OF money, or to cause
it to be spent, whenever n funeral occurs.
AS rule, person who receives the least
attention while living receives the most
when life is extipguished. The casket
that contains the dead body OF some poor
and neglected woman is covered with
costly floral tributes, though she may have
gone through many weary years Of her life
without n single rose on her person or a
simple violet in her house. A carriage
comes to her door for the first time after
she Is dead. Many persons appear to be
anxious TO make atonement Immediately
after death for the neglect they practiced
and the misery they caused during life. A
coffin u often purchased that costs more
than the bed on which one lay during q
long sickness, and more is expended on
shroud than was ever laid out on a dress.
Affection is expressed in IN epitaph that
was never spoken in words or shown in
smile. Debts OF gratitude are paid long
after they are outlawed.
After burials become cheap, simple, and
transformations, it may be easy to substitute
cremation for them. But it is not easy to
make the change now. The funeral is an
institution, and not an event. 1t requires
i certain kind of observance in the interest
OF what society considers proper and be-
coming. \ certain fashion must be fol-
lowed, and it costs considerable 10 follow
any fashion. 1t must be remembered, too,
that there are large pecuuiary interests
connected with disp0sing OF the dead.
There are over hundred undertakes in
this city, and ten large establishments that
deal in undertaisrs' supplies. 4 vast CAPT.
tai is invested in the manufacture Of collins
and caskets. There is department in
every large dry goods store for the sale OF
mourning goods. Every florist has designs to
~ eoSu az 1hS
cral wreaths is IN occupation in which qnte
q number Of persons are engaged. The
organist and members Of the choir in
churches derive pecuniary benefit from
funerals. So do the sexton and the pro-
prietors Of livery stables. There is money
TO be made in laying out cemeteries and
selling lots, ns.there is in making subdi-
visions OF acre property in the vicinity Of
laree towns. A large number OF persons
are employed in the makingo OF monuments
and gravestones, and they demand large
pay for theirlabor. All these persons are
opposed to cremation, and until they can
find an opportunity to change their bust.
ness they will exert their influence
against It, It should also be remembered
that no religious sect has. given any en-.
couragement 10 the cremation movement,
and that several have openly opposed it.
It is quite likely that many diyipes may
think the practice OF cremation would
4 =