New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-02
ng close to the loose-hinged gates of death
many would be tempted to push them. ajar.

many would be tempted to push them aJar.
| Another fact hints suggestively nc the cause
of suicide which is, that this crime is more COM
mon among the French and Americans than
among any other nations while in this country
| it is more frequent among men than women,
and among whites than the colored races. In
| other words, the man whose ambition and i'm
| agination have been stimulated by the chance
set before him in life. and whose nervous tenn
permanent is least able to bear the disappolnt-
ment Of this ambition, is most likely to commit
self-murder The colOred races here and the
natives of countries in Europe where ranks and
grades are fixed and inflexibe, have little TO
hope for and are therefore unlikely to make
risky ventures which end in despair. Tue age
at which suicide usually occurs here also
proves this to be the principal cause. From
twenty to forty every American ot average IN
telect is holly engaged in the race toward
some high goal either of fame or fortune or CO.
| lOssal achievement. He never limits himself TO
a moderate success The great prizes are open
to every man: why should he not be the one
to win themf AT fifty he knows his mistake
and measures himself more justly. Disappoint-
ment has taught him sclf-control. lie is not
u
even if he recognizes the fact that he will al
ways he poor man, or insignificant or unl0ved
in his home. Again: the classes to whom this
kind of philOsOphic self-control is taught In
youth are not found among the lists of self
murderers. Who ever heard of Quaker
suicide7 The Quaker's religion is no more
powerful or deterrent against ill-doing than
that of other men, but his Imagination has
been held in check he has been taught from
babyhood to set his ambitions low, to harden
his moral skin against all wounds Women,
too, while deficient in the courage OF Drawing
i'll, are greatly superior to men in the courage
of enduring it. Their domestic affections also
are kecner and more unselfish, and they are
more likely to remember the added weight of
horror and grief which they let fall on those
who are left when they creep cowardly into the
grave to hide from pain.
This readiness of Americans to leap into the
dark beyond is the symptom of some National
weakness of character, and If we go to the bot
tom of the matter we shall find that to be the
universal and increasing habit of pursuing the
material things of life as the object of our exist
ence, instead of happy life itself. We call
the man successful who has gained notoriety or
million or two, or a nomination for President.
These are the goals we set before oar boys
from their birth. Who notices the man who
knows how to love, TO make the most of his
little chances, of his days and hours, so as thor
oughly to use and enjoy them Leaving the du-
ties and comforts and joys of the Christian faith
out of the question for the time, 1t is indisputa-
BILE that the successful man is the satisfied and
conteDted one. The owner of hundred mill
ions or a brilliant reputation may be satisfied
or he may not be but the man whose tastes
are clean and simple, who has been taught to
take a pleasure in his friends IN nature, in
music and in hooks, whose temper is under con-
troll, and who above all, has a capacity for
steady hard work, aud a consc entinus delight in
doing IT, must be satisfied and c0nented. He
is successful though he end his days a poor
mechanic. He wears coarse clothes, he carries
his tools to the last, yet he has learned how to
live to press out of each moment as it goes the
best wine for himself and Others. No defeat of
circumstance will ever drive him to the pistol or
the rope We Americans are known as morbid,
money getting and prctentious in our aims, yet
We have the richest heritage in the world TO leave
our children: if We would teach them the
meaning of life and the real meaning Of sue
cess, no people ever born would be qualified to
DO a noble work so nobly.