Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-04-18
Llfe's Real Meaning.

| A startling nature of the month Just
closed was the number OF suicides which
occurred in it throughout this country.
including the men and women of all ages
and conditions. from the starving old
scholar of eighty to The overworked
school boy who gave up the fight at six
teen. A physician in Philadelphia has
just published monograph on suicide
with statistics concerning its extent and
characteristics in that city during the de
cade ending in 1881. From it we find that
of the II 936 cases of death requiring II
coroner's inquest in that time, 636 We're
suicides, and that the proportion borne to
the population was from Al to OF per
cent. 1t is difficult to make amy Just
estimation of the causes which lead 10 self
mt rider. Two facts, however, are proved
by the statistics referred to, that suicide
! in this country is almost exclusively con-
fined the classes which have received
some degree of civilizations; and bat. ike
disease, it bears fzed and marked pro-
portion to different ages. Thus of the 636
cases just cited, 81 occurred between the
ages of fifteen and twenty; from the ages
cf twenty TO thirty the number leaped to
10; during thenext 10 it increased to 149
after that age thu decrease was AS abrupt
as the increase, ending Mt three between
eighty and ninety, when one would sup
pose all appetizing flavor would have
faded out of life, out Of the vast horde of
the decrepit and unsuccessful crowding
close to the loose-hinged gates of death
many would be tempted to push them
ajar
Another fact hints suggestively ut the
cause of suicide; which is. that this crime
is more common among the French and
Americans than among any other nations
while IN this country it il more frequent
among men than women, andamong whites
than the colored races. In other words, the
man whose ambition and imagination have
been stimulated by the chance set before
him in life, and whose nervous tempela-
ment is least able to bear the dissppoint-
ment of this alnbitit n, 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
intlexble, have little hope for and are
therefore unlikely TO make risky ventures
which end in despair. The age at which
suicide usually occurs here also proves
this to be the principle cause. From 90
10 40 every American of average intellect
is hotly engaged in the race toward some
high goal, either of fame or fortune or
colossal achievement. He never limits
to moderate success. The great
prizes are open to every man: why should
he not be the one to win themp A SO he
knew his mistake and measures himself
more justly. Disappointment has taught
him self.control. He is not likely to put
pistol to his head at that age. even if he
recognized the fact that he will always be
q poor man, or insignificant or unloved in
his home. Again, the classes to whom
This kind of philosophic sell control is
taught in youth are not found among the
lists of self-murderers. Who ever heard
Of Quaker suicidep The Quaker's rei.
gion is no more powerful or deterrent
igainst i'll doing than that of other men,
but his Imagination has been held in check;
no has been taught from babvh, cd to set
his ambitions low, to harden his moral
while deficient in the courage of Drawing
ID. are greatly superior to men in the
courage of enduring it. Their domestic
affections also are keener and more unset
ish. and they are more likely, to remem-
Der the added weight of horror and grief
which they let fall on those who are left
when they creep cowardly into the grave
o hide from pain.
The readiness of Americans to leap into
he dark beyond is the symptom of ome
rational weakness of character, and if we
20 to the bottom of the matter we shall ;
ind that to be the universal and increasing
labit of pursueing the material things of {
ife as the object of our existence, instead
'f happy life itself. We call the man {
uccessfui who has gained a notoriety or a {
million or two, or nomination for presi- {
lent These are goals we set before our !
,oys from their birth. Who notices the
pan who knows how 10 love, to make
he most OF his little chances, of his days
nd hours. 30 as thoroughly to use and
nJoy thenP Leaving the duties and cou-
orts and joys of of the Christian faith out
# the question for the time, it is indisput-
BILE that the successful man is the satisfied
md contented one. The owner of hun.
|red millions or brilliant reputation may
'e satisfied or he may not be; but the man :
whose tastes are clean and simple, who ,
las been taught to take pleasure in his /
riends. in ature, in music and in :books, I
whose temper is under control, and who, t
bove all, has capacity for steady hard S
york, and conscientious delight in doing {
/, must be satisfied and contented. He is /
successful though he end his days a poor I
Mechanic. He wears coarse clothes, he |
aries his tools to the last, yet he has |
earned how TO live, to press out of each /
moment as it goes the best .wine for him i
elf and others. No defeat of circumstance g