Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-05
AS WE'LL TO BIS Fka.

The San Francisco Coll does not, we beg
leave to suggest, treat the Cremation So
5ioty wi b fairness. A speaker at meet
ing of the association declared that active
opposition TO the society came mainly from
1ndeTtaksrs, haokmen and few physi-
clans. To this the Call replies "The
persons concerned would probably find, if
a. effort were made to destroy our GENE.
teries by clearing off the shrubbery, de-
facing the monuments and trampling down
the mounds, that opposition would come
rom al classes of the community. The
truth is, it shocks most persons to even
salk Of destroying the bodies of their
friends by ire hence it Is not surprising
that men DO not readily embrace the no.
ton. Il Is as well to be fair in this debate.
TIE have yet to hear of a cremation society
that proposes any such assaults upon the
bones of the dead. II there have been put
forward any scch ideas at San Francisco
they are foreign to the whole scheme of
incarceration, and not justified by any OF
its doctrines, as the Gail must certainly
be aware. All that cremationists ask is
the liberty 10 dispose of their dead as to
them seems best, and in a manner not
opposed TO decenoy, public health or tbs
dictates OF scientific truth. The refusal to
grant them this Is the result of prejudice
for old methods, and is off of piece with
sha5 which confronts nearly all material
progressive movements in their early his
tory. Most physicians of whom we have
heard or read when pinned down to fiat
expression are favorable to cremation, and
TIE most brilliant and earnest advocates
of it to- day axe medical men OF broadcast dis
tircsion.
The last sentence of our contemporary
criticism is expressive OF the truth it
does shock most persons to talk of de-
stroying their bodies by fire." But it needs
modification tie bodies are not destroyed
by FIRE; the shock is due to precon.
oeived ideas regarding cremation that are
mos largely the outgrowth of ignorance
concerning It, and paucity of information
regarding the evils, cruelties and indie.
cency of burial
We venture to say that if fair state
ment is made to any candid and intelli.
gent mind Of the reasons for cremation,
chat mind Will approve, and if it hesitates
TO embrace, VIII do so because of the old.
time prejudice fer the grave, despite all its
corruption sud rotting flesh, and poisonous
emanations. We venture the assertion
that the Cen itself belives, in the privacy
of its soul, that cremation is in the inter.
ests of the living, and equally as respect.
full to the dead as is burial. It is certainly
capable of denomination that it is the
most clesnly and economical method of
disposing OF our loved dead, and that it
enables us, while checking the spread of
disease and lesseniDg the sequestration of
valuable grounds, to most eacredly gather
and conveniently and pleasantly keep and
pay respect to the remains of the departed
Science, medical authority, sanitary
demonstration, kindly and tender care for
the loved ones, gentleness in tr atirg the
remains of the dead, considerations of
economy, all sustain and justify the de-
mands of cremstionists. Against them are
arrayed only the prejudices of custom.
There are absolutely no other things to he
claimed in favor Of burial. 1t is expen.
sive, cruel and dangerous to the living,
and. when properly viewed, disrespectful
and barbarous treatment of the bodies of
the dead.
So far as the destruction of cemeteries
is concerned, even if any ill-advised Gre
mationist should suggest it, the Cal will
be able to recall the fact that cemeteries
have very often been destroyed. One OF
the finest residence sections in Chicago oc-
cupies ground which was once cemetery,
and that but about twenty.six years ago.
The bones were gathered and burned, by
the way, of al bodies for which claimants
did not come forward, and from which the
flesh ami the encssements had rotted
away. One OF the largest public squares
of lower New York city was years ago a
cemetery teening with corruption. And
though the bodies were long ago removed,
so poisoned vac the soil that to this day