The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-10-12
SUICIDE AND IDEALS.
Iu-Founded Ambition the Great Underfr
ing Cause of Self Destruction

ing Cause of Self-Destruction.
The chief advantage in writing On
suicide is that nobody knows much
about it. On such q theme the fool
and the wise man may. in manner.
meet on a common plane-that of their
matual ignorance.
A few years ago there was much dis
cussion among medical men-and it II
still an open question-as to whether
perfectly sane men ever kill themselves
Ingenious arguments were brought
forth by the champions OF both sides %
the question. in current medical publ
cations, and believe it was finally de-
cided by the Judges who were appointed
to weigh the evidence, that self-deS-
truction is at times effected by sane
men in cool moments. Without citing
historical or medical authorities further
than to refer to the customs OF the
ancients who carried poison for pur-
poses of self-destructiOn, the intepId
Roman, who chose rather TO fall on MS
sword than to survive the liberties or
country and live an ignOminiOus life,
let us assume that instances occur when
men in sound mind grow weary of life.
1t is interesting TO know the processes
of reasoning which such men pursue TO
convince themselves that life is not
worth living. Why does sane man
want to die? What strange philosophy,
what reckless impulse drives him
to reverse the prime instincts OF
man. the first law of animal
nature? Whoever is habitually gloomy
must often question the value OF life,
and at times ask himself whether It Is
| a blessing. A man can not live with
out an encouraging ideal before him
He can not continue happy on the
, memory of supreme moments thas
! have passed away. One or two golden
hours in his experience are not cove
/ nant for all future days, and he inquiries
! at times whether death were not COM
! fort and a blessing. But cheerful men
/ have been known to steal out of life
without a moments warning. What
! i TO be said of such eases? Where n
: the philosopher of suicide who can
! classify such minds? If the clever
theory of Buckle is tehable there Is Q
law that governs the number OF suicides
in given country and era. Such .
philosophy may account for Mr., DARK.
into whose pessimistic soul never yee .
ray of light did fall. but does tina
slowly working cause, the chain of pro
disposing events that leads to suicide,
apply to Mr.. Light. who is all sun
shine, and who has been in love with
life since a child in arms? The future.
that has for years been to him as field
of pleasing opportunities, and into
whose benign skies he has ever gazed
with undated vigor and hope, sud-
/ denly becomes black as deepest mid
night. Such sudden sundering of the
firm ties which bid cheerful mind to
: life with all the strength of love OF
. the beautiful and permanent, is one OF
the most remarkable freaks of a sans
mind, if it does in reality ever occur II
: such.
1t is agreed among statisticians thas
= there are ten suicides by reason of an
: guish, fear, disappointment and mental
, troubles, to every one caused by pain,
sickness or physical ailments. 10
might, therefore, be stated as next
1 generalization, that the great underiy-
$ ing cause of suicide is an ill-founded
y ambition for unattainable ideals. Then,
5 if ambition be ill-founded, it may poi
J \ son the sweetest lllc. Is
Spencer not right when he says ths'
Americans expect too much of their
q favorite ideals, which are for the most
: part based on ideas of financial pros
Q perity? Such check in the ambitions
q of the times is needed as will place life
/ on higher basis than the low plane Of
o commercial prosperity.
The ocean of the future bears on ies
q boundless expanse the barks and craft
Ie and steamers of invention and of hope
% The waves of the eternal sea of time
wash the shores of the unknown lands
lie Every human being has tirst-clss'
'e passage. with all the privileges. right
~ and immunities of every other passen
o. ger. He need not annul his own RICH
p TO live where the stars of love and hope
Of and thought may shine forever on M
- course, whether rich or poor, prince o.
e, pauper; whether the king of men o
ls the loneliest wanderer along the shore
ei ofhuman toil.---Leiqh ErUinc, IN Curre''i