San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-17
THE INCREASE OF SUICIDE.
The Cause, and How to Remove That
Cause.
Odubt
Ed tor LIGHT:

still adhere 10 that OpiniOn-thAt q
newspaper has far higher mission In
the world TO fulfill than that OF Il hing
up news from the feiid pools Of slums,
and dishing up It'd bits of scandal and
vice In a sensational style. The press Ia
an eduraIor In manners and morals.
Young men and young women, who
have not yet taken their places upon the
tustling and pushing stage OF NE, and
whose hearts and minds are still fresh
and nntainted, read Its columns, ana
often receive durable impressions from
some article published IN them; hence
toe Importance OF not owing the seens
of immortality and vice In the virgin
soil OF their uncorrupt hearts and fre-b
minds. A corrupter OF youth l. one Of
tb. most odiOus characters in the world,
and deserves the strongest reprohatiOn.
To corrupt and mislead youth ia proof,
that man IL not merely hearIlrss, but
also incorrigibly malevolent and de-
PRAYED, and that he desires 10 drprtde
everyone TO his own level. Nov, IL Is
more hurtful when Newspaper be-
comes corrupter OF youth, for the res-
son, that its influence for evil Is far
greater, and IL does not start out. like
the man alluded to above, from n stand
point OF self degradation and malevo-
lenoe.
The newspaper is an educator, a
guide. and censor of manners. News
gathering is not the who.e OF its mis-
sion.
These preliminary observations were
meant to obviate any objections you
might have to the Insertion OF the FOL.
lowing Thoughts touching the topic OF
suicide. That suicide is becoming
pideuical Is too clear 10 be cOntrOverted,
and this circumstance renders II alike
proper and nee, ssary to point out the
causes of his most deplorable increase
in suicide, and the best means OF put
ting n stop to the mania for suicide that
seriously threatens to become conta-
gIOus.
suicide, resulting from dementis. Is
only to be prevented by keeping careful
watch and strict guard over persons SUI
f.ring from such bereavement until the
disease disappears. Where the demen-
tia Ia the result Of alcoholism or NOR
phine, mild confinement until the
paroxy Sun passes of and reason resumes
b throne, Is the only effective proven
tive. but when the dementla passes
away, medicine should be resorted 10 In
order to eradicate the abnormal NOR
bidity Of the stomach that drives sots TO
steep their senses In whisky. Moral
suasion lie wasted on nine sOts out often;
for the reason, that the invincible crav-
ing for whisky that seiZes hold OF their
stNmachs is q disease, superiRduced by
intemperance, and consequently can be
cured only by medical treatment. This
is fact but little needed by enthus-
isstic refurmrrs, but lite eventual recOg-
milton 10 no longer involved In doubt.
m no m N m haF nf
Is no doubt the result Of the spread Of
the doctrine OF materialism or that the
Immortality OF the soul and future
state ofexistence are fictions, spun and
woven from the brains OF poets. Ma
terialism denies that there Is anything
immortal in the composition OF man, and
teaches that death IL the final scen" with
him. IL man be wholly material. OF
course, he is no more than the
weeds that perish, and d'ath
ceases 10 have any te rOrs for him
Ii is obvious to the most s"ptr fuial
observer that human being. who is
rnly convinced that ne l. mortal or
material. has no fear Of death and nOIh-
ing 10 restrain him from suicide hen
sickness, disappointment and trOu lie
befall him and put him out OF COnceir
with life. Mstrrlalsm, In nv opinion.
has no other effect upon such as adopt
IL than TO give them q low opinion OF
human nature-to extinguish high asDi-
ratiOns and lofty aims, and to reconcile
them to sensuaIism and animal grariti
cations. That such should be the effect
appears TO be unavoidable. If man be
without an immortal soul and is not to
exist after the close Of his career upon
earth, what motive has he for abstaiming
Ars. Il bat ,at,
from the dread of human punishment?
What inducement would he have 10
liv. chastely and temperately A be-
lief in the immortality OF the soul raises
the dignity OF human nature-exalts
mans aims In life-restrsins his animal
passions and spiritualizes his earthly
life. Humanity, kindness, charity and
henevolence are OF really no Consequence,
II materialism be true, since, In order
to possess the semblance of merit. they
ust be disinterested. The former doc
trine exslts and purifies mans thoughts,
aspirations, aims and ambitions TO an
extent hardly conceivable; the latter
degrades and brutaliZes humanity and
puts man on the same level with the
beasts OF the field that perish. Such are
the direct effects of these aDtsgOnistic
doctrines upon man.
The Immortality Of the soul seems to
me to he more susceptible Of proof rs
we'll as more credible than the opposite
doctrine OF materialism. No people
has ever heen found in any part
OF the globe without some be-
lief in the Immortality Of the soul
and Of a future existence. Such belief
may have been crude and v que, still II
existed. The very universally of this
belief In the Immortality Of the soul OF
man, goes to show 1t was implanted In