The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1891-02-11
THE TENDENCY TO SLICIDE

The number OF suicides IN the
United States in 1890 was 2.o4O, ac-
cordiEg to returns collected by the
Chicago Tribune. In the same way
it is learned that the number in 1889
was 2,224, and in 1888 LAST A par
tial list Of the most prominent cases
for 1890 reveals the names of 10
doctors, 10 cashiers, Ii merchants, 81
bankers, Z lawyers, 7 teachers. O.
clergymen 4, judges, 4 actors, 3 jour
n~alists, 3 postmasters and 3 architects
The ratio of the number Of men to
the number OF women taking their
lives was about the usual one 3 to l.
As to the mode Of ending life 1904
shot themselves, 663 took poison, and
only $50 died by hanging. The
United States census of 1880 showed
that hanging was the more general
method, as it is in England and
Prussia, while shooting came next and
poisoning third. The reported cases
for last year would seem to show that
the method changes from time to
time. even among the same people
aud the same classes. But it still
would seer to hold true, as it has for
many years, that the suicide rate
tends to increase, and that the crime
is more prevalent among the educated
than the uneducated classes. The lat
ter phenomenon might be explained
on the theory that the educated man
has more points Of contact with the
social environments, is more sensitive
to it's influences, and has less fear of
death and less capacity for the physi-
cal enjoyment of life. His, too is
the more feverish existence. And the
growth of the educated classes may
in part explain the crime OF suicide
but not all. There has been much
speculation on this point. One might
suppose, for example,, that in times
as Of war, when the sacrifice of life
ia great, and q familiar sight or
wbere life is held in so little value that
it's forfeit becomes a punishment fol
small ofenses or the vindication of
one,s 80 called honor, that then OF
there we should have a large suicide
rate. But the experience OF society
proves that just the opposite is the
fact. and as civilization advances self,
murder increases. The fact that the
suicide rate is large among soldiers
does not disprove this, as might be
supposed, the cause in this case beng
rather apparently due to the solitude
monotony, and privations OF army llf'
in time of peace. 1t might at first
sight be supposed that the United
States census statistics of 1880 again
disproved this. 1t there appears tha.
while for the whole country the sui
eide rate was SO per 100000 of pop
nlation, in Montana, a frontier min
ing territory, the rate was 33l; in
California, 213; in Nevada, POS, 'o
Arizona, 1877; in Washington terri
tory, 119, etc Lawless disregard Of
life was notorious in nearly all these
sections. But no doubt the Ligl su-
icide rate here is to be explained OIL
the same grounds that the high rate
at the gambling resort of Monte
Carlo is to be explained In tn" mad
hunt for sudden wealth and the
reckless life that grows ont Of it
disappointment would be as bitter
and hatred of existence as great as
the hope wa Ll-- r. Massachu-
sets lIe i"tt Ids por4 as high as 9S, .
in Connecticut il ha, gone above 100, ,
and in Rhode Island above 124. In
the larger ryThprn cities it is often (
above lGo Bat +cial differences are
also mere 70 be distinguished. 1t ,
woulGb he thought sad is commonly >
suppos | that the Celt is more die !
posed t take his life than the leu ,
pE SNN a the case, though g