The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-28
FALLACY OF SUICIDE,
From the Philadelphia Ledger.


In spite of the instructive clinging TO
life and shrinking from death that is
So universal even under the most un-
favorable and sorrowful conditions,
there are, alas! too many instances in
which this instinct proves no barrier
to the voluntary termination of life it.
SELF Suicide is, indeed, seemingly one
of the attendant evils of civilization,
and is BY no means confined to the ig-
norant or abject classes. We are con-
stantly confronted with the fact that
neither material advantages nor intel
ligence, nor education, nor even a good
moral record, are proof against this
disloyalty to life. Many causes are
adduced for this act-grief, shame, re-
morse, despair, being among the most
numerous. But perhaps the foundation
cause, which underlies all others; may
be said to be the common habit of think
ing that life is only to be valued for
the happiness it yields. Many people
grow up with the idea that if personal
life be not personally happy it is use
less. Thus, when they come to some
epoch when sorrow triumphs over JOY,
failure over success, pain over pleasure,
life loses all meaning to them, and is
easily parted from.
This view of life is essentially untrue
and most in furious. While we may never
know how far it is responsible for ac
tual suicide, it is certain that if carried
out to its full conclusions it would
tend in that direction. Happiness is
normal and rightful condition,
one which should be expected and
valued, and within certain limits
sought, for self and others But it is
never the whole of life, only a part,
and a part which cannot be exacted.
Life contains it, but it also contains Il
great deal homework, service. man
hood, duty, responsibility; and if these
receive the rightful emphasis in
thought and heart, no suggestion of
suicide could find any Judgment
1t would be we'll if the true character
of this act were more fully drawn and
realized than it generally is. Our pity
dwells on the sufferings which were so
great as to overcome the natural love
of life, and our compassion for the
afflicted one blinds US to the intrinsic
selfishness and cowardice of his deed.
Take, for instance. the frequent occur
renee of loss Of fortune, bankruptcy.
perhaps disgrace. Let the consequent
agony be what il may, what is the POI
sition of him who, to escape 1t, throws
away the life which he holds in trust?
He leaves his family not Only TO all
the hardships and suffering which he
refuses TO endure, but also to the addi-
tional grief of mis- loss and to the life
long bitter memory of his end. His
duties as husband, father, a son, a
brother, he casts TO the winds. All the
possibilities OF retrieving his losses. of
building up another business, OF pro-
viding for those who are rightly de-
pendent upon him for support, he de-
Eberately throws away His obliga-
tons as citizen. friend. a man
among men, he ruthfully ignores All
opportunities of atoning TO those he
may have wronged he discards- Is any
deserter from a battlefield half 50 dis
loyal aud faithless as he? The one
runs away from a single duty; the
other abandons them all and forever
II matters little what is the form of
suffering which tempts such a course
1t may be the wrecking OF hopes by be-
reavement. or By the perfdy of another;
it may be despair produced by repeated
disappoiutments; il may he the pangs
OF remorSe for his own guilt In any
case, IL Is his duty % bear il Ike a man.
not IN shrink from ii like q coward
What though happinessbe gone? Duty
remains Life l. not a piavthing. 20 be
used as long Is IL gives pleasure, and
then cast aside. II i an imperative
trust, a continuous obligation, from
which no grief no loss. no shame. can
ever aS>olve u No one. indeed, =
able 70 predict that even happiness Is
gone forever. Ii = not an uumsAning
provrrb tEAt The darkest hour = lust
before the dawn Often when hope !
queBched and sorrow Overwhelns T.,
unexpected help i near The future
may hold brighter things in store; new
power 20 retrieve the pas; NAV b. gen
Grated within Us And always the cour- |
a-e and heroism which acceo. tae bur