The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-08-01
ASHES no ASHES.
Women and Cremation.


To treat these two subjects separate
ly may be easy enough, but considered
in conjunction they become formidable
and somewhat difficult, and we feel
klndlier toward the French peasant
who surreptitiously crept to the altar
of Notre dame de bon secours.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton says very
aptly that, wherever men and women
work together, they bring out the fin
est qualities in each other, So have
all reformatory movements, cremation
included, won strength whenever wo-
men actively engaged in them, as they
have lately done in many affairs of
men to which formerly they paid but
slight attention. They more and more
begin to recognize that these to large
degree influence their own condition
and welfare, and therefore deserve
their best attention and efforts, and
also feel that they should respond when
we call upon them for assistance in
work the results of which concern
them closely.
We admit without hesitation the in
huence and position of women in our
public and private affairs, but would
remind them of the corresponding duty
to exercise both in support of social
reforms, among which sanitary burial
stands prominent.
Cremation has no reason to COM
plain of the treatment it has received
at the hands of enlightened woman
in this country; proud and grateful
w tn
champions such gifted knights of pen
and rostrum as Kate Field, Ella Wheel
er Wilcox, Grace Greenwood, Alice D.
LIE Plongeon, Jennie June, Alice N.
Lincoln, Annie Wolf, and Lucy Stone,
the two latter confirming their be-
lief by cremation of their bodies at
Boston and Philadelphia. Every one
of these here named, and many others
whom we not just now recall, have
done their full share in presenting the
advantages of cremation to their less
gifted or less Independently reasoning
sisters; but they have not quite per-
suaded them yet, and that seems in
part to explain the following reliable
statistics carefully compiled from the
records of the United States Crema-
ton company.
1t appears that of those cremated
within the last eight years at Fresh
Pond and born in Germany 70 per cent
were men, q per cent women; while or
those born in the United States SO per
cent. were men and Al per cent. were
women.
These figures are correct; they are
only comparative. But what do they
indicate? How can we account for
the IA per cent. In favor of the Ameri-
can woman over the German? What
ever explanation is attempted may be
challenged as inaccurate or unsatis-
factory, but it is worth trying, and
we shall take the positive, American
side of the question.
The American, in her native country,
has better sources of information.
She does not wait for consensus, but
thinks Independently
Her conclusions one formed are not
easily shaken. a
Being somewhat matter of fact, she
gives proper weight to sanitary argu-
ment, and less to sentimental points.
Being progressively inclined and sell
dom hidebound, she cuts loose from old
traditions and usages as soon as she
finds the new way preferable.
She's not conservative enough to con-
tinue an obnoxious or dangerous custom
Just because it is mossgrown.
She makes sure that her dying re-
quest as to the disposition of her body
by cremation is carried out, on the prin-
ciple that, while you should at times
respect the wishes of others, it is quite
fair that they also should respect your
own.
These deductions are assailable, but
before objections are made, TO which
space will be given, we should STATE
two more important facts The Ger
mans constitute only 80 per cent. of the
contributing population, while they fur
nish so per cent. of all cremations at
Fresh Pond; this should be duly con-
sidered in the equation Of percentages.