The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-03-13
BILL ARPS WEEKLY LETTER.
WILLIAM Is MORTIFIED AT THE
INCREASE OF SUICIDES.
4 PRACTICAL REMEDY SUGGESTED.

Wicked Deeds Lead to RemOrse OF Con-
science Which I'm Turn Leads to Con-
temptation OF Self-Murder.
I was Eliminating about these suicides that
seem to be ON the increase all over the ianu'
and are not confined to any class or conui.
ton. Several have occurred during the iass
few days In Georgia and the adjoining STATES.
Two were Young men, two past middle age
and one was girl IN her teens. Nome nso
good cause for the rash deed, and u seems
like this generation has more nerve anu iesy
fear Of the hereafter than their ialheIs. =
cannot imagine any condition or peril thas
requires as much courage and will power as
the deliberate taking of ones life. would
rather take my chances in battle or snip
wreck or pestilence. To be weary OF lie Is
a common misfortune, and thousands tnere
are who can exclaim with David: On; ina.
| had the wings OF dove, that might ny
awav and be at rest" But TO the average
man "the weariest life that age, ache, Pc
pury and imprisonment can lay ON nature Is
| a paradise to what we fear OF aeatn-
| must be a fearful leap to commit suicl1e-
ito die and go we know not where, anu yer
| it has become almost as common as muruer
| murder that has the excuse OF gratiiyine
| some passion as hate, revenge ,avaricc, desire
| or ambition. The suicide leaves no biood
| behind him save his own-no nothing pus
| nity and domestic grief. THERE'S no sheriff
| to pursue, no court to try, ana Ia TINS couh,
try no attainder or coniiscation or puriaf'
| without benefit OF clergy.
A little more than century ago, when
George " was king Of England. the law was
in force that the body OF suicide sDouia
| have stake thrust through II and be buried
by the highway, 50 as to intimidate others
from self destruction. His goods ana chatties
were forfeited to the crown. This law was re-
pealed during King Georges reign, but new
law declared that the body should be buried
at night without the performance OF religious
| ceremonies Such was the detcstatlon OF
our English ancestors for what they called
the crime OF suicide. / know of but one
crime that would justify man taking ms
own life, aud that is remorse--sach reinorss
as Judas Iscariot felt when he went out ana
, hanged himself. There are but three IN,
, | stances Of se,f murder mentioned in sacred
. history. and they were all bad men. But ID
our day. suicides are generally good-hearted
people-Shakespeare says OF Otheuo, that ne
) was great of heart, but it was reinorse iol
1 killing his innocent wife that hsrVso mn :,
!, the deed. Nowadays the most OF suiclae'
are caused not from remorse; but from dls
annointments, failures In business, domesti'
| unhappiness, or grief over iost lovers o
; dead kindred. Sometimes the unhappy MAJ
> tries to drown trouble In drink, ana TN
| brings q depression that ends in sell murdef
!, R,it II does not take great misfort t
!. nanse suicide now. Only last week cleve
= Young man killed himself on hearing tina
h his mother was dead, and young gu
N hanged herself because she did not hae he
> step-nother. How many travelling men nav
a been found dead in the Atlanta hoteis aurih
> the past few years with no extraoro,nSar
L cause for self destruction-just tired OF me-
| couldn't make money fast enough; couldn
. SQUARE their accounts with their employer
n or some such reason. Job suffered Sret
y trihulations. hat didn't dare to destroy mn
self In the greatest anguish he said; d
!. soul is weary Of my life, oh, that IL wou,
e please God to destroy me, that he Wo"i
70 | loose His hand and cut me OH.
a What is the cause of this growing menu
1. malady in this happy land2 Are these su
20 eides all skeptics, or infdels, or UNIVERSE
Re lists. that they should have no fear OF deaf
at no dread of something after death
ri Mnybe there is a hereafter and Judgmei
Id to come. and IL so, a murderer has De
m tor chance than a suicide for he has time
Q. repent and be forgiven, as David was. Inc
he again. It liz such a selfish act, for ii brin
ne grief TO kindred and leaves shadow oV
Id the household that never passes away.
e. few years ago met u young man wnom
ne had not seen since he was lad. He was q
to ! ing well in a distant state where his motn
ID, | and sisters lived but l could see the nhes
la a never forgotten sorrow 10 his face. Il
,r? father hung himself in barn, and the hea
ot | broken family moved far away. A Il
months ago Imet an old friend who mad
th ways greeted me cheerfuliy, put 1 marc
so knew him. He was prematurely gray, a
tn the lines OF sadness were in every lineame
We az his intellectual features. He had ceas
ne to smile, His only son, on whom his 10
,ol and his hope was conferred, had killed nj
of self--had placed the fatal pistol to his tenn
Dr. and fred 1t. What makes our young m
,af do SO? II it comes from remorse, IS !.
/ cheaper and safer to repent ana re1or
GU / What does man kill, anyhow? Nothing
di- his body. His soul goes marching on a
,at the remorse goes with it. But even his 90
err is sacred. and he has no right to mutilate
as | destroy il. The scripture says that
did bodies are temples Of the living God-erea,
Ike in His image and but little lower tnan
md angels. Oh it is horrible to think OF.
ist, becomes no one but murderers and ass
at s;ns and thew don't do It. If the butch
Flanagan. should kill himself In his cell
to would be a fit ending of his life, whether
is he sane or insane, but for young man
rtn woman who have been tenderiy raised
OF have parents or children or kindred
le;r ! love them, there is no excuse. Betiel
ere bear the ills we have than to plunge IN q I
less of dark despair. Get up ana Try again: !:
Ally YOU have nerve enough to pull the !,
ven trigger. YOU surely can make another en-
de- to reform or to suffer and endure whate
ose troubles you. Get up and do somethin
ten work for your board il you can't do bet
heir Work at anything-dig, hoe, chop wood
de- fireman on locomotive, keep going-d
nks ston TO think and brood over troubles.
ID l slant employment will stifie grief II
we'd can't get work, go to the woods and
saw the birds sing, and see the glad water
and | ino In the little branches. Life Is w
oss, living and the faithful wag of your d
SO tail Is worth living for-much more, Is
life. ioye 81 kindred and friends. / believe
and ;S,eness "a not only the DEVILS workshop
Their She chief cause OF crime, but 1t prod
US, that morbid melancholy state Of mind
rted begins with drink and ends In suicide;
set ever heard Of an engineer, or a condu'
= or q gardener, or a Woodworking fal
committing suicide. They haven't got
to think about it. II domestic trou !.
family discord haunts you, work IT
ntly Socrates married Xantippe, the most ae
hen eating woman he could find, and he sa,