San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-21
SUICIDE is A MISTAKE.
SO Wrote Editor McCulloch On The
Subject Four Years Ago.

80 Wrote hullOI MCSuiiOSll oH 1HS
Subject Four Years Ago.
on Aug. IA, 1892, Joseph B. McCuI-
logh wrote the following editorial on
Judge Norvars action in committing
suicide:
1T is related by Montague that in
former times there was kept in the city
of Marseilles a poison prepared out of
hemlock, at the public charge, to be
administered to those who desired to
hasten their end, on the condition that
they should first give satisfactory rea-
sons and motives for their purposes to
the legal authorities. Unfortunately
he does not tell us how often the per-
mission to die thus granted, or what
causes were considered sufficient to
justify it, but it is safe to say that if
such a rule prevails in this country at
the present time few or none would get
leave to end their own lives.
THE reason assigned for suicide, in
most instances, are obviously made
quate, both logically and morally. They
pertain usually to those sings and ar
rows of fortune which are a part of
the general experience of life, and which
countless thousands of people are con-
stantly enduring without a thought of
self-destruction. There are emergen-
cies, of course, in which it may easily
seem to a man of sensitive or melan-
choly organization that he has outliv-
ed his usefulness, and that the best
thing he can do is to quit the world
where he has become superfluous, If
not burdensome: but the darkness of
such situations is apt to be exaggerat-
ed even in the worst cases. If sub
mitted to jury of intelligent and dis
interested persons the decision would
invariably be that the victim of a mis-
fortune that he thinks unbearable is
not entitled to the coveted poison, but
owes alike to himself and society the
duty of survival.
Those who read the newspapers do
not need to be told that suicide, like
insanity, is steadily increasing. This
is due in large part to the severe strain
of our methods of life. We doe every
thing at high pressure and with little
relaxation. The struggle for wealth
and position is so fierce and exacting
that the strongest faculties are not al
ways equal to the task, and so It is
not to be wondered at that weaker
brains frequently lose their balance
and leave men at the mercy of IRA
tiCnal impulses.
Moreover, we cannot lie sure that
the reasons giving for these self-kil-
lingS are the only moving cCnsidera-
tons. The heart knoweth its own bit
terness and does not always reveal
the whole story of trial, defeat and
misery. There are secrets and mystic
ries in the matter that we cannot I'M
6erstand. But the supreme fact re-
mains that surrender to sinister for
ces in any stress of misfortune is a
grave mistake and a violation of SOL
emn duty.
Things are, happily, so ordered in
the scheem of the universe that there
is another chance for every one who
fails. 1t is not necessary to give up
because fate refuses to be propitiated
in our favor at a particular time or for
a particular purpose. We are not
obliged to yield our right of existence
because it is Knocked by interposing
disaster and sorrow. The true and
manly course is to go in trying for sue
cess, in spite of all drawbacks and dis
appointments. That is what We are
placed here for, and we cannot afford
to do otherwise.
THE plea of despair, in short, is not
q valid one where the opportunity of
further effort is provided, and the hope
of final triumph is not taken away
while life remains"