The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-29
THE INCREASE Of SUICIDE.

The increase OF suicides is furnishing
the groundwork Of some very interesting
theories as 70 the causes OF sclf-dostruc-
ton, among which IS to be found tho ques-
ton recently propounded by Prof Goodwin
smith OF Toronto. lis marriage the anti
dote cor the suicide habltg" Prof smith
attributes the increase In the number Ct
suicides to the higher civilizat ion. AMI in
expouudlng that theory SAYS Mankind
has grown more restless. and with multi
piled desires and heightened aspiration
have come new sources Of discomfort
Sensibity has increased with civilization.
~ seems 10 be- proved slausu-
cally that marriage is safeguard against
suicide while divorce is especially produc-
tive Of Il. Marriage no doubt Is too often
the disilIusion OF love. Yet the immense
majority OF marriages bring more happ.-
ness than q lonely llfe."
Commenting on Prof Smiths theorY
several ~eil-kuown New York women
hold 20 tho view that marriage Is "a cor
rection Of tho suicide eva, since il sup
plies the "counter-irritaut" 10 the loneIl-
ness which leads 20 inirospectlon. ana
finally 20 morbid conditions Ia the cell
bate. In recent article ia the Nineteenth
Century. Reginald a skeleton. while al
hitting that he can furnish no sltisfac-
tory clue 20 the motives which usually
prompt suicide. believes education. wound
ed vanity, longing for Iuxuries ana tho
modern tendency TO eschew religion are
responsible for much OF the trouble Thus
the theories are advanced ard the discus
sion proceeds.
In attributing The Increase IN suicides 60
advanced civilization. how does Prof
Smith account for the vast number u
such cases among The Chinese and other
Oriental races? A Chinaman wishes 20
pay of a gTudge against an enemy. he
commits suicide on his doorstep. This
must evidently be attributed 70 euperstl-
ton and fauaticism. with regard 20 tho
marriage theory. statistics no doubt bear
ont the truth OF the assertion that the
percentage % married men who KIN Them
selves Is far less than that OF cenbafes
hut Is IL not also true that tho percentage
of well balanced men who get married is
far greater than that among those who
remain single? II go. that would furnish
reason why there are comparatively
fewer suicides among mon OF families, ir-
respective Of the question Of marriage L.
self
The viclousncss OF weak mind Is IN
doubtcdly at the bottom OF the great ma
jorlty OF cases Of self-destrucicn but in
most cases there is something stll hack
OF that-a bad liver We will venture to
say that in almost nine cases out 81 ten
no matter what wrongs had been suffered
no matter whether the breeding victim
had come 20 the end of al be could sec in
life and had determiaed 60 end a. twenty
four hours spent IN rcjuvcnatlng the liver
would change the victims destiny Their
Is az much difference between man with
a GOOD liver and another with a bad one
as there ia between sunshine ard cloudy
day Prof Smiths theory about higher
civilization may be the correct enc after
an. " higher civilization is responsible for
! tho increased number Of siuggish nvers.
which must be held responsible Tor the
majority of morbid minds and diseased
| lmaginatlons. what many people u the
present day need Is the regeneration o,
that sensitive and much abused organ.
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The paramount issue IN Comagche