Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-08

etlc IerVOr is likely 10 ne zIllslIuSteu %
to his capacity for getting down to
earth and dealing with the affairs of
earth.
s-s-s-s-s-s-s-.-s-. -.-.-'-.-'-
;0UTSIDE POINT OF VIEW
$685. -s-s-s-s-s =
Written for the Tines Republican,.
Recently Prof. Goodwin Smith pub
lished in the New York Herald nsarti-
Gle entitled Theories on Suicides.
Goodwin Smith ia a good authority on
fact as well as theory, and so when ne
claims that higher civilization in-Ss
creases the number of suicides. in fact
lis the great cause, many Will accept
such theory. He also asserts that
marriage is safeguard against suicide.
which is only another way OF saying
that the present effect of higher civ1ll-
cation is the deterrent in preventing
early marriages, therefore more sui
cides. Municipal statistics of New York
I city show but a small percentage OF IN
crease in the number of suicides but.
the startling fact does stand out that
suicide is increasing in civilized coun-
tries all out of proportion to the in
crease Of the population. The writer
has failed to- notice any comment on an
other feature of higher civilization,
that is during this present discussion,
| bnt ones,l,at has been commented upon,
many times in many learned articles,
ana maj 10 ti,e religious phase of sui-
cides
!
Unauestionably the world has changed
lslas,t fifty Years Dante's Inferno &is Il
dream today. Once Ill was5 almost a part
of the Holv Scriptures He'll as u place
| has almost disappeared in the modern
sermon. Eternal torment and torture
are unworthy subjects for the pulpit to-.
iiduy. The doctrine of love. the final for-.
giyeress of all s,irs. including that of
suicide. is now openly sprea ched in some
orthodox churches Ina word. the doc
urine OF fear. of terror. is being obliter-l
ated from much Of the religious teach
ling of higher civilizations To be sure
ithe Roman Catholic church Still refuses
burial in 4cons,scra;efI ground to the body
of the suicide. hat the stake is not slriy-l
/ an thru the suicides body before it is
buried al the cross roads Less than
wear ago a. New York Judge from the
public bar opan!y5 stated that under cer-
tain circumstances the act of suicide is
l.commendable. Again, we have "a grow
ing sentiment. this also a by-product of
I higher civilization. that all suicides are
insane at the time of the commission of
the act. so that II 10 no MEASUREMENT
that suicide psr-se is not regarded By
I the world today with the abhorrence of
| 5tif.v ar 100 Years ago.
Nov +, asam, ~ tl,e WRITER ,ha, here
We have the i " o great causes of the in
iscreaa ga in the number of SUICIDES. The
nl,, If tia do NOT dread tha ills
4 thew know nnt Is did 1 ne fathers Of
centuries ago. Couple with this the
4 know ledpe in The s,,,.i,,e.s mind that the
world swill more. pity man condemn his
act. 40 ths s,fn of human Knowledge
Il increases these Iwo conditions, increas e
proport,onatelp. Higher civilization
brings many aaeitianal bodily wants
Il wants ma, h,sc,,n,e, s,lst IL, ,f,e, 4
certain period ST uss Il, goes without
& saving tlat ,i,.. lsski,,Yo az the north.
or The Hottentot5 of Il, q ao,,t,, Ga n nor N.
S es.,,ivetl az any,i,inp saxe fnod and
3icloth,n- ma, makes him ,;es,ire. ire fu-
t,,,, know !, iyissence B,,t III. PAY mo
after ftSsfltSg wears. TX q in "
ar tba lIft4.,stnt after s,,,,iIa ,,t.,.;,,f,
& Of in i Jan,,on ., sjIy iet,,s the
"a nls az the suicide This. 70 Professor
Smftf,. hia her civilization Nm, he
+ NJ, s.ss,st,,. fai1s IA s,,spest mai t,s, a q
i,f.,., II, s.ayase. t,ec,,,,ss, y.
filized ., does the civilizinp ac, dsstroy
.tns. s,,net s,ition of IN. north ard me
soli,h. IS
&C..
AM, tatis,,,ca are lamentah,v FREE
iran, f;p1I.es, "a move that ne 9ipfii ~
lIsuicidal members than The re,iriousI,.
slincilned. But 81 can be asserted maj
lsiich thinkers are In less dread Of death
i from natural causes than members Of
Echurch olga nizations. TO carry our This
4 doctrine Of higher civilization the ps5r-
4 centage Of suicide. of unbalieyers m,.st
stbe larger. I3ut neither 5sta tist;cs, az ,on
simpn Observation prove IL 10 he sl,re
4 this, argument hi az weight. The ayerap e
SIiniidel or atheist certainly uses, his men
lttal qualities more freely (whether right !
lily or otherwise does not concern. us Si,,s,
lhere) thanlha average religious believer.
4 While the element Of mental fear az me
4 fn3IIr.. ~; ,.,;,, ~ f..,,,, ~, ri, .