The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-29


Az a. ful fact. Where In Sweden In the
INST u,iarter ST. the last century there was
II 3brbbortibt, Of forty-elght To tho t1illlon,
IN the last quarter It was eighty-one to
the million. IN PRUSSIA during tho sam q,
period 1t rose from scyent y-four 70 Ia
ts a Il IN, ~ hSew piop .5o s was
most trebled, Rising from fty.four, to
ITO Is the mliion. England and the United
states tell the same story, but TO loss
degree. { ia n
IL, II L h rHn CA u SIZES. i3 53 " +.
II we attempt to ascertain tho causes
OF this pnenotlerpns we mud ourselves con-
frotited by very difficult task.tl have
heart II said that stltndc inllBt be preceded
by madness either temporary Or or comm.
suicidc Is ID coward. BY what process can
II be uscertuined where madness began
nntl reason, ended7 And II nscertained,
when and through what causes was the
sovereignty VI the intellect overthroW "
and chaos crowned Within the Drhln f8,L =,
mo It seems tina III every case there must
Ehnyn been 4 a reasoning process. however
.yAR,ip ana ilisntnhed.4 Into tho scales OF
Judgment the Issues or life were cnst.-the
evil ana the good-.tllc verdict rendered ',
that the evil predominant ca there was not
cournge to nght them through, ana VIC
was hehceforth ended. !, y
| ~
o'ert,owuring? Tho number Of motives is
Immense. The desires and passions or the
shiinntiS heart are $ufcOuntaDle IN ey vary
with each Individual, according to hcred-
tty, cducation. environment. tstatlcn, pos-
session, spiritual, Intellectual ana pts SHsl
cal conditions. M When INC aho,ioni ms.,
socket OF lfe's exunguished candle hes
| before us, witt, the windows OF the SOU SOU
expresslonless within their dlstended orps,
With Ehe imnjcsty Of speech dethrohed.
Who shall follow through tles. co cor. y,
labyrnths Of the hni1,atl heart the single
thread OF pain that Il wrapped isselt .ns9
the Gordisi, knot, severed by the swora
of self- destruction7 Who cnn speak OF
! HE baked ambition, the hopeless love, the :,
BETRAYED trust Bthe lingering pain, inc
srulned life, the disappointed passions, INC N
cruel separation, the burning shame INC
biting relnorse, the pangs OF stricken con
scirncc, the sense OF pending dishonor.i
that did eat away the support Of Ire
and bring It to this awful ternii nation
mo GENERAL CONDITIONS.. \.
yet after all Is not With the indi-
yidi,al casa that we must treat. but VII n
general cond itiot,s. Inc indlvidual&ls p ~ =
tie reflex OF the society In which he IS!
to DO found. AS thoroughly as :, sulcae
ma ' seem to be an individual AFFAIR APP
pnre1,tiy Uncomfortable, independent and
voluntary, yet 1t Is unQuestlonnbly true
Aha s It IA less dependent on the Individual
than on the general condition OF society.
says Buckle in his History of Ciyiliza-sF
ton Vol. l., page 2o) It Is surely an
astonishing fact that all the evidence
that we possess respecting 1t point % one
great conclusion, and can leave no doubt
on BUR mind that suicide Is merely the
product Of the general condition Of So
cIety and that the Individual a felon
only ca rrles into effect what IS the neces-.
snry consequence Of preceding clrcuu cum
stances. 81 In n given state Of society a
certain number OF persons VIII put an
end to their own life" Who they are
Ia determined by particular and specific
causes. 393 Il KS. I.
Wa may we'll ask what Is this con-
dition OF our modern society that IKE
the dragon OF old demands It's yearly
tribute OF human lives? 3S8 Partially y
may be said to be caused by the intensl-
fed struggle which civilization brings
about. The natural snlculties OF exist
ence are heightened competition between zen
man and man becomes ever keener as
they approach more closely to each other
AS culture advancesait gives mai long
ings and aspirations he never had before.E
1tTlncreases his wants and multlrlies his
desires. and this, too, before there are
Afforded the means Of the satsfaction8of
them. New avenues tnre opened that
lead to discomfort and despondency. In
and some vanquished. and It is here
that the discouraged and the despatring
lay down their lives on the altar OF self
destruction.
s1cTlL1pD SENTIMENT.
But a. second and to me far grea ter and
more responsible cause lies in a sicklted
public sentiment that has grown up In
recent syears-a sentiment that thinks
the crime not a crime. Tho old Stole
philosophy. ''licet mort cul v y ere non
placet." that he Is permitted to die whom
1t does not please to 1--we. seems to be In
vogue again. The idea seems to be gain
Ing ground that mans life Is his own.
and he may do with 1t as he pleases. This
/ thought Is the fruit OF tho mnterinlsm
the atheism and the general nxfty ~
religious feeling. When the storm old
faiths OF our fathers were shaken there
came trooping forth tho denials Of the
existence Of God the blasting OF tho
hope OF Immortality. Men cried ''this
life Is everything and The grave is verify
Its goal All human efforts and strug-
( giles end forever In tho narrow bed OF
earth AS This idea spread the thought
fof tho responsibility Of life was moved
to Its very founda lion, and every weary
pilgrim. the ruined tho disappointed
the sorrow-laden and the lishonored. end
ed the struggle; In the hope to find MIR
6vana In the grave. Hnmlet's dread or
something after death" rs disspated.
and now. often for trivial causes NOR
bid mind coniures up the exaggerated
burdens OF existence, and with bare
bodkin" seeks to btalnrthe Lethe Of the
tomb. J5 a B, 81
TIID CURE.
II is an essentially false and pernlclolls
doctrine, and It obtains too preya!cntly
10 tho modern mind. The cure must Strike
a. the root Of this sentiment and ernllI-
cato It. 1t must forsstall and prevent.
tho deed among the living. Primitive
measures cannot touch thu dead. be
pcwerful engines of sound. ethical edu.
cNtior must be brought to hea, upon all,
classes. A judicous moral training must
seat ur9 the source Of this awful cr,n,e5
Civilization cannot be stopped onSits way,
The great intellectual conquest Of the
cosmos Will be made by the human race,
hut the race must be made ready to re-.
ce'ye It. Educate the character. give 1t
a high and noble tendency. Give It power.
3toeurb the lusts and hrid's the passions,
to haze tho patience TO end4re and lie
without Educate all classes to- know