Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-28

how many this very day would hurry away from the present stage of being but for an indefinable dread of the future? believe the number is lar ger than most people have the slight. est conception of
 "As to the causes that lead to sui, eide, they are numberless. No doubt temporary insanity the reason com monly assigned by the gentlemen who are so often called upon to inquire into the matter, is frequently the cor rect one. For who. not worked up to some terrible pitch of excitement, tantamount te mental derangement would commit so foolish a deed?
 But how does that derangement come about? What Is behind 1t? The reasons commonly suggested are drink. speculation. dissipation, gambling and similar follies. These things lead, 1t is said, to all sorts of disappointments and vexations. un. I der the influence of which weak, ill., balanced. passionate and unassisted minds reel and give way. ending only too often. in the deadly resource to poison, the water, the revolver or tho rope.
 i But farther back in the string of causes for this melancholy transac. tion I should say there too frequently lies sense of failure in the struggle of life: especially is this the case with those who have come down in the world With many. I believe, the step is taken in the struggle to be I good-in the vain effort to master some hated evil habit with the sense ] of utter friendlessness.
 NO one is at hand with sufisciept sympathy or sense to understand them to whom the poor. bleeding heart can be laid bare. So the fatal step Is taken.
 Suicide in 90 cases out of 100 must be the triumph of despair.
 "Is there any remedy? Like the antidote to every human sorrow, the remedy must begin with pity. It 10 true that self.murder is an evil thing. But it is only so many degrees worse than other evil things men. do, by which they kill themselves as surely as does the man who. reeling beneath the weight of his distress. in frenzied madness filings himself beneath tho wheels of the roaring railway train.
 For example, what about the peo. pie who drink or eat or idle thems selves to death?
 But 1 will not argue about causes. Can anything be done to prevent the suicidal tide from rising? That is the practical question. And 1t seems to me that we must supply the friend less with a friend. the broken in heaff with comfort. the dazed. bewildered creatures with guide. the momen- tary maddened slaves of folly with thoughts and hopes that will steady them to the arms of him who is still saying, Come unto me all ye that la bor and are heavy laden. and l Will give you rest
 T am aware, of course, of the dim. culties-perhaps dangers-connected with anything like an organized ef. | fort in this direction. It will be open to abuse. But I will lay down hard and fast lines of guidance for these officers. On no account will they Dc permitted to promise financial assist ance. No inquiries will be made into the antecedents or private circum' stances of those who seek advice. Condolences will be rigidly kept. and unless person gives permission noth- ing will be committed to writing likely to cause the slightest trouble or sorrow to anyone. Secrecy will be | inviolably preserved"