Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-01-25

The woman who put so small an esti-
mate upon the value of her life as to
commit suicide because she could not
secure servant girl Is by no means
an isolated type. One who pays any
attention at all to the reports of the
cases of self-destruction soon discovers
that suicide is likely to be attempted
for the most trivial reasons. Some of
the cases are easily explainable on the
theory of insanity. Probably all iI>
stances should be accounted for in that
way, for it is hardly conceivable that
any one in normal mental condition
would deliberately end life. The little
girl of II years who was tired of hle"
illustrates the pecularities of suicide.
1t is hard to imagine what reason for
self-destruction could have affected a
child Of such age. An old man or wom-
an, worn out by the burden of years,
sick and helpless, might think 1t a
kindness to relatives and friends to
put themselves out of the way. But
the instance of the little girl indicates
that it Is impossible to make rules for
suicide. The most unlikely reasons are
liable to appear for self-destruction. An
article describing odd reasons for sui
eide mentions a man In Pottsville, Pa,
who cut his throat because his wife did
not furnish him with onions for dinner.
A farmer in Maine bought new har
row, and when it did not work to his
satisfaction he picked 1t up and ran
to brook near by. With the weight
upon his shoulders, it was easy for him
to drown when he jumped in. A pretty
blonde in a Pennsylvania town killed
herself because her sweetheart did not
call on her at the time appointed. A
Los angeles girl shot herself because
she gained too much weight to suit her.
A Pennsylvania boy, who was the only
one of his sex in the graduating class
of the high school, loaded his pockets
with flatirons and stones and drowned
himself, because he was too bashful
class A Pittsburg wife swallowed
carbolic acid because she feared her
husband was not suited with her poor
cooking. Another newspaper, review
ing fifty recent cases of suicide, men
tions as motives for self-destruction
approaching marriage of son, jilting
because of a hunchback, suspension
from school, fear of trial for arson,
dread of an operation for appendicitis,
death of sister, loss of property in
the San Francisco earthquake, suicide
of a daughter loss of fortune and ridi.
cule, taunts Of companions, regret at
having married, inability to quit drink
ing, fear of carbuncles, fear of hydro
phobia, losses at gambling, discomfort
because hair was turning gray Three
cases were explained because the vic
tins were out of work, one because
no work could be obtained, and one
because a boy of IA was tired of work.
Sometimes it seems as if there was
great carelessness about human life in
America. Thousands view the burning
of negro at the stake with no COM
junction. Murderers fill the jails be-
cause of the lack of prosecution and
punishment. And these strange and
foolish reasons for self-destruction only
emphasize the same thing. Life is
counted Of slight value by thousands
Of people. Such a state of affairs is
not creditable to modern civilization.
That the number Of suicides Is steadi.
ly Increasing does not seem reassur-
ing, either.