The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-09
SUICIDE is INDISPENSABLE.

tBy G0HeTd Wlllldm bOOIH-D
Written for the Sunday Republic.
The act of self destruction is a vio-
lation of the sacredness of life, the
law of the land, and an outrage upon
the moral of the people. Suicide
is i~ndefensible. Yet it is on the in
classes. Modern civilization cannot
claim it has fostered and developed
the bonds that bind men to a just APP
probation of life. Statistics of sui
cides are alarming, especially in sue
countries as Denmark, Bavaria and
several parts of the German Empire.
But no doubt many more perish by
he'll own acts whose names never ap-
pear in the statistical roll of suicides.
The offense is either committed in
a way hat battles human skill in its
effort to determine the cause of death
or means are found by influential
friends to hide away the crime.
But if so many with suicidal intent
find courage for the sad deed, who can
calculate the number h would cut
the sacred thread of life which binds
them to this world if they only dared?
Nay, how many of the gay laughing
crowds around US ave at one time
Dr. another contemplated suicide; ald
how many this very day woul hurry
way from the present stage of being
but for an indefinable dread of the
future? l believe the number is larger
than most people have the slightest
conception of.
AS to the causes that lead to sui
eide, they are numberless. No doubt
temporary insanity" the reason COM
monty assigned by the gentlemen who
are so often called upon to inquire
into the matter. is frequently the cor
rec one. For who, not worked up to
some terrible pitch of excitement tant
amount to mental arrangement, would
so foolish a deed?
But how does this arrangement
come about? What is behind it?
The reasons commonly suggested
are drink, speculation, dissipation,
gambling and similar folles. These
things lead, it is said to all sorts of
disappointments and vexations, under
the influence of which weak, i'll balanc
ed, passionate and u1assisted minds
give way, ending only too often in the
deadly to poison, the water,
the revolver or the rope.
But further back in the string of
causes for this melancholy ~transac-
ton l should say there too frequently
lies a sense of failure in the struggle
life; especially is this the case
with those who have come down in
the world"
With many 1 believe the step is TAX
en- in the struggle to be good in the
vain effort to master some hated evil
habit with the sense of utter friend
lessless.
No one is at hand with sufficient
sympathy OF to understand them
RI ~-h@-z 49, 1900, AI0@ls-- 80 a4-
be laid bare. So the fatal step is TAX
Suicide in ninety cases out of a hun
dred must be the triumph of despair.
Is there any remedy? Like the an
tidote to every human sorrow, the
remedy must begin with pity. 1t is
r hat 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, Keeling beneath
the weight of his Distress. in frenzied
madness fnds himself beneath the
wheels of the roaring train.
For example, what about the people
to death?
Can anything be done to prevent the
suicidal tide from rising?
That is the practical question. And
it seems to me we must supply the
with a friend, the broken
in heart with comfort, the daZed, be-
wildered creatures with a guide, the
maddened slaves of folly
with thoughts and hopes that will
them, and, above all, lead them
the arms of him who is still say
Come unto me, all We that labor
and are heavy laden, and l will give
you rest"