The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1908-05-09
Social and PoIitcical Economy

" AAANSNA ~ ANhh' w W ~ NNAh
large cities, is true in its entirety.
II puts me in mind OF a letter | re-.
ccived n short while back from a
man who is beior" the American
public as a true philosopher and
social economist.
This letter il might be well to
give since the Political and Social
Economy column in your last is.
sue has created considerable inter.
est and argument among the
worthy citizens OF this community
Dear Bud
In u local paper lately
there appeared an article upon
suicides; and after giving statistics
on the per thousand inhabitants in
different countries, mentioned the
highest as being in Berlin at 81
per 100000. DIR. Camille once
said that the London poor do not
survive beyond three, or at most
four, generations, and the same
has been said OF other cities. The
degeneration OF human species, Of
which the suicide impulse is a sign
is the result OF many dctcriorating
influences inseparable from civil.
lied life, together with those that
are the outcome OF vice. We
might mention lack OF fresh air
and sunlight, improper food and
clothing, prolonged confinement in
ill.ventiiated workshops, unhealthy
occupations and premature MARI.
ages. Add to these the d~evitaliz.
ing effects OF habitual drunkenness,
g%luttony and hereditary syphilis
and YOU have a combination which
the organization OF p human can.
not resist. Under these devitaliz.
ing influences the city populations
rapidly detcriorate and are finally
extinguished.
1t Is not probable tina. the civil.
ization OF any OF the nations OF
antiquity had anything like the in.
furious effect upon the people tina;
our Western civilization has.
Never before was experienced by
any people the ieverish haste, the
wear and tear, the prolonged
mental strain known TO the people
who live in cities OF today. Tran
guilty and rcpose have become
unknown. Each hastens to post
himself Oh the news OF the world
whilst eating the Battle Creek pre-
paration for breakfast. There is
the rush to business, the has
tened lunch. the rafting, ~shriekine
trolley or car, the rush home at a
time that prevents the father max.
ing the acquaintance OF his chill.
dren or wife, and there are thous,
ands who habituaily sleep 10y day
and work 10y night, completely re-
versing the order OF nature. There
are others working day after day
in crowded workshops Or Offices,
breathing vitiated air, eating i'm
proper food, seldom seeing the
blue sky, and dependent for their
knowledge OF Natural History on
some book teaching How to know
the birds from the flowers
Everything is at the highest pres.
sure, taking a holiday and seeing
Niagara in s minutes Or working
day in and day out without rest OF
pause or stay, The result is to
throw out OF gear the nervous sys.
tenn OF those untitled to bear the
strain, the premature wearing out
OF those that can stand it and the
consequent deterioration OF the
stock. Early in the struggle the
spirit taints and falls, and with aid
OF stimulants, the tight is continued
and the result failure. From a
generation thus worried and worn,
, We have weak sickly children
and from the weak generation,
consumptives, suicides, hobos,
degenerates.
One hears talk OF the benefits 10
he derived from the city with its
libraries, museums, its parks, its
= suburban life; but are not these
things mere limitations to the real
. life that is at heart dimly desired
Books are little needed to the mar
s that is in the open, And even il
desired, what working mar in tn,
, city has time or opportunity tc
read in a libraryt The museums
. have a conventional value, bu'
how often apart from the mer,
curiosity, does a city dweller visi'
such a collection each yearH Tn,
, parks are OF curse mere apologies
Tor the life that might be. And
a what a city dweller gains in tn,
point OF fresh air and reduced rents
Z iron, his suburban residence, h,
loses in cariare, the worry OF tran
sit, the hurried rush at commence
ment and close OF day. The onl,
$ cure for the social evils oil a city il
: TO avoid them.
The only practicable way 4
annul their evils influences, is TO
$ a mar to learn true contentmen
= in village, or plain, anywher,
c away from the evil contamination
~ -. H. n