The Paducah evening sun., 1910-02-04

a man when he reaches that stage
have decided that before him looms
but the horror of the shade? Musi
he have become so engrossed with
the love OF this life that when pleas
ure pals or the means of gratifioa-
ton is taken away. there is nothing
left for him7 Or does he. with full
appreciation OF the consequences OF
his deed. take the plunge and brave
eternity, that those he loves on earth
may continue to enjoy the best OF
earth's goods?
The last theory is scarcely tenabie
without some relation to the second.
Too many people. fortified by strong
convictions. have been able TO meet
adversity with a smile and make a
blessing of IL for themselves and for
Others TO permit our adornmeM Of
a deliberate suicide with heroic vir-
tues. We may oondOne or extenuate
the deed. and attribute to the doer
such merit as he deserves; but that
life Is wasted for the possessor of il
and his neighbors. which is devoted
to the mere acquisition of material
things.
On the other hand. the "fell grip
of circumstance" and the "bludgeon-
ings of chance may be hardly with
stood alone: but when man has a
family to consider, he is often sorely
tempted for their sakes to do that
which on the face of II Is cowardly.
especially IL he is in the beginning
enough of a moral coward TO care
more about what others think he is.
than he does about what he himself
knows he is.
Our Socialist friends will see In
this case the spectacle of a man
standing alone among millions of his
fellowmen, playing for himself and
his family as If there We're no other
human beings in the world.-indeed.
under our competitive system. his fel-
low creatures assuming shape among
the circumstances against which he
must fight-and when he falls ex-
hausted, az inevitably ninety-n.ne in
every hundred must, he falls victim
to those. who also will fall victim to
others. He must needs play the game
alone. and II he wculd win, he must
be ruthless. either with Others. or. as
in this case, with himself.
But the case doesn't fit a condition
pnesaging a French revolution. Here
was a man able to carry $4,000 life
insurance. He had a Job when he
died. Probably he lived up his in
come. as most people do. Men, draw
ing smaller salaries than he dii when
he shot himself. have saved a home
and educated their children. Men in
better circumstances than he was at
his best. have lost all and adapted
themselves to the sweet uses OF
adversely"
PITY poor. weak human nature, we
must. Pity we have for the fellow
who gets a look at life from the
wrong angle Whether he be the
trust magnate. seeking to acquire
more fer his interests: the socialist
who hopes to take it away from the
magnate; or the plain. homely man
WIN rAiAfto W EANC lic ldilAAal all Wv
advantages. II he locks too much tc
himself and too little TO his fellow
man. If he thinks of his own welfare
and not OF the others. II he divides
the worlds goods into two classes
that, which is mine. and that. which
is not mine-he has already COM
mitted suicide as far as being of any
further value in the world is con-
Icerned. and wants only the final
shove of adversely over the brink
into the shade.
There = a lesson for wives in this
case: theirs in the duty of economic
ing Most men. who have grown
wealthy by their own energy. realize
that, while they made II their wives
saved II. II is when birds and people
work in pairs that nests and homes
are made the birthplace and the re-
fuge of song. The best things in life
are not bought for birds or people. arr
a cage, gilded though II may be. Is a
poor substitute for a nest on a bough.
We are doing more complaining about
high prices than We are thinking
about stopping the waste. One man
insured his life and shot himself.
Let us add this closing tribute to his
memory, he did the logical thing
NNnaIas h..