The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-31
THE SMALLEST SUICIDE RECORD.

| THE SMALLEST SUICIDE RECORD.
| Richmond shows by far the smallest
| percentage OF suicides In the thirty
! four cities IN this country OF moro
than 100000 people. In 1910 the per-
/ ccntaGc in this city was "a as against
4f.2 In San Francisco, 14.5 IN Baltimore.
1873 In Boston, 14.1 in Atlanta, 2l.1
IN Washington, and 1914 in New York.
The rate In other cities Of 100000
population or over was: Birmingham
eos; Los Angeles. so: Oakland, Cal.
22+; Denver. sl.6: Chicago. 2o.s; In
dianapolis 23.s; Louisville, Is; New
Orleans, 21.S; Detroit 25: Grand
Rapids. Ills; Minneapolis, l75; St
Paul. 1885, Kansas City. S4 ST Louis,
2s.9; Omaha, 24.9 Cincinnati, l7.S;
Cleveland. 1873: Columbus O., 241;
Dayton, 231; Portland. Ore. "a: Phil
adelphia, 1875: Pittsburgh. lis; Mem
.phis, 22.s; Nashville. 1871; Seattle, 23.s;
Spokane, 23.7: Milwaukee. 23.4. There
we're. in 1911, $3.50 suicires In the
Census Bureaus registration area. The
rate is about 16 pc 100000 OF popula-
ton.
The commentary on social and eco
nomic conditions In Richmond to be-
found in these figures Is Illuminating
and Inspiring. The seeds of suicide
are sown by oppressive and evil con-
dtiona of city living. Exterior trou-
bles Enaw their way Internally and
the result is that largely because he
Is an economic victim the self slayer
commits his dreadful deed. In an I'M
wholesome city there will be many
suicides; In city of healthy and happy
conditions OF living where there IS q
sound sense of community morality.
the suicide rate IS low. Suicide IS
infrequcnt In the country: the com
pleXitics and difficulties OF city life
arc responsible for most of the self
murders
Richmond is not city OF suicides,
because 1t Is a city with heart.
city wherein the spirit of the brother
hood OF man has not faded into 4
shrunken saying. Richmond is q city
Of homes. not or gilded cafes; city
OF neighborlness and hospita oleness,
not OF dlstrust and Gisdain. All classes
OF people here ere content with their
lot; class lines DO not cut to the raw,
Because this IS q city where the peo-
PIE are not TOO rich or too poor where
the happy means Of responsibility
and true worth is struck: where II is
believed that "a little that righteous
man hath is better than the riches OF
many wicked" The depressing and
, hopeless conditions OF New York find
| nothing akin here: here our poor pso-
pie are. to great degree, cared for
ana helped to help themselves Bostor's
ahomnablc bohemia" could not exist
In the clear clean atmosphere of Rich
mond; hero smoke and foul air and
crowd tcnemcnts and filthy novels
DO no make living hideous Whole
| some .ng Is in the very mir here
Here people make friends and neigh
bors easily. and here friendship is real;
mere the citizen Is not alien to hu-
| man!ty and kindly deed Hero the
comforting Faith caught at mothers
! knee Is not forgotten. and here the
| mandate of old. Thou shalt rot Kill. :"
! Is a living thing, not an antiquatcd
| ana outworn precept Buried III u moth
! eaten tome. Richmond. with all its
/ size and strength, is not a place
| where mon will forfeit community re-
spect by reckless disregard Of de-
cency and morality. and the self-con-
troll so !ncuicatcd holds the evildoe
in check and stays the hand that
| would kill.
Wholesome living. right living un-
der sound conditions and gmonr !.
! kindly people-theso are the things
| that make our suicide rate tho email
est For good tree bringeth no,
forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
/, FOR every tree IS known by his own
fFnit For OF thorns men do not
gather hgs. nor OF bramble bush
gather they grapes"