New-York tribune., 1886-07-06
TIE FESTIV1L OF THE FIRECRACKER. q.

TIE FESTIVAL OF THE FIRECRAChER
The Fourth of July, from the point OF view occu-
pied by the American Small Boy, is the Festival OF
the firecrackcr. In great cities painful experience
has led TO the inhibition of the rites with when
he loves to celebrate but no matter how peremp-
tory the police orders he contrives 10 eyade or DEFY
them with general Impunity and all over the land,
during some eight and forty hours. the popping ana
banging proceed to the inexprcssibe delight Of
the rising generation and the anguish and torment
of nervous people It is curious fact that there
exists but one parallel for the pyroechnic patriot
ism of the American Small Boy, and that must be
sought in the oldest nation on the globe, as ours is
the Youngest. The people of the Middle Kingdom,
the Chinese as we call them. have for an incalcu-
liable period been attached to the same explosive
form OF demonstration. There is reason TO believe
that they invented gunpowder, not for military
purposes but for use in irecrackers. The Chinese
ideas to the employment of those CONNECTIONS
would charm the American Small Boy who has been
accustomed TO let off crackers by one, or at the
most pack at a time.
When John Chnamans foot is on his native
beath and he wishes to celebrate something, he
proceeds to lay in provision of recrackers suic-
lent to supply "A small town IN this country Then.
from the roof of his dwelling no rigs out
certain poles, and from these poles he hangs
masses that they form banners. as 1t were. and
reach from the roof to the ground In arranging
them large crackers are inserted in rows at inter-
vals-crackcrs of all sizes in fact. from the little
ratler to the big cannon cracker When the bot
tom of one of these cracker banners is touched of
the result is surprising and would fairly intoXlcatc
the A. :. b. with joy. The noise that ensucs is as
the noise Of battle FIRST there Is the rapid, crack
ing roll OF the file fire ; then the field batteries
strike in with their heavier note. and the am be-
comes loud r and louder until 1t eliminates wit
the booming roar "a of great Siege guns. lhe
Chinese are passonately fond of this kind of cele-
braton. 1t seems to appeal to the human nature
of rhe race and it also seems to indicate that this
human nature is hardly a grOwn-up kind. Inc
Chinese civilization is an arrested one. That pco-
pie have never got away from their boyhood. Saw
ages are all childish in many respects and OF
course it is merely reversing the truth to say that
all children resemble sayages in certain tendencies
and likings.
The love of pure noise is essentially childish and
savage Civilization has not yet altogether out
grown it, but has introduced moduatlon INTO the
noise We all find stimulation in the sound of mill
itary music, for example. The crash of the Gym
balls, the blare of the trumpet the re-
sonant tones Of the drum, the shrill note of the
fife appeal to the latent savage in our
nature The actual savage inyents horrid
noises wherewith to encourage himself and appal
the adversary when he goes to war. The blood
curdIng exercises of various fierce and tribes
attest the pains taken to perfect this kind of noise
Nature no doubt implanted this obstreperous ten
dency and for the same reason that moved her i'll
providing the lion and tiger with their terrible
roaring apparatus. Some day the connection be-
tween patriotism and the firecracker will probably
fail to be recognized. Some day the expression of
pride of country through mere noise will be regard
ed as unsatisfactory. Some day we shall cease to
view with entire approval a practice which brings
into strong relief the survival of savage instincts
and tendencies But FOR the present and not inn
probably during the life tenure OF this generation,
the Fourth of Iy will continue to be, in the esti-
nation of the American Small Boy, the Festival of
the Frecracker and zest will be added to his cee-
bratlon by the knowledge that 1t Is forbidden and
by the attendant dangers, not only of personal
mutiation. but of general incendiarism.