The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1900-07-10
A Time of Foolishness and Terror.


Annually there is a protest against
the absurd fashion in which the
Fourth OF July is observed; but each
year the psotest arises after the car
nival OF senseless racket, after the
fires, the fatalities,and the manning.
1t is the protest OF shattered nerves,
OF sleepless unrest, OF invalids made
more ill, OF property owners viewing
the ashes of their holdings, OF par.
ents nursing their wounded or
mourning their dead. Naturally
the volume OF it,is considerable, but
it futilely expends itself, for another
season finds the evils all renewed,
malign as ever, destructive, terrify-
ing, and augmented by the creation
OF more reverberant implements OF
torture. The time for a protest is
is in advance. Citizens know what
to expect, and they can not avoid
the experience by tardy lament.
II there were reason in the habit
ual form OF celebration, il it taught
lesson in patriotism, il it impress
sed the story OF the past, or pointed
youth the way to useful citizenship,
it might be tolerated with all it's
discomforts, but it does none OF
these things. There may be taken
for granted the fact that given pow
der and match anybody can be-
come an agency for the promotion
of tumult, but no suggestion arises
in the sane mind that to provide
the powder and match is the part vi
wisdom. The whole scheme as
practiced is grotesque and incon-
gruous. A little reflection must lead
TO this conclusion.
The Fourth of July has been set
apart in token OF certain notable
achievements of American diplom-
acy and arms. Doubtless there
were steps in the process attended
by clamor, but then it had pur-
pose. The use OF the Chinese fire.
cracker can not be based upon any
thing that happened during Revolu-
tionary times, nor taat has happen
ed since. Its projection into an
American festival is an anomaly.
Directly due TO it has been an az
gregate loss amounting to countless
millions, deaths probably reaching
into the thousands, and each year
the ranks OF the crippled and the
blind are given recruits. Why not
change the programme. at least to
the extent of being sensible even il
enthusiastic?
If the supervisors would forbid
the use OF fre-crackers and other de.
vices productive of noise and the
peril OF confagration, they would
win the gratitude of every resident
not engaged in the sale OF the
denominations, The small boy alone
would be offended, but growing to
maturer judgment, and conscious
state OF nerves, would learn in time
to forgive. The noises OF city, the
strain OF city life, are at best, trying.
Multiplied, they become well.nigh
UNDESIRABLE. There are sick whose
welfare ordinary thoughtfulness
would consider, and timid who are
entitled to decent regard. To such
as these the Fourth of July has be-
come an occasion Of dread and suf-
fering. 1t is not alone that the
deafening racket, the sudden, un-
expected defamation is in itself hurt.
ful, but there is always the threat
OF fire, or accident from runaway
horses. The fool who conceives it
to be jocular to throw a lighted
cracker under the passing skirt, or
even directly at the face, unhappily
still lives. The lad who jams toy
cannon full, is ever needless as to
where the fragments may 60. The
older enthusiast, whose habit is to
send an anvil hurting through the
air, never reflects upon bis inability
to control its movements. Jollity