Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-07-13
Is It Not Time to Call a HaltP

Fourth has cleared away and its tur-
MOL subsidized, reports of the usual
crop OF casualties are filling the news
columns of every paper in the land.
But so accustomed have people be.
come to these gruesome details that
they long since ceased to excite any,
thing more than a passing curiosity
and, in fact, such things have come to
be looked upon in the main as only
the legitimate resultants of every sue
cessiye return of our national holiday.
The Chicago Tribune has been Civ
ing special attention to this depart
ment of statistical knowledge for a
term OF years. In its last years show.
ing there were reported within q small
margin OF two hundred deaths directly
resulting from Fourth of July ceIe.
brations throughout the country,
while this number of fatalities consti-
tuted but about thirty per cent. of
those who were seriously manned in
body or limb for life.
This year, the Tribune has gone to
work with increased diligence. In its
issue for the 9Th Of the present month
it reported no less than thirty deaths
and 1925 serious injuries, all directly
resulting from the celebration of the
day previous, as CLEANED from reports
of the days doings in 125 towns and
cities. Armed with these data, the
computer will find something fearful
to contemplate when he canvasses the
entire scope of country between the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
1t is assumed on q solid basis of
actual observation that in Is per cent.
OF these casualties, children are the VIC
tins. This fact is accounted for by
the indiscriminate use among small
boys of firecrackers, toy pistols, bombs
and other dangerous explosives.
An eastern hospital surgeon has
gone into this investigation on econo.
mic and philosophical principles. He
shows that in fifty cases out of every
hundred, lockjaw is the immediate
cause of death among small boys
wounded by firecrackers, and the var
ious forms of explosives used by them,
ostensibly for celebrating Indepen-
dence day. This is explained by the
we'll known fact among physicians
that jagged wounds are much more
liable to induce lockjaw than those
wounds caused by clean cutting in
strument; thus in gunshot wounds
and those caused by almost every spe.
cies of explosives, the flesh is always
found more or less in lacerated state
and the conditions for the production
of lockjaw fully realized. In reading
the reports of the destruction of life
and property by the discharge of toy
explosives in the hands of children,
one is continually reminded OF that
scriptural reference "The little foxes
that spoil the vines" for, deplorable as
the case may seem, it is nevertheless
true that the great majority of Fourth
of July casualties and property losses
by fire are readily traceable to the
children of tender age. That 5000
fire in Seattle Wednesday week ago, was
ignited by firecracker in the hands
OF wee specimen of young America.
Taking a broader retrospect, authentic
reports CLEANED from various quarters
during only the past few days, show q
footing up of several hundred thou
sand dollars property loss on account
OF conflagrations started by the inno-
cent Fourth of July firecracker and
toy cannon, week ago last Wednes-
day. On that suspicious day, also,
little negro boy caused the almost in
slant death of five other children by
shooting of, "just for fun" pistol
the contents OF which exploded bale
OF Fourth of July fireworks. Conserv-
alive newspapers are now discussing
the toy explosive question in way
that points hopefully to q radical
change for the better before another
return Of the day we celebrate.
Among other metropolitan papers,
the usually staid Oregonian is moved
to express its feelings in the following
vigorous language:
1.-THE practice Of celebrating Inde-
pence day with firecrackers, toy cannon,
giant crackers and other forms of ex-
plosives has passed all bounds of pru-
dence, and is fast reaching the limit of |
federation.
A little reflection must convince anv |
one that the act of throwing lighted |
fire-crackers, singly or in punches, fro m |
high windows into the crowds in the !
street. as was repeatedly done in this |
city during the festivities last Wednes-
day evening, is worse than careless, as |
worse in connection with placing human
life in jeopardy could be. 1t is criminal, |
and no pretense OF patriotic enthusiasm
can excuse or make anything else out
of it.
The toy pistol and the toy cannon,
which are responsible for not a little
mischief of the manning sort, could
easily, it would seem, be eliminated
from the Fourth of July proposition by
parental authority. As to the rest. the
cannon crackers, the Dewey chasers''
and the entire list of Internal, sputterinp
kissing, exploding things could at least
be forbidden the streets and sidewalks
during the hours given to the parade
and other festivities attending q Fourth
OF July celebration. Indeed, since it is
shown that the deadly cannon firecracker
was responsible not only this year, but
for two or three years past, for most of
the manning and death due to Fourth of
July celebrations, it would be well to
prohibit the explosion of these within
the city limits, Just as the discharge Of