The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-08-13
THE DEADLY TOY PISTOL.

July Fourth anniversary just past has
occasioned a wide and persistent dis
oussion of the necessity of reform in
the matter Of patriotic noise making.
There is a general olamor for laws @ &
ulating the sale of the IN ore danger
GUS contrivances now in use. 1t may
not be generally known that Vermont
has just this sort of a law but such is
the fact. In 1882 the following act,
which is now Section 5155 of the YER
mont Statutes, was passed by the Legis-
lature:
GA person who has in his possession
q toy pistol for the explosion of per-
cussion caps or blank cartridges, with
intent to sell or give away the same,
or sells or gives away, or offers to sell
or give away the same, shall be fined
not more than ten nor less than five
dollars; and shall be liable for all
damages resulting from such selling or
giving away, to be recovered in an
action on the case.' Like many an
other Vermont law it was put in force
and then forgotten because there is
not a city. town or hamlet in the State
where toy pistols were not for sale,
this year, last year and every other
year since the little death dealer be-
came popular. Fortunately Vermont
has had few serious accidents from
this source, but in this the States
good fortune is peculiar because a
different story comes from nearly
every commonwealth in the country.
Michigan alone had thirteen deaths
from this source within the month fol-
lowing July A.. Vermont's immunity
from these accidents is by no means
due to the fact that she has a law
against the sale of toy pistols, but it
cannot be denied that the law is a
good one, and IL enforced it might
prevent some future unpleasantness, so
perhaps it would be we'll to start in
after sugaring next spring and agitate
against toy pistols, unless the governor
ship contest is so interesting just then
that minor things will have no place
in Vermont newspapers.
The st. Adams Messenger in discus
sing the question takes the same posi-
ton that it has maintained regarding
the liquor traffic, and urges restrain
ing the boys rather than relying ON
law to accomplish the desired end.
Says the Messenger: lis this tie way
to cure the evil, or is it better to keep
the boys away from the pistols? When
we enter upon the policy of prohibit
ing the manufacture of things that
may 10 some harm to somebody, we
are up against a pretty stiff violation
of the philosophy of the law and of
human experience, and there is really
40 halfway place at which to stop.
If it includes toy pistols it must in
clude sky rockets and Heaven knows
what else. Let us begin at the begin
ming and teach the boys to let danger
GUS things alone to be handled only by
those who know how to use them"
The Journal does not altogether
agree with the Messenger in this par
ticular case any more than it does on
of both of the law of the State and
the employment of the paternal law
of restraint on the boys also. But
whatever way may be chosen the toy
pistol must go, for there are few more
dangerous things in the kindergarten
of a boys life. 1t is dangerous in
itself as is evidenced by the reports
which always follow the Fourth of
July and then as a breeder of careless
ness in the matter of firearms it's in
huence cannot be estimated. How
many times during July Fourth days is
it possible to see some young boy ap-
proach some n with toy pistol point.
ed at them and exclaiming 81 shoot
you" This in itself is not particular
ly dangerous but it must plant in the
boys character the seeds of careless.
ness which may result some day in his
delivering that familiar valedictory
Didn't know it was loaded which
completes many a mans education sc
far as fire arms are concerned.
The Boston Herald discusses thil
subject in a general way and the fol
lowing from that paper is commended
to the Journals readers:
1t is estimated that the losses in.
iicted in this country by the last
Fourth of July celebration amounted
to 200 persons killed, B 1000 injured
and $50. 5000 fire loss. This does no
take into account the injury caused by
the effect of the noise upon persons
lying i'll, together with the many
deaths that must have been due to tn,
same cause when sick persons lay il
such critical condition that any un
necessary disturbance would turn TIN
scale to the fatal side. And it was
chance that the fire loss, instead o
half a million, did not amount t.
So, 600, 900 or even $50, 900, 900. TIL,
great Portland fire, it will be remem
bered, was due to such a cause.
1t seems strange that a nation call
ing itself civilized should tolerat