Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-06-16
KILLED AND MANNED
ON THE FOURTH
Loss Of Life and Property Grow
ing Bigger as Patriotism
Grows Noiser.

Inc Fourth Is now near at hand and
with it must come the modern method
OF showing patriotism by making a
tremendous noise, and it seems to be
generally understood the more noise
the more patriotism. But to give
expression to this new form of pa.
triotism costs mole lives and more
casualties each Fourth, than results
from the average battle in the great
wars of the world. In discussing
this same subject. a recent issue OF
the Ladies' Home Journal contained
the following:
In about five weeks we shall reach
another Fourth Of July, and the
Journal earnestly wishes that parents
might give little forethought to the
present method of celebrating the day.
Why must we 60 on, year after
year, making the day practically a
day of terror and what is infinitely
worse, day of death and casualties ?
Each year n longer list of killing,
manning and burning confronts us.
Take such single list as this, sum.
ming up one years deaths and in.
juries:
Died of lockjaw caused by in.
juries, 406.
Died from other injuries, 60
Totally blinded, 10.
Number who lost one eve, 75.
Arms and legs lost. "a.
Number who lost fingers, ia.
Number otherwise injured, 3670
Total number of casualties in the
United States, 4449.
Where is the sense in this sort of
thing? 1t is perfectly proper that
the young should want to celebrate
the anniversary of the nations in.
dependence, and there is no need that
this pleasure should be denied them.
But Is it necessary to sacrifice sight,
limb, hand and life to inoulcate a
spirit Of patriotism in the youth of
our land? No patriotism is worth the
snap Of a finger that is taught in
noise and frenzy. Yet each Fourth
OF July we go on either directly as
sisting our children in this barbarous
celebration Of the day, or allowing
them to handle the deadly explosives
which with each season are being
manufactured with the single idea OF
making a greater amount of noise,
and, Of course, a corresponds ing
amount OF personal danger. Fire
crackers have become larger and
larger, dynamite has been substituted
for gunpowder in their manufacture
)anything for a noise, and anything,
apparently to increase rather than
lessen danger And this year will
in all likelihood, be no exception to
the intensification of this noise and
danger element.
The greatest elements of danger
have been found to lie in these three
explosives:
First-The toy pistol, which
shoots blank cartridges.
Second-The toy cannon.
Third-The giant firecracker, or the
"cannon cracker" as it is called.
The blank cartridge used IN the
average toy pistol is made of mix
tured of powder, clay and earth, and
in this combination has been found
what is called the "tetanus''or lock-
jaw germ. The pistol is so COZ.
structed that 1t is easy Of discharge
while the child is loading it, since
the pressure on tho trigger is made
particularly easy to respond TO
child's strength. In the wadding and
in the powder used in the toy cannon,
the fatal germ is also found, and like
wise the paper which envelo, es the
giant cracker. IL Is through this
lockJaw germ that the largest number
OF deaths occur, and the death is q
fearf | one.
Then to add to this manning and
killing by the deadly cracker aud
bomb comes the loss by FIRE, for the
records show that there are more fires
on the Fourth than on any other day
Of the year. All this loss of lives
and property that thou ghtless boys
and men, and too often work OF ma.
lioious hoodlums, may dem onstrate
that they are patriotic. Grants Pass
has fairly efficient restrictive
ordinance against the indiscrim mate
firing OF crackers, bombS, rockets,
etc, but the risk to life and property
from these deadly missiles could be
greatly reduced were this ordinance
made more rigorous in its provisions.
1t would assist In the general move
ment now on all over the country to
get us back again to a sane, safe and
eniOyable Fourth Of Jnlv