Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-06
Be SANE ON FOURTH
Mr.. MacfarIand Urges It and
Has Suggestion.
OBSERVANCE By CITIZENS
Proposes That All Contribute to
General Fund.
PROHIBIT SALE OF FIREWORKS
Do Not Suspend Ordinance Against
Discharge of Fireworks-Union
Celebration at Municipal
Building.
OBSERVANCE BY CITIZENS
PROHIBIT SALE OF FIREWORKS

Directly in line with constantly growing
sentiment throughout the country, and in
the District of Columbia in particular,
came a suggestion from Commissioner
Macfarland this morning, for more ra-
tional observance Of the Fourth of July of
the future.
The Commissioner issued formal state
ment this morning, in which he expressed
his appreciation of the work of the Board
of Trade and the Chamber of Commerce
in the celebration of the dedication OF
the new District building, with the ac-
compartment of fireworks on the White
Lot and illumination Of Pennsylvania
avenue In the evening. In addition he
called attention to the ideal method OF
the Oldest Inhabitants Association in re-
cent years in quietly observing Independ-
ence day under the hospita ality of the
late Crosby S. Noyes. at Alton Farm,
Sligo, Montgomery county. Md.
Common Fireworks Fund.
Mr. Macfarland's suggestion was that
the example of last Saturday be followed
in the future, and that all citizens put
their fireworks money into common fund
for a general display of aerial fireworks.
To give effect to his plan, the Commis-
sioner will recommend to the Commission
ers that the superintendent Of police and
the fire marshal be instructed next year
to refuse to issue the permits. without
which fireworks may neither be sold nor
discharged within the District.
The permission to discharge explosives
on the streets annually on the Fourth OF
July results from the temporary suspens
sion Of section four of article nine of the
police regulations by the major and super
intendent of police. authority for such
suspension being included in the section
as drafted by the Commissioners
Similarly the storage and sale of fire
works in the jurisdiction requires a spe-
cial permit from the fire. marshal. section
of article TX, specifying that 'Specia
permits for the storage Of fireworks may
be issued by the fire marshal. subject te
the approvaf of the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia. for which
a fee Of 30 cents will be charged Per
n1its for the wholesale storage or sale OF
fireworks cover the period from July
to July Z, inclusive. and for retail from
June 80. to July T. inclusive.
Commissioner Macfarland this morning
said the recommendation he contemplates
making to the Commissioners will provide
that the chief Of police be instructed to
refuse in the succeeding years to sus-
discharge of fireworks, and that the fire
marshal should not issue the permits fol
storage and sale.
Mr.. Macfarland's Plan.
His formal statement reads as follows:
The celebration reflected the greatest
credit upon the citizens who made II
such a success, under the leadership OF
the Board of Trade and the Chamber
of Commerce. Now 1 hope that the
Board of Trade and the Chamber OF
Commerce will provide for a popular cele-
bration of the Fourth of July every year
with exercises in front of the District
in the evening.
In 1904 the Commissioners organized
such celebration with a meeting on the
front lawn of the White House. with
Admiral Dewey. Ambassador Jusserand
and Secretary Moody among the speak.
led by the chief of the United States
Army and fireworks at the Washington
Monument in the evening. The citizens
made that celebration a great success.
We hoped that the civic and patriotic
organizations would take 1t up the next
year and perpetuate it. But there has
been no general celebration since. unit
Saturday. For several years the Oldest
Inhabitants Association provided the
only celebration of the day. latterly under
the hospitality of Mr. Crosby s. Noyes
at Alton Farm.
Il have one other suggestion to make
and that is that all citizens put their
fireworks money into the common fund
for the general display of aerial fire.
works, which might be done by day as
well as by night, if enough money was
provided. Then I would forbid the sale
of fireworks and refuse to suspend the
law against the shooting of pistols and
the use of explosives.
Il think Washington should set the ex-
ample to the country of celebrating the
Fourth of July without manning or pos
sfbly killing it's citizens. Fortunately, nc
deaths resulted Saturday. but 1t is bad
enough that twenty-six persons were Of
ficially reported as wounded. besides 9TH
ers whose cases were not brought to Of
fetal attention.
West Advocates Sane Fourth.
Commissioner West has long been one
of the most ardent advocates Of the
sane observance Of Independence day
In illustrating his sentiment today he
called attention to a letter which he wrote
in December, 1907, and which appeared
in the Century Magazine for June under
the general caption of Our Barbarous
Fourth
Mr.. Vests letter was approved by the
author of the article. Mrs. Isaac L. Rice
who said 1t showed that even offlcialdOm
was willing to risk the charge of lack OF
patriotism II by so doing the boys and the
the horrors of day of catastrophies.
Mr.. Vests letter read as follows:
Il am thoroughly in sympathy with
any movement which will result in de-
creasing the habit of carelessly using
gunpowder on the Fourth of July, and
which will also result in more quiet
celebration of the day
I'm Washington the authorities have
already taken a step in the right direc-
tion in forbidding the explosion of the
so-called giant f1recrackers. nor is it al
lowable to place torpedoes on the street
railway tracks.
II believe that the Fourth of July. can
be celebrated with as much patriotism
and more sanity If the wanton use of
gunpowder on that day is condemned