The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-07
THE DISASTROUS DAY.

The day of the Fourth of July cclc-
bration was cruel one for Salt Lake
and Utah thus year. We do not recol-
lect any previous wear in long resi-
dcnce here, Of so many deaths and Sc
we're, deadly wounds ms are reported
this year in connection with this holi.
day. Aud this, TOO, right in the midst
of ms thorough campaign ms could he
made for a ''safe and sane Fourth
II is certainly discouraging 80 see the
people run wild. and, in the cxubcrance
of their supposed patriotic JOY, inhict
deaths. maimings. wounds and bruises
apon their fellow creatures as though
some great urgency required the shed
ding of human blood. Besides, there is
the damage 10 property by fires, run.
aways. and other disasters And there
is. in addition, the distress to hundreds
Of sick people in the continuous din
and uproar of more than forty-cight
hours celebration This latter is
by no means the least llistrcssfn part
of such noisy, uproarious celebration
as Salt Lake had this year Sick peo-
pie, especially those who are confined
TO their beds by nervous disorders.
find themselves utterly worn out after
such siege of noise And all the time
their imaginations are picturing the
destruction that naturally follows the |
explosions and the fires that are start |
ed thereby. This sort OF celebration
makes the day one of cruel torment i'm |
place Of day of happiness, joy, and
patriotic ferYor, as it was meant 10 be
"A day commemorative of the highest
civic and political virtues. of the estab-
lishment on American soil OF great
Republic which lighted and has kept
replenished the torch of liberty as a
guide and example for the world;
hope and an enthusiasm for the OPP
pressed everywhere
In the earlier years of the Republic
here was more disposition towards
safe and sane Fourth than there 4
las been of recent years; there was
grave observance, and restraint in
landling explosives; children dldn t !
lave them. But with the multiplica.
ion of appliances and convcnienccs for
making noise. getting sharp explosives, t
nd the reckless selling to irresponsible I
eople Of destructive crackers TOYS. \
nd machines, the opportunities for t
and reckless destruction /
ave so tremendously v widened that thev :
ave got beyond all bounds. II is diff I
ult TO see what can be done about r
+, but everybody comedies that some. f
hing effectual ought 10 be done. The
ne who will propose practical ef.
ectual remedy will be a benefactor to /
rs country, scarcely less than were the 6
athcrs of the Republic who achieved (
IS independence from Great Britain. 1
1t has been rare indeed that Utah e
as INDUCED in the bath of blood so
revalent throughout the country on +
he celebration of the Fourth of July, i
ut this year we have il in more than I
vcrage degree. The casualties here. p
ogethcr with the casualties reported in p
ne country AT large, are grouped TO- r
ether in condensed form on the first =
age of this mornings Tribune. II is n
frightful record, a dreadful price to '
ay for the eXuberant exhibitions of 6
eckless spirit by unthlnking people, or i
rose who are callous to the rights of =
thors and Indifferent TO the sufferinps
Which they inhict.