Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-04

Today is the danger mark" on the
years calendar for the American hoy.
For the one hundred and thirty-fonrth
time the signing of the Declaration Of
Independence viii be celebrated. and ever
since the youth Of the country began TO
give explosive expression to its patriotism
the Fourth Of July has been a day Of
dread for parents. II is only within very
recent years. however. that any active
steps have been taken 20 check the eNu-
beranoe OF spirit which manifests ttsslf
with toy pistols. firecraekers, cannon and
dynamites. The toll which the INSANE
and UNSAFE Fourth has exRcted from the
minors OF the land never has been COM
puted. but II Is safe to say that the tosal
cost Of the celebration In human blood, is
30 enormous a. almost TO discredit any
person who would hazard = conservative
estimate. The washington Post declared
recently that the number Of dead and
wounded a. a result OF the Fourth of July
celebrations Tor the last seven years WAS
more than thirty times as great as The
number OF Americans killed and wounded
In seven battles OF the revolutionary war:
Lexington. Bunker HILL Fort Moultrie,
White Plains Fort Washington, Monmouth
and Cowpens.
The appalling number OF casualties which
invariably followed what was primarily
designated as q patriotic, harmless celc-
bration eventually quickened the puolic
conscience OF many cities throughout
America and caused steps to be taken 10
put d check TO the wholesale manning
ana killing OF the children OF the nation
| Restrictions are placed on the sale and
use OF fireworks. From this has devel-
oped a weii-defined movement for what is
known as the safe and sane" celebration
OF the Fourth Of July, the cities adopting
the plan having enacted rigid police regu-
lations prohibiting the use of fireworks
except in restricted areas. and in some
cases even fOrbidding their sale. Toy PTS
tolls have been put under the ban and thS
health departments Of many large cities
issued bulletins annually giving instruc-
lions as to how powder burns and wounds
from the wadding used in blank cart
ridges saould be treated In order to pre-
vent tetanus infection or lockjaw.
Several years ago the Chicago Tribune
Joined in the active crusade against the
noisy and dangerous celebration OF the
Fourth OF July and in furtherance Of Its
plan 10 prevent the useless sacrifice OF
human life on the altar of boyish patriot.
ism. the statistics Of the accidents and
fatalities resulting from such ceiebrstioni
were collected and each year published IL
connection with those OF previous years
1t was only when the accidents Throughout
the country were correlated that the enor
nifty OF the evil was fully appreciated, ant
even then 1t was some time before the gen
eral public awakened to the fact that tn
\ number of casualties could be reduced b.
t,tv.
or two there has been a very appreciate
= diminution in the number of dead an
s wounded in safe and sane" cities whe
o considered IN connection with the increas
I in population, and the probabilities ar
), that today will mark a still further i'm
9 provement in conditions, for the commun
y ties which have adopted the rationa
method Of celebrating are determined neve
t TO go back to the old order while me-
: converts are being added rapidly.
. The Chicago Tribune on July ., last veal
G published a comparative table showing tn
8 Improvement in conditions over the pre-
X vious year.
5. In fourteen cities the report for actuf
e deaths and injuries showed, in 1908, thirty
70 seven deaths and 1854 injuries. while
e 1909 the report showed only nine deaths an
Is SS7 injuries. Six of the fourteen elite
X last year had adopted a safe and sau
l. Fourth" policy. In these six cities, Oh
Ie cago, Cleveland. Los Angeles. Milwaukee
II Providence and Washington. the record Il
D 1905 was twenty-three deaths and s3S II
ID juries. In 1903. under the safe and sar
G. regulations. there were no deaths and Il
D. injuries were reduced from S3S to only 6
sr OF course, these figures were increase
"a as the tetanus germ began to nourif
ID in the days Immediately following the Gel
N hration, but the number OF fatalities WI
n confined largely to the cities which hs
10 not taken precautions as TO the manner
celebration. On the morning Of July Il
. fatalities had reached sixty-five with 80
injured. On the same day the year pr
~ vious the fatalities had reached sevent