The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-23
SMALL BOY WHIST
City Commissioners Won't Pro-
hibit Sale of Firecrackers.
Fear That the State Laws Will
Not Protect Them.
WOMAN CLUBS APPEAL
But City Officials Postpone Ac-
ton Until Next Year.
Topeka Will Have a Semi-Sane
Fourth Of July.

Despite the appeal from every wo-
mans club organization in the city
and the petitions from others interest
ed, Topeka will have an open Fourth
or July this year. 1t is the opinion
of the city commissioners that the
state laws and the existing conditions
among the Topeka merchants make it
impossible to place muffler on the
usual Fourth of July celebrations,
IL mas been the intention of the city
OFFICIALS to introduce new firecracker
regulations. The Sane Fourth" SEN
timent has been so strong in the civ
that the commissioners planned to fol-
low up the wishes of the people. But
II mas been found that under the state
laws 1t would be impossible to pass
ana enforce an ordinance prohibiting
the sale of fire arms for Fourth of
July purposes and the commissioners
nave dropped the scheme for this
year.
We would like to have a quiet
Fourth but l don't believe it would be
the right thing to do at this time"
said Commissioner Bone this morn
ing. II know one dealer who has or
dered $4,000 worth of fireworks for
TINS year and he says that they are on
the way now-it would be an injus-
ice 10 this man to pass a strictly pro-
1AiO4IAN 2 VI DIT lIllS time. am
IN favor of waiting until next year"
This seems to be the general senti-
ment among the city commissioners
and it is probable that some time af-
ter the Fourth of July an ordinance
Will be passed including all of the
bad features connected with the small
boy and his pleasures.
Women Have Petitioned.
The women's clubs in the city have
pet1tloned the commissioners asking
that an ordinance be drawn up pro-
hibiting explosion of fire crackers, fire
arms, ETC., within the city limits and
combining all celebrations TO the day
light. Now what the average small
boy wants to know is-how in thun-
der will they find any fun in shooting
off sky rockets and Roman candles in
the day time?
Then the careful mammas ask that
the city pass an ordinance prohibiting
the sale of dangerous explosives, can
non fire crackers, toy pistols and the
like for the coming Fourth. But from
the expressions of the city officials at
this time it would be running in oppo-
sition to state laws to pass an ordin-
ance of this kind and this petition
will also be filed. Ito file an or
dinance or communication is a po-
lite term for "killing' IT'D
According to the statements made
by Mayor Billiard this morning, the
city will instruct the police officers to
carry out the provisions of one or
dinance-that one relates to the firing
of explosives before or after the
Fourth of July. This ordinance will
be enforced to the letter and will
place a good ban on the Cant Waits"
and the Couldn't Fire 'em Ais
There is one ordinance now in force
in Topeka that will have it's effect in
the carrying out of the "Sane Fourth"
proposition, however. This ordinance
was passed in 1906 and regulates the
noisy celebration. to such an extent
that fireworks of certain kinds are
not allowed within the city limits.
Old Ordinance i'm Effect.
This ordinance reads:
1T shall be unlawful for any per-
son to discharge any gun, revolver or
pistol with or without blank cart
ridges, toy cannon, blank cartridge
pistols, or fire off cannons, anvils. cart
ridges of any description, cartridge
canes or any fire crackers more than
| six inches in length and one inch in
diameter, or to throw or place any
caps, cartridges. cannon fire crackers.
| torpedoes or other explosives on the
| tracks or rails of street railways or
other railways within the city of To-
peka-any person violating any of the
provisions of this section shall be
| deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and
upon conviction thereof shall be fined
| in any sum not less than three dollars
nor more than fifty dollars for each
offense.''
This is inclusive enough to carry
| out a part of the petitions of the wo-
men of the city and those interested
in the welfare of the small boy.
| Meanwhile a strong fight will be
made in the next legislature to pass a
! law prohibiting the sale of fireworks
then the small boy will have to be
content every Fourth of July with
wearing a stiff collar and going with
| his mother to the park to look at
| tho asrnrnt4- fish ~