The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-09
"SAFE AND SANE" FOURTH.

We are glad to see that the move.
| ment for ''safe and sane' Fourth Of
July is stronger than ever before, this
year, Tho sentiment is spreading that
| it is a cruel wrong to celebrate indie
pendence Day in a way that causes
grief and mourning in thousands of
households throughout the land The
list of killed, manned, and hurt in the
uproarious celebrations Of the Fourth
of July for the past years is hideous
warning of the deaths and wounds that
are sure to follow such celebrations.
These give not an occasional one hurt
here and there, but the returns from
every celebration show that the lists
of dead and badly wounded are fairly
constant year after year. 1t is as sure
proposition az any in mathematics
hundreds result upon such celebrations;
and if the saying "forewarned is fore
armed' is true. and can be applied to
this case, then certainly the warning
has been repeated so often that there
is no escaping its force, that the old
w ''''biptipH SHpuiu NtdSts
Accordingly, the startling statistics
presented year by year of deaths and
wounds resulting from such celebra-
tions, are having their wholesome of
feet. The people are becoming afraid
to celebrate as heretofore, knowing that
the deaths and wounds are absolutely
suro therein. And now comes an off
cial movement in the same direction.
Governor Frank B. Weeks of Connecti-
cut called together the MAYORS of the
chief cities Of his State to consider a
revised plan for "safe, sane, and glo-
rlous celebration of Independence
Day, The meeting was held in Hart
ford on April 21st and was attended
by the mayors of thirteen cities. The
Governor presided and presented a plan
of making the celebration great play
festival, substituting for the casualty,
danger, and uproar programme Of
parades. tableaux, decorations, music,
drills, and games. The plan also pro-
vided for restrictions on tho use Of
explosives; but in the evening there
are to be displays of fireworks provided
by the municipalities. 1t is well to OBJ
serve here, however, that a considera
BILE number of the wounds and of tho
injuries, and occasionally a death ec-
cur in the setting off of fireworks. Gov.
ernor Weeks also called upon the Gov
ernors of a number of other States to
join him in the movement against the
death and slaughter which is usual in
the celebration of the Fourth of July
number have responded and others
have acted on their own account.
circular issued by the Department
Of the Child Hygiene of the Russell
Sage Foundation, commends the action
of everyone who is taking part in this
movement to do away with the old.
style celebration of the Fourth Of July
and substitute for il something like
the plan which has been proposed by
Governor Weeks and adopted for the
chief cities of Connecticut The circu-
lar issued is strong appeal for bet
terment in this respect, and it closed
with the following appropriate words:
Public opinion is now fully convinced
Of the folly, abuses, cost. and neglected
opportunities OF the prevailing observ-
ance OF our National holiday and is
quite ready to support definite and ag-
gressive action for a better Fourth OF
July.
Cities are awaklng to the large posi-
bilities July Fourth affords for an ea-
pressivc, Instructive and joyous festival
The few that tried the new scheme last
year have been increased TO sixty-three
cities that are now known TO be definitely
planning sane celebrations. These are
OF such varying size and location as New
York City, Derby, Conn; Racine. Wis;
Philadelphia, Pa; Kalamazoo. Mich.
Denver, Colo; Boston, Mass, and San
Francisco. Cal.