The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-03
Nomer .n the Forefront.

Women .n the Forefront.
Women are everywhere in the fore
front of the crusade. Secretary Wat
rous gives credit for the greatest &C.,
tiyity in the whole movement to Mrs. |
Isaac L. Rice. of New York, president |
of the Society for the Suppression of |
Unnecessary Noise, who. besides speak |
ing and writing on the subject, in |
defatigably has interviewed the Cover
nors Of all of the States, the mayors,
health officers. police and fire chiefs
of most Of the cities, In order to get
their views as to what can be done
in their communities. And she has
enrolled a large proportion Of the
Governors upon a national committee
for the prom otion of a safe and sane
Fourth" part of Mrs. Russell Sage's
millions Is being devoted to the same
end. The department of child hygiene
OF her Russell Sage foundation" has
this year been industriously circulat-
ing throughout the country a model
Fourth Of July program substituting
for fireworks In the hands of indi-
vidual children such means of enter
tainment as patriotic tableaus folk
dances flag drills and salutes, besides
concerts Of patriotic music. the public
reading of the Declaration by elocu-
tionists and orators, the ringing of
bells, blowing of whistles, release OF
oA'o'i poAicOhAS pSoiAHS ica6S, ullI ny
school children. picnics, games and
municipa fireworks displays in charge
of committees. And speaking OF wo-
mans part in this propaganda, 1t must
lot be forgotten that Julia Ward Howe
seventeen years ago wrote in favor
of safer Independence Day celebra-
lions, including PROFESSIONS Tess mill
tary in character and more pacific In
suggestion.
Model ordinances passed by cities
already enrolled for non-explosive
Fourth have been circulated broad
cast by Secretary Various, whose Of
fee in the National Civic Association
headquarters is the great clearing
house for such data. He has been re-
ceiving more than hundred COM
municatons per week from municipal
and civic officers battling for a sane
Fourth, again the local politicians.
who fear that the reform will make
them unpopular with the masses, not
to mention the manufacturers of In
dependence Day explosives.
An Army OF Sheeted COrpses.
That 1881 deaths have been due in
the past seven years to the old meth
DDS Of celebrating our natal day is
shown by the score which the Amer
lean Medical Association commenced to
keep In 1903. The injured in the
same period have amounted to s3o73,
which means total of over $4,000 |
casualties. or over thirty times as
many as resulted from the seven
greatest battles OF the Revolutionary
War Due directly to the last Fourth
there were 2l5 deaths, a large ma
jority of them Q25) due to lockjaw,
and OF the others who died seventeen
We're killed outright by firearms, six
teen by explosions OF powder, seven
by giant firecrackers. and seven by
miscellaneous means Of celebration.
Thirty-seyen We're literally burned to
death by fireworks. many by small
flrecrackers and three by harmless
sparklers."
And over 5000 were injured on that
fatal Independence Day OF year ago.
sixteen of these being totally blinded
Gave more than the previous FOURTH
three dozens losing one eye, forty-one
losing legs. arms or hands and 176
losing fingers. Lac $50 lockjaw cases
of last years celebration made the
Target record since 1904.
These figures stand out In scarlet.
forcinaoparents to read and heed. They
show that the flrecracker has, in these
seven years. claimed the most Victims
10.7sl, and that for mutilating wounds
the cannon cracker holds first rank,
being responsible, too. for the ma
Jority Of losses of eyes and limbs.
Powder and fireworks. generally, rank
next. with 10,550 victims, and then
comes the deadly blank cartridge With
s,s74 victims and causing three
fourths or more OF the lockjaw con-
tracted.
Next rank firearms and cannon, with
nearly 5000 victims each.
Fourth of July lockjaw spread last
year to Ave more States than saw It in
1908, It occurred In twenty-five States
all told, and 1t killed within ten and
half days, In the average fatal case,
while nearly all GA per cent? OF it's
victims succumhed to 1t.
The Hlnckest Record.
The blacklist record for Fourth OF