Cañon City record., 1911-06-22
A "SAFE AND SANE"
Fourth THIS YEAR
Independence Day to Be Observed With
Less of "Sound and Fury Country
Uniting IN Much Needed Reform.

The Fourth of July, for many years
past the noisest and most dangerous
day to person and property in the
calender of the American people, is
undergoing a great change SO far as
its celebration by the youth of the
country is concerned; a reform being
brought about by public sentiment,
which has deplored the needless ac-
cidents resulting from an over zeal
Gus observance of the occasion. For
more than a century an excessive use
of gunpowder and other noise produc-
ing explosives, many of them of the
most perilous character, have been
considered essential to a proper COM
memoration of our national independ
ence, and, in consequence. thousands
of people have been accidentally kill
ed, or hopelessly MANNED for life.
The fatalities growing out of too
strenuous observance of "the day we
celebrate" annually. kills and cripples
more in the United States than lost
their lives in the Spanish-American
war, or in the recent revolution in
Mexico, to say nothing OF the destruc-
ton Of property from accidental fires,
many of which have been of a very
serious nature. While very few, IL
any, of the people of this country
would re-enact the blue laws of New
England of Puritan times to restrict
patriotic fervor, the majority of them
believe that celebrations of national
events, should, in the interest OF life
and limb. be placed upon safe and
sane" basis.
In New York City, Philadelphia.
Chicago and other large cities of the
land the movement for a more ration
al celebration OF the Fourth of July
has taken deep root and the reform
is spreading in every direction. In
Chicago and New York the womens
clubs and civic organizations have
taken the matter up and are endeav-
oring by campaign of education to
establish the idea that the use of
deadly explosives and a babel of noise
are unnecessary concomitants of pa
triotic enthusiasm. Nowhere is there
a disposition to interfere with the
rights of the individual to cofmemor-
ate with becoming zeal the national
holiday, although everywhere the SEN
timent is growing that the public
should be protected from a too ard
ent participation by celebrants of
such events.
Canon City has not been backward
to encourage the safe and sane" idea,
although it has suffered less than
many other communities from the
over-zealous manner of welcoming
the coming of the national anniver-
sary with dynamite and other danger
regular session on March twentieth
of this year the city council unani-
mously adopted an ordinance regu-
lating the use and display of certain
kinds of fireworks and prohibiting the
use of dangerous explosives and con-
trivances. which received public
cofmendation. The ordinances
became operative five days after its
passage and its provisions in full are
as follows:
Section /. Hereafter it shall be
unlawful for any person, within the
city, at any time, to discharge, set
off, ignite or explode, for sport or
amusement, any dynamite, toy pistol,
toy cannon, explosive cane, cannon or
giant cracker exceeding inches long
or Y inches in diameter, or other
contrivance for the explosion, igni-
ton or detonation by percussion or
concussion of so called caps or cart
ridges.
Section 2. 1t shall be unlawful for
any person. within the limits of the
city, for sport or amusement. to dis
charge. set on. ignite or explode. at
any other time than on the Fourth
day Of July in each year. any FIRE
cracker. torpedo. rocket. roman can
die or other sort Of fire works;
and on the Fourth day Of July