The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-24
wANTEp-sANE FOURTH.


The Fourth will soon be here and it
IS to be hoped the good beginning
made in Keokuk and all over the coun-
try IN recent years in the matter OF
celebrating the nations natal day in
rational manner will be continued
and advanced until the annual orgy
OF fire and noise is wholly a thing of
the past. 1t stands as matter of
history to the everlasting disgrace OF
this country that in the ten years
from 1903 to 1912. inclusive, total
OF 89,80S people-the equivalent OF
nearly forty regiments killed
or injured in the celebrations of the
Fourth OF July. Last year was Ameri-
cas- sanest Fourth, with the lowest
record Of casualties made since rec
ords were kept. The figures in detail
were: Dead, 20, classified as follows:
BY fireworks. 5; cannon, 1; firearms,
6; gunpowder, 6; toy pistol, L; run
away, 1. Injured, $50, classified as fol-
lows: By fireworks, 32S; cannon, AT;
firearms, "a; gunpowder 90; tor
pedoes. 33; bomb canes, z; toy pistols,
4S; runaways, 20.
Fire losses on the Fourth last year
as compiled by the Chicago Tribune,
were $576,525, which compares with
the daily average, for the first five
months of the year, of s77S,3S2. Thus
is demonstrated that the Fourth, I'M
der the changed conditions, with every
one alert in the cause of fire proven
ton, can be made safer day than
any other in the year, as regards fire.
1t also proves that fire prevention
really will prevent, and will reduce
the fire losses, when it becomes a
general and active work throughout
the country instead of mere propa-
ganda.
1t is perhaps, too much to expect a
complete return TO sanity; but some
effort at least may be made by all
cities and towns toward leading their
people into more moderate and more
intelligent forms of celebration. II
explosives must be used the authori-
ties can limit their use to the public
parks during certain hours of the day,
where the folly-hunters may kill and
MAIN themselves and each other to
hearts content, without injuring other
people, or destroying property by fire.
The firing off of explosives among the
closely built shingle-roofed frame
houses, which compose the greater
part of our cities, is wholly in accord
with the reckless spirit of Americans
regarding fire.
II before every Fourth OF July all
cities and towns were given a thor
ough cleaning of rubbish, and all use
of explosives then restricted as to
time and place, the police and public
wardens might have at least fighting
chance to minimize the disastrous re-
suits OF our public folly during the
years it may require to inspire in our
people desire for a rational kind of
celebration. And such desire must
be inspired 1t is the duty OF every
city to arrange for Its people suitable
amusements or exercises definitely
calculated to educate them in a ration
al observance of this historic holiday.
Habits of folly can be most easily
eliminated by substitution of some
thing better. The things sity can do
I to interest its citizens in sane and
wholesome celebration are unlimited.
and the municipalities which in the
past two years have taken steps in
this direction are already receiving ma
tional praise for their wisdom and
their high sense of civic responsibility