Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-03

"TjlIGHT the sparkler; tell all your rela-
i tives, friends, neghbors and ao-
dualntances TO fight II, and thus save the
lives OF little children"
The blue eyes of Mrs. Mary G. Morgan
might have been mistaken for the very
| sparklers she opposed as they flashed
ominously when she launched her plea
for the safest and sanest Fourth OF July
Philadelphia ever has had.
Armed with statistics of previous in
sane" Fourths and Information showing
the results OF the Reconstructed Associa-
| tlon's five years campaign toward an
accldentless independence Day, this ener-
! getic member Of the Klngsessing sectoh
| Of the organization spoke enthusiastically
| OF the cooperation West Phuadelphians
| have given the committee in charge OF
| the Fourth OF July celebrations.
THE time was" she said, when this
section always showed the greatest num-
her Of casualties on the Fourth. The hos
| pitfalls prepared for the carnage and laid
In tremendous stocks OF bandages to be
ready to take care Of the cases which
were sure TO be brought TO them.
Last year, however, there was not
single death or a single accident in the
entire Kingsessng section. which takes
In all the territory south of Market street
from 36th street and the Schuylkill River
to Goth street, to Baltimore avenue, to
59th street and to the river again. This
was despite the fact that Pennsylvania
led the States and Philadelphia the cities
in Fourth Of July casualties on the same
day
Men and women VINO, in their mis-
guided sense of patriotism, believe firmly
in a noisy, dangerous celebration, have
come beautifully to the sane point of
view, and now many who In the begin
ming were our ardent opponents actually
donate money to the cause of sane
Fourth.
There remain however, a certain few,
men who put money before human lives,
who continue to oppose us. These
are some merchants who use the
Fourth OF July as a means of bring
ing up their sales during the summer
dull months; some men dealing In
house furnishings stationery, flowers
and produce, whose business falls off
during July and August They put in a
stock Of dangerous fireworks, sell them
and help out their business. These can
only be converted gradually. and we have
not made all Of them see the light as yet,
but we have hope"
Those who know Mrs. Morgan and who
have watched her work testify to her in
defatigability and the thousands who
have been going to the 4th of July cele-
bratlons held annually In Kingsessing
Centre know that the success and grow
ing popularity of these patriotic demon
strations is due In no small measure to
this little woman's tlreless activity.
This waging of war on cannon-crack-
ers and sparklers IS only one small part
of her many interests The---cause of
woman suffrage holds first place in her
heart, and in addition to being one of the
steadiest and most trusty workers in the
Equal Franchise Society she is the Of
fetal candy maker and the proceeds from
sale of her toothsome dainties have been |
a big help in swelling the funds of that I
organization.
Not content, however, with her present
arduous duties. Mrs. Morgan hopes to be
elected in the fall election to the position
of school visitor
Its an onerous job" she said. smi-
ing humorously, "and not remunerative |
one. Therefore, there's no good reason |
why 1t should not be given to a woman.
At any rate. I shall endeavor to have |
my name put on the ballot I want the |
Job "
Tho reason Mrs, Morgan wants this Job |
which doesn't pay anything is because
the feeble-minded girls of her section OF |
the city are put into the same class
rooms with the normal girls and much !