Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-30
Council WrdngLes
on Fireworks Bill

Continued from Page One
seats of the couuclmen vacant. Six
of the twenty one councilmen were alb
sent.
The councilmen present at the be =
ginning Of the session were Limeburner,
Roper. Montgomery. Cans. Horn. Con %
nell, Burch, Patton, Won Tagcn and
Buchholz, who are accredited to the
administration. and the following Ware
men: Hall. McCoach. Frankenfield.
Hetzel and Walter Mr.. Weglein. who
is an administration man, was in the
chair.
Decide on Amendment
Preceding the meeting of Council n
number of the administration men held
an informal caucus. as result OF
which il was decided to offer the fol
lowing amendment:
That the provisions of this ordinance
shall not apply to celebrations sched
uled to be held July 5. 1920. where fire .
works have been contracted for and
where fireworks will be set off by re
sponsible persons under the supervision
of the department OF public safety
bureau of police.
While the administration men were
preparing this amendment. Ware mem
bers were meeting informally to prepare
their plan of action. Councilman Hal
indicated that his friends would oppos,
the bill on the ground that acts of AS
sembly permit the manufacture and sal,
of fireworks and that the state act can
not be abridged by an ordinance o.
Council.
When the meeting was called tr
order Councilman MCCOaCh opened thu
attack on the bill.
II don't think" he said. that thil
bill should be passed just because som,
newspaper says so. | remember back il
1884 when the Mayor stopped the us,
of fireworks, and he got into serious
trouble as a result. This bill is not n
popular as it was yesterday. Council
men have received hundreds Of letter
! from American citizens protesting
Children may be killed also by matches
automobiles. This is a nonsenscal bill
You cant enforce it.
Hall Refers 10 Law Books
Councilman Hall then arose to con
tinue the fight against the bill. Hi
desk was covered with law books. L
which he referred in the course of hi
argument.
Il have been opposed for years.
said Councilman Hall, "to the use O
fireworks by children. A scientific dis
play Of fireworks is a splendid sight
however. AS for children using them
why | have children and grandchildre
Of my own, and I certainly would nc
want to see them manned or injure
in any way. Nor do | want to Sc
the children Of others injured. But
am opposed to this kind of Legislation
! care nothing for the brainstorm whic
newspaper or two may have, and
am sorry TO see that some of my col
leagues have got stagcfright and tha
they have brought about this specii
session
Picking up one Of the law books frol
his desk, Mr.. Hall said:
, Mr. president. you have great pOwc,
hut YOU are not greater than the act {
Assembly which created you. You hay
no right to abridge an act Of Assembly
The act Of 1911 prohibits the sale Z
hrecrsckcrS larger than six inches b
three quarters of an inch. The act I
1881 says that you shall not sell
children under sixteen, and the act
1855 provides that nothing shall inter
fere with the manufacture and sale
legitimate firearms, treCraCkers and fire
works.
Would Seek Injunction
you can pass an ordinance an
then pay no attention TO il after
has been passed II 7 were n deal,
in fireworks and the director Of pub
safety tried to interfere with mo
would get out on injunction restraint
him from interfering. Director CorrcI
you is sitting here, and he can corroc
me il what | have to say il not cor
rect. The fireworks people appcale
to the Department Of Public Safet
to find out what they could sell III
year. aud he told them that they cou
sell this and sell that. and they wei
ahead and invested their money.
wish they had no right to invest the
money. For my part, will ask n
friends IN the State Legislature 10 {
away with this fireworks nonsense.
is too foolish.
Let us teach the children the Tent
Commandment, and then putting lit
. flag over their hearts. teach them Il
I Declaration OF Independence. That
! true Americanism, not the shooting
J fireworks and the losing OF lives.
1T seems there is no limit to VIII
, papers will go to carry through the
. desires. Mothers Of children who We
killed by sparklers were dragged fro
their homes aud brought into yester