r-SV^ Cf"oM.rlrh of- July Pamphlets. J Cornell University Library E 286.F78 v ' 1 [Fourth of July P al J , l*!jJjL No. T031 A SAFER, SANER FOURTH OF JULY WITH i. MORE PATRIOTISM AND LESS NOISE Published by Playground Extension Committee of the Russell Sage Foundation I Madison Avenue, New York Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014526648 How a City can Celebrate Independence Day without Loss of Life or Fire Damage (Plan Approved by Municipal Conference of Playground Congress, Pittsburgh, May 10-14, 1 9°9) Published by Playground Extension Committee of the Russell Sage Foundation 1 Madison Avenue, New York GREETING FROM PRESIDENT TAFT THEWH1TE HOUSE WASHINGTON April 30, 1909. My dear Sir: I greatly regret that I cannot be with you at your third annual congress at Pittsburgh, from May 10th to 14th of this year, but I write to express my most sincere sympathy in the work which your Association is doing. I do not know anything which will con- tribute more to the strength and morality of that generation of boys and girls compelled to remain part of urban populations in this country, than the institution in their cities of playgrounds where their hours of leisure can be occupied by rational and healthful exercise. The advantage is twofold: In the first place, idleness and confine- ment in a narrow space in the city, in houses and cellars and unventilated dark rooms, is certain to suggest and bring about pernicious occupation and create bad habits. Gambling, drinking, and other forms of vice are promoted in such a restricted mode of life. In the second place, an opportunity for hard, earnest, and joyous play improves the 4 GREETING FROM PRESIDENT TAFT health, develops the muscles, expands the lungs, and teaches the moral lessons of atten- tion, self-restraint, courage, and patient effort . I think every city is under the strongest obligation to its people to furnish to the children, from the time they begin to walk until they reach manhood , places within the city walls large enough and laid out in proper form for the playing of all sorts of games which are known to our boys and girls and are liked by them. I sincerely hope that your present conven- tion may be a success, and that the work which you have begun may go on until no city in this country is without suitable playgrounds for the children of those who but for such city assistance in this regard would be without them. Sincerely yours, Luther Halsey Gulick, Esquire, President Playground Association, of America, 1 Madison Avenue, New York City. CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTA- TIVES "A SAFER, SANER FOURTH OF JULY" The Conference of Municipal Representatives of the Third Annual Playground Congress, held in Pittsburgh, was opened on Friday morning, May 14th, by Hon. William A. Magee, the Mayor of Pittsburgh, who acted as presiding officer of the meet- ing. In response to invitations which had been issued by Mayor Magee to the executives of cities in the United States having a population of five thousand and over, and certain cities of Canada and Mexico, forty-five municipalities responded- by sending to the Congress one or more delegates to represent their cities in the various sessions, and especially in the Conference of Municipal Representatives. The list of these delegates is as follows : City Name Altoona, Pa Walter S. Greevy Rev. Morgan M. Sheedy Baltimore, Md Thomas F. Beadenkoff George W. Ehler Mary B. Steuart Beaver Falls, Pa Andrew Lester Boston, Mass Dr. Thomas F. Harrington Buffalo, N. Y Harry A. Allison Camden, N. J Albert De Unger Frederick A. Finkeldey Edward Francis Chicago, 111 Frederick Greeley Theo. A. Gross Amalie Hofer Charles A. Sartain Theo. Szmergolski Graham Romeyn Taylor Cincinnati, O M. C. Longenecker 5 PLAYGROUNDS City Name Columbus, Mrs. P J. Anderson Dayton, J. L. Johnson Denver, Colo Margaret Giddings Duquesne, Pa Charles E. Wright East Liverpool, T.H. Wilkinson East Orange, N. J Lincoln E. Rowley Elizabeth, N. J Richard E, Clement Fort Wayne, Ind Mrs. O. N. Guldlin Indianapolis, Ind Robert Fischer Kalamazoo, Mich Bessie Bacon Goodrich Kansas City, Mo Mrs. Viola Dale McMurray Louisville, Ky Clara Fitch Mansfield, Susan M. Sturges McKeesport, Pa Mayor HT S. Arthur Murray B. Walker Minneapolis, Minn C. T. Booth New Britain, Conn Warren S. Slater J. Herbert Wilson Newark, N. J William J. McKiernan Randall D. Warden New Orleans, La Mrs. O. A. Stallings New York, N. Y Howard Bradstreet Supt. Seth T. Stewart Pensacola, Fla John Bradford Philadelphia, Pa F. D. Sears Providence, R. I Mary Josephine O'Connor Racine, Wis E. S. Martin Riverside, Cal W. P Gulick Rochester, N. Y John Hall Henry W. Morgan Winfred J. Smith Henry H. Stebbins E. J.. Ward Seattle, Wash Tracy Strong St. Louis, Mo Charlotte Rumbold St. Paul, Minn Carl F. Rothfuss Scranton, Pa C. R. H. Jackson Springfield, Mass Edward T. Broadhurst H. W. Bull George D. Chamberlain CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 7 City Name Springfield, Mass John J. Collins Charles E. Ladd Henry Lasker William Orr Steuben ville, O Isabella Tappan Toledo, O Dr. Mary E. Law G. M. Martin Mrs. Fannie M. Perkins Mrs. Pauline Steinem Toronto, Canada R. H. Graham H. C. Hocken R. C. Vaughan James Wilson Urbana, Dr. H. C. Houston Washington, D. C Dr. Henry S. Curtis Wheeling, W. Va Anne M. Cummins Miss E. J. Cummins Kate Hazlett R. B. Naylor Winnipeg, Canada Mrs. John Dick The meeting concerned itself with discussions of what has been done in some cities and what it is desirable to do toward celebrating Independence Day in a safe, sane, and adequate manner. At the close of the discussions, the Secretary of the meeting, Mr. Leonard P. Ayres, summed up the various points that had been brought forward. Hon. William A. Magee made the following introductory remarks : This meeting, as you know, is held for the purpose of dis- cussing our manner of celebrating the independence of the United States. It has been the custom in this city, as well as in every other city in the country, to have a celebration on the Fourth of July that shall remind us of the times and manner in which our independence was achieved; but it is apparent that we celebrate our liberty at an expense of money and at a cost of lives that is absolutely unnecessary, and it is fast becoming the general impression that we could celebrate our national holiday in a manner more fitting to the event, in a safer and 8 PLAYGROUNDS saner way with reference to life and property, and at an expen- diture that would be neither extravagant nor wasteful. A few cities in this country have already made a good start to change the character of the celebration. A most notable instance is that of Springfield, Massachusetts. We have with us Mr. William Orr of that city, and I will ask him to open the dis- cussion on the subject. INDEPENDENCE DAY: A CIVIC OPPORTUNITY William Orr Principal of Central High School, Springfield, Mass. Public opinion is now fully convinced of the folly, abuses, and cost of the prevailing observance of our great national holiday, and is quite ready to support definite and aggressive action for a better Fourth of July. Each year more stringent and severe restrictions are placed on the indiscriminate use of explosives and fireworks. Cleveland, through her Common Council, last July, prohibited all use of cannon crackers, blank cartridges, and other explosives. The press of the country supports vigorously all measures aimed at curtailing the hours when fireworks and noise-making devices are used. Each year the Chicago Tribune compiles the roll of dead and wounded as the result of our celebration of the holiday. The totals for the last ten years amount to 508 killed and 29,085 injured. The Amer- ican Medical Association, whose tabulations are made in August, when the results from tetanus are apparent, reports an average of 174 deaths and 4500 wounded each year. These facts are influencing the popular mind to demand a reform in the observance of Independence Day. Our cities are also awakening to the large possibilities July Fourth affords for an impressive, instructive, and joyous civic festival. A rivalry is apparent in the strife for the best and most satisfying program of entertainment for the day. Interesting experiments are being made in different parts of the country to substitute music, pageantry, sports, and organized fireworks and illuminations for the present hideous racket, noise, and danger. Under such conditions the experience of a community which has worked out the details of an attractive celebration and for- CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 9 mulated a general policy for the conduct of the day possesses peculiar interest. Your attention is, therefore, called to the methods whereby in the last seven years Springfield, Massa- chusetts, has brought to pass a radical change for the better in her Fourth of July. The leadership was taken by a group of citizens, who organized in iqo;, an Independence Day Associa- tion. This committee has grown in the estimation of the com- munity with each year. It commands generous support in A VS Buffalo Bill Joined as a Volunteer. Fourth of July at Springfield, Mass. service and money, and is now recognized as an essential part of the civic life. Some weeks in advance of the holiday the Associa- tion outlines a program of events to occupy in a wholesome way the attention of all elements of the population, young and old. The various exercises are selected so as to encourage a widespread participation. A fund of S2500 is raised by popular subscrip- tion, and to this the city government adds $500. A concrete illustration of results is afforded bv the celebra- IO PLAYGROUNDS tion of last year. At nine in the morning public interest was centered on the grand parade of militia, naval brigade, groups from Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, companies of boys in picturesque uniforms, floats representing the achievements of the various races found in Springfield, and scenes from national and local history portrayed after the fashion of pageantry by school children. The most unique and significant feature of this parade was that known as the pageant of the nations, and The Contribution of the Italian Colony. Fourth of July at Springfield, Mass! the widespread interest it aroused warrants this detailed descrip- tion by Miss Mary Vida Clark in Charities and The Commons: "The nations came in huge floats, sailing majestically up the main street. First came the Swedes in a Viking ship with stalwart yellow-haired rowers at the oars ; the English recalled Magna Charta ; the Scotch showed their Queen Mary, preceded by bare-kneed, kilted High- landers swinging along with their tartans flying, blowing real bagpipes; the Irish, modestly ignoring their success in ruling this country, delved into their remote past and produced 'Columcille pleading for the bards'. There are CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES II some two thousand Greeks in the city, and the men whose mellifluous names distinguish our candv and flower shops, arrayed in classic robes and with flowing beards, showed us Socrates, Plato, Pericles, and Lycurgus, and lest we should be too much overawed by these princes in disguise, there followed after them, m graceful symbolism, some fifty young Greeks, holding the sides of a huge American flag, while over their shoulders they carried smaller flags The Bovs' Brigade. Fourth of July at Springtield, Mass. of their national blue and white. The adaptable Italians, eager to prove their present glory like their past, fol- lowed up their Michael Angelo and Galileo with Marconi. The French, coming by way of Canada, with special ap- propriateness for this year, exhibited Champlain in his boat on the St. Lawrence. William Tell was recalled by the Germans. The Chinese graciously conceded a native orchestra and a huge barge of wonderful tapestries, but 12 PLAYGROUNDS. showed their personal preference by wearing American clothes and riding in hacks. Handsome .rug merchants from Armenia displayed themselves and their families in gorgeous embroideries, against a background of mag- nificent hangings. The Syrians proudly posed in a splendid oriental court scene. The Poles furnished a band. xV group of fine-looking negro veterans, from a regiment Signing the Declaration. Fourth of July at Springfield, Mass. that took Fort Wagner, was the only reminder of the Civil War. "Surely, no citizen of Springfield, young or old, could see such an historic pageant of races and nationalities without gaining some appreciation of the nature of the modern contribution to our national life, or could escape having his outlook broadened by some glimpse of the American of the future that is to come out of this mingling of races and of race ideals, or could fail to see the general CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES J 3 possibilities for improvement in the amalgamation of many of these people, bringing traditions of such beauty and nobility." The procession returned to Court Square, the civic center, at eleven o'clock, in time for the literary exercises. The latter consisted of an oration on the responsibility of the people in the The Puritan Maidens. Fourth of July at Springfield, Mass. settlement of national questions. There was also choral singing conducted by a leading musical director of the city. A fine effect was produced by the voices of several thousand people rendering in unison the great national lyrics of this and other lands and the hymns of the ages. At twelve o'clock the great crowd watched with greatest interest the ascent of two balloons. The national salute of forty-six guns brought the morning exercises to a close. In the afternoon games for the children and field and water sports for vouth were held at Forest Park, a woodland reserva- 14 PLAYGROUNDS tion in the south part of the city. Many families organized picnic parties and went to points of vantage from which to see the games and athletic contests. The slopes of the park at Pecousic, overlooking the Connecticut river, constituted a natural amphitheater from which to see the canoe, motor boat, and rowing races. Band concerts were held throughout the day and evening at selected centers in the city and the park. The evening illuminations and fireworks were noteworthy, Signing the Treaty. Fourth of July at Springfield, Mass. and were partly under the direction of the Independence Day Association, which looked after Court Square and Main Street, and of district committees who organized and carried out local exhibitions at various points. So carefully was the observance of the day planned that no accident of moment occurred, and there was no call on the fire department and but little demand on the police. More than this, CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES IS practically every citizen was interested directly or indirectly in the conduct of the celebration, and all shared in an inspiring and uplifting entertainment. Lessons of cooperation and community service were taught in the best possible way, that is, by doing; and the various elements of the population were united in the bonds of a common endeavor. Civic pride was stimulated, and the day was replete with suggestions of the meaning and value of human liberty. This year more elaborate plans are under way and new ele- Some,Real Xative Americans. Fourth of July at Springfield, Mass. ments of the community are taking an active interest. The parade is to consist of five divisions. First will be a series of pageants of scenes from the historv of the city, such as the ar- rival of the first settlers under William Pvncheon; the purchase of land from the Indians; the passage of prisoners from Bur- goyne's army; Shay's Rebellion, and the departure of troops for the war in Cuba. The remaining four divisions will constitute an exhibition of the business resources of Springfield; one sec- tion will show the commercial enterprises, another the manufac- turers, a third the progress of science and invention as applied l6 PLAYGROUNDS to industry, and a fourth the contributions of other people to our industries. This notable industrial parade is made possible by the hearty support and cooperation of merchants, manufac- turers, members of labor unions, school children, and the repre- sentatives of the various nationalities in Springfield. Folk dances will be made a feature of the children's games at the park. Great interest is being shown in the local displays in different sections of the city. The citizens will also cooperate in a general decoration of streets, houses, and public buildings with flags and bunting. Posters based on scenes in the pageant and signs to mark historic localities are being made by high school, pupils. Fourth of July as thus observed is redeemed from the vulgar- ity, rowdyism, and dangers of the conditions that have obtained with increasing seriousness in American citie.s for the past ten or fifteen years, and becomes a true civic festival, instinct with joy, enthusiasm, and the spirit of human brotherhood — the fruits of the liberty for which the fathers contended. Independence Day should be magnified as our chief American holiday. and its observance enriched- by all the resources of en- tertainment at the command of the community. Much may be learned from the old world as to pageantry, the use of form and color in processions and decoration, and the uplift, rhythm, and volume of effect in choral singing. The science of illumination and firework displays under organized control has also been wrought out in European cities, while the far East has much to teach us in the use of splendid tapestries and hangings in street decorations and processions. Immigrants bring with them per- sonal experiences of great value in the conduct of popular festi- vals, and are willing and eager to place this knowledge at the command of their chosen cities on this side of the Atlantic. Such a celebration is a means to larger ends than a -day's enjoyment, important as that may be in an American city. Fourth of July becomes a community festival, in the organiza- tion and conduct of which all the elements of a city or town feel the joy and learn the value of cooperant action in the service of the public good. If our municipalities are to rid themselves of the evils of political jobbery and official corruption — among the darkest blots on our civilization — the citizen must have an active interest in all that pertains to community life and feel the re- sponsibility that comes with a sense of ownership. These qual- CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 17 ities of the people may be advanced by enlisting the interest and support of all in a common purpose, which involves the use of the resources of a city in its many-sided activities, public and private, its schools, parks, squares, streets, river fronts, lakes, and immediate environs, as factors in a popular holiday. Love of the city and pride in her appearance, sure to grow out of such experiences, will make her sons zealous for her outward beauty and jealous of the purity of her inner life. When men suffer in heart by reason of municipal corruption, righteous in- dignation will soon drive out the traffickers in public office at the expense of the public treasury. The individual human units, the personal factors, the sum total of which constitute the community, city, state, or nation, profit much from a sane and fitting observance of Independence Day. Danger to life and limb and actual injury are even now common incidents of the barbarous license permitted in so many localities in the name of patriotism. In place of this hideous and dangerous din, the advocates of a better order of things would substitute a wealth of well planned entertainment, rich in the elements that appeal to the best sentiments and emotions. Pleasurable excitement to quicken interest and ample variety to hold attention will be supplied. Such experiences, repeated yearly on a generation, would change entirely the conception of how people in the mass should seek enjoyment, expand pa- triotic feeling and love of country, and train a citizenship cri- tically appreciative of the best. The reflex effect on morals and conduct is clearly helpful. But still higher possibilities are potential in our national holiday. Independence Day owes its origin and existence to the fundamental human instinct for freedom, liberty, and oppor- tunity. All men, the Scot with his memories of Bannockburn, the Englishman with Magna Charta, the Frenchman as he cele- brates the fall of the Bastille, the Italian as he lauds Garibaldi, are on common ground with the American and his Declaration of Independence. The local and particular significance of the day as the anniversary of a revolt against the tyranny of a cer- tain monarch has become merged in the larger and broader conceptions of human liberty. Independence Day thus be- comes a festival of humanity. The emotions, the aspirations, and the ideals it symbolizes are the common heritage of the race. It constitutes a potent influence for bringing into unity the ap- l8 PLAYGROUNDS parently diverse elements brought by immigration into our social, civic, and industrial life. The supreme task of this country is to so combine the distinctive qualities of these races that while our institutions and government maintain their in- tegrity, the American people now in the making, may be a composite of the best in those who come to us from across the sea. Such a solvent to reject prejudice, pride, and provincial- ism, and to select the noblest traits and powers of humanity, is at command in a celebration of July Fourth conducted on a level worthy of the day. The memories of the anniversary and their appeal to the imagination, with the quickening influence of the festival spirit, induce a ready response to all influences. Such moments, the teacher knows, constitute the greatest opportunity for instruction and inspiration. Independence Day recalls the lines of Lowell : "When a deed is done for freedom, Through the broad earth's aching breast Runs a thrill of joy prophetic Trembling on from East to West, And the slave, where'er he cowers, Feels the soul within him climb To the awful verge of manhood As the energy sublime Of a century bursts full blossomed On the thorny stem of time." Let it be observed — one might say consecrated — as to make the possession of all his splendid vision of the world : "For mankind are one in spirit, And an instinct bears along Round the earth's electric circle The swift flash of right or wrong. Whether conscious or unconscious, Yet Humanity's vast frame Through its ocean-sundered fibres Feels the gush of joy or shame. In the gain or loss of one race, All the rest have equal claim." DISCUSSION Mr. Frederick A. Finkeldey, of Camden, N. J., spoke as follows : In the ward in which I live, the eleventh ward of Camden, situated on the outskirts of the city, there is a population of not CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 1 9 more than four thousand. For the past four or five years we have had in that ward a so-called Patriotic Association, the ob- ject of which has been to raise funds for the celebration of the Fourth of July. We celebrate the occasion in this manner. All the school children in the eleventh ward and in the neigh- boring ward are invited. We have more childrenin the eleventh ward on the Fourth of July than are in all the schools on the East Side, for the children come from all over the city. In the first place, we have simple games and plays, and competition where the children are old enough. Each child receives a prize — for instance, a fan, a handkerchief, or a ball and bat. Following the games we have singing by the children. We have been able to secure the services of the Director of Music, who leads in the singing on that day; that is, he aids us for that special occasion, there being no previous rehearsals. Then we have an address by the mayor or a prominent citizen of the town, and following that comes a monster parade — at least, we call it so. The parade consists of all the school children and the patriotic associations — the Sons of America and lodges such as the Red Men and the Odd Fellows. The latter have for the past two years joined us. At the conclusion of the parade an address is delivered by some prominent man, and in the evening — we have been compelled to compromise — we still have fireworks, but they are set off in front of the woods, where no harm can result. The man who supplies the fireworks has also the contract for setting them off. The result is that thousands of people are drawn from all parts of Camden to see the display. The street car lines are compelled to put on extra cars and run them out to the suburbs to accom- modate the thousands who come to witness our celebration. For the past few years we have succeeded in raising for this celebration from $650 to $800 each year, just from the citizens residing in the eleventh ward; and it is comparatively easy to procure the money. The city does not do anything toward the celebration except to supply the additional policemen. This convinces me that it is not nearly as hard as some of you may think to get the American public to contribute toward the cele- bration of our national birthday, and to substitute something of this character for the individual celebration. The eleventh ward of Camden shows that it can be done even in a small com- munity. The collectors do not go for money outside of that ward, and there are poor people living in that section — men working 20 PLAYGROUNDS in carshops, who do not earn more than the average working- man. The sum is not contributed in large amounts, but in small contributions of twenty-five and fifty cents; and where the committee members have known families to be very poor, those families have not been asked. But we often found that those people felt insulted, because of not having been asked. ■ A boy from such a family will come to the committee and bring fifty cents, saying that it had been sent by his father as a contribu- tion to the cause. We are not saying this in any boastful spirit, but I am more than glad to add this contribution to the discussions, for it appears to me that it is possible to get from the people the means to defray the expense of celebrating the Fourth of July in a ra- tional manner, everybody being interested in the national an- niversary. Mrs. Pauline Steinem, of Toledo, Ohio, spoke as follows: The city of Toledo for the past five years has had a very quiet celebration of the Fourth of July. Five years ago the mayor of the city, Hon. Samuel M. Jones, known as the "Golden Rule Mayor ' ' , lay at the point of death. He was greatly beloved ; it seemed to everybody as though a friend lay sick, and the children felt that they must hot make any noise to disturb the sick mayor. No firecrackers were exploded on that day. It was the most quiet Fourth you can imagine. The mayor died not very many months later, and ever since then the city of Toledo has had a peaceful Fourth of July. The change is due simply to the fact that public sentiment has turned in favor of celebrating the- Fourth of July rationally — not because of any prohibitive law that has been passed, or because there are more policemen on the beat on that day than on any other day. The change has been entirely voluntary. We really feel that we have made an advance along the right lines of celebrating our national holiday. Last year there was not a single accident. In the afternoon we have public meetings, which are quiet occasions ; and people will take their families for outings to the little islands near Toledo. In the evening we have a celebration of fireworks, but the noisy part of the celebration has disappeared. When we return from this Conference to Toledo, we shall CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 2 1 tell our people something of what we have heard to day about the work that is being done in other cities, and perhaps something similar may in time be done in our city. Mr. J. Herbert Wilson, of New Britain, Connecticut, said: I come from the city of New Britain, Connecticut, which is half as large as Springfield, Massachusetts. It is my observation that the smaller the city, the worse is the rowdyism of the young men. For years on the Fourth of July there were groups of young fellows who went out and built fires, for which they stole boxes; ten years ago they built a dangerous fire in the middle of the city. Seven years ago we started in for a more safe celebration of the Fourth of July ; and I think that our mayor had a good deal to do with it — he is public-spirited and wants to see things go right. The noise of the day has been more and more restricted, partly by law and partly by public sentiment; the newspapers also have helped. Last year the firing of explosives was per- mitted only between the hours of 4 a. m. and 11 p. m. There is in New Britain a large public park covering many acres; no firecrackers may be exploded in that park, and there were practically none last year. Our town is baseball crazy, and so last Fourth of July we had extra games, which were attended by ten thousand people out of a population of forty thousand. For the past two years there have been no fires, and last year no arrests were made. It might be added that if a man gets intoxicated, our policemen take him home. Mr. Frederick A. Finkeldey, of Camden, N. J., proposed the following amendment to the recommendations accepted by the meeting: That it is the sense of the Playground Association of America that the municipalities be strongly advised to pass laws for- bidding the use of firearms and other dangerous explosives on the Fourth of July. The carrying of deadly weapons is illegal in almost any municipality. The unrestricted use of pistols and revolvers on the Fourth of July adds to the tendency for illegal carrying. If we would set our faces against the use of pistols and revolvers on the Fourth of July, it would be doing a great deal toward stopping the illegal carrying of firearms at all 22 PLAYGROUNDS times. The fact that a man is permitted to use a pistol on the Fourth of July is an incentive to buy one, and to carry it on other days as well. My amendment, then, is to discountenance the use of explosives on the Fourth of July, and especially to restrict the use of dynamite. Rev. Morgan M. Sheedy, of Altoona, Pa., spoke as follows: Mr. Orr, as far as I can see, has solved the whole question of the celebration of the Fourth of July. His discussion was not only practical, in giving the program of what has been done last year and what is proposed for this year, but his discussion was philosophical as well. He touched the very root of the whole situation. In referring to Mr. Bryce and his "Commonwealth", we may safely say that his assertion that the way in which a people celebrates its national holiday is an indication of the civiliza- tion of that nation, is just as true of other festivals. If that principle be accepted, I am satisfied that every sane and thinking American is agreed that there is something wrong, and has been something wrong for some years, with our manner of celebrating Independence Day. There is truth, I think, in his speech that America is still in the making. We have thousands of people coming to us from the other countries, from all over the world. There are our Japanese friends, who are troubling the western coast, notwithstanding the strenuous action of our late presi- dent. Those people are coming here and are seeing how America celebrates this great day. I am speaking now of the method that has been pretty prevalent, a method which certainly leaves a bad impression, for the central idea seems to be that of making as much noise as possible. The clergy are interested in this question of the celebration of our national holiday, for they, as well as the doctors, are often called out suddenly to hospitals, to attend to those who are wounded and crippled as the result of Fourth of July acci- dents. I believe the number of injuries annually runs up into the thousands. How senseless! There are, I understand, forty-five cities represented here. Of these, I am asked to represent the city of Altoona, which is almost as large, and will be quite as large after a while, as Springfield, Massachusetts, is now. Altoona has at present a population of 65,000. If this is an experience meeting, I should CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 23 like to say that about five years ago our people awoke to a realization of the fact that our celebration of the Fourth of July was all wrong. This realization came largely through the expres- sion of slightly veiled public opinion in the press. Then we had a celebration something like that outlined by Mr. Orr. Our citizens went out into a large field, where they had a procession with floats, such as has been indicated. The people as a whole took part. There was some little trouble, however, but I think that is part of the celebration. Those societies which the gentleman from the eleventh ward of Camden across the creek refers to seemed to be in perfect harmony, whereas our societies at a public demonstration, even the most professedly patriotic, seemed to have some difficulties as to precedence, etc., among themselves. That, however, was the only friction. There were some societies that did not take part because they were not given a prominent part. I cannot understand the psychology of this. But apart from this friction, the affair was a great success. We called our celebration " An Old-fashioned Fourth of July. " I suppose there are some here — not ladies — who will remember what an old-fashioned Fourth of July might be like. I had to read it up myself. I found that in celebrating the old-fashioned Fourth of July the chief idea was that the people went out and heard some reading. I was surprised to find that my friend from New England omitted that feature. Some lawyer with a good, strong voice read — I do not know whether he read or recited — the Declaration of Independence. The people listened, there was a patriotic scene, and everybody was delighted. Strange to say, we have not had such a celebration since then. My explanation is that I believe the trouble with many such affairs is that we overdo the thing. I believe that the citizens of Altoona raised $5000. They overdid it, and naturally those of us who were interested expected the reaction. So we have never repeated this celebration, which we had just once — a celebration which everybody pronounced a success. As far as I can see, Mr. Orr, of Springfield, has covered the ground completely, and I would make a suggestion at this point that the Playground Association of America prepare a program along the lines outlined by Mr. Orr, and that all cities that can be reached — and especially those represented here — be furnished 24 PLAYGROUNDS with a copy of the program; and that it is the sense of this meeting that such a program as nearly as possible be carried out. I desire to make a motion that the program as outlined by Mr. Orr be accepted by the Conference as a program to be used by the cities that want to celebrate a safe and sane Fourth of July. In response to an inquiry as to whether this manner of cele- bration decreased noise and drunkenness, Dr. Sheedy replied: I cannot answer absolutely in response to those two questions, but I will give you my impressions. In the very nature of the case, if you get a large number of people for the greater part of the day away from that which would naturally lead them into disorder — the open saloon, the crowded parts of the city — obviously you diminish the bad effects. We have a city ordi- nance forbidding the use of explosives during certain parts of the day. Mr. Lincoln E. Rowley, of East Orange, N. J., said: Mr. Orr has given us a great principle, but there is another side that I want to bring out, a suggestion for a national home festival. I happen to live in a town where the men, except postmen and policemen, are rarely at home. It is a luxury to be at home in that town. I believe that in some communities this idea of a great parade, a great celebration, would'accomplish just the opposite effect from what you want to accomplish. In one town it will accomplish a great home feeling, while in others it will mean a scattering of the people who want to be at home. Mr . Thomas F. Beadenkoff, of Baltimore, Md., spoke as follows : In Baltimore there is absolute restriction with reference to the use of fireworks. No explosives are permitted to be fired. The man who sells fireworks in Baltimore is arrested. Hence the city is a very quiet one on the Fourth of July. The day is chiefly an occasion for picnics, nine-tenths of the people going out of the city. I should like to know if the plans of Springfield could be applied to celebrations in large cities such as Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or Philadelphia. CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 25 Mr. Murray B. Walker, of McKeesport, Pa., said: In regard to merchants selling fireworks, would it not be fair to let them know in advance of the next Fourth of July just what kind of fireworks are approved by this Conference? These merchants should probably have some three or four weeks' notice, in order to enable them to lay in a stock. What- ever resolution is passed, the various cities should be notified of it as soon as possible. To the above remark, the Chairman, Hon. William A. Magee, responded, stating that it was not within the province of the Conference to draw up resolutions as to what cities should or should not do with reference to Fourth of July celebrations; the Conference could only recommend a suitable program. Hon. William A. Magee, of Pittsburgh, Pa., said: I am newly inducted into my office and have not yet par- ticipated in an official capacity in one of these occasions that have been described. The city of Pittsburgh is now making arrangements, according to the custom that has been in vogue for some fifteen or sixteen years, to have a community celebra- tion. Pittsburgh has never attempted by any legislative act to restrict the use of firearms on the Fourth of July, but the police have considered it within their province to send out many admonitory messages to the people, and I believe have exercised on various occasions some rather stringent regulations as to the extent to which firearms might be used. We have accomplished a good deal indirectly by having a community celebration. Schenley Park is the place that is set apart as the chief spot for celebrating. Some years ago it was the custom to have an open-air meeting in the morning at ten o'clock, at which the Declaration of Independence was read, and at which patriotic speeches were delivered by men of prominence. During the last few years that feature seems to have died out gradually; but, on the other hand, the afternoon features of the day have been largely increased, by reason of the fact that the city has a large athletic oval, half a mile back in the park. There are carried on all kinds of athletic events, and occasionally some horse racing by local talent. These attractions draw upward of 100,000 spectators, and the park 26 PLAYGROUNDS is full of people all day long. They come in the morning, bring their lunches, and stay until the evening to see the display of fireworks, which is on a large scale. That crowd has been growing every year. We think there were last year between 200,000 and 300,000 people who visited the park. The city of Pittsburgh has during the last two years been much enlarged by consolidation with the old city of Allegheny. It has been the custom of Allegheny to have a celebration of its own every year. Last year that was continued, and a plan for a celebration is being arranged for this year. We intended to continue with the usual contribution, but raising more than the usual sum of money, which is in the neighborhood of $20,000. It was thought to enlarge the scope of the celebration by having one or two of these open-air meetings for the expression of patriotic sentiment. We thought not only of 'continuing the local celebration in Allegheny, but of having a similar one on the South Side, and perhaps another in the lower part of the city. We thought of extending the play feature of the day by having river sports. That is, the idea is to have celebrations of a similar character going on in various parts of the city simul- taneously, in order to avoid the usual street car congestion. We found on one occasion that in Schenley Park people were waiting to get home until four o'clock in the morning. I should like to avoid the bringing together of so many people in one place. It seems to me that the new idea which was injected into the meeting by Mr. Orr's remarks about the character of these deaths is a good one; not all of them are fatalities due to the discharge of firearms. In this city I regard that there are as many, and perhaps more, fatalities resulting from heat pros- tration than from the discharge of firearms. That, of course, is due to bringing many people together in one place. We have here a population of 600,000; in Allegheny County there is a population of more than 1,000,000, and within a radius of sixty miles of Pittsburgh there are some 3,000,000 people. All cele- brations in Pittsburgh attract people from this entire area. Our Fourth of July celebrations bring into the city every year 100,000 people, and perhaps more. There is one new idea to advocate with reference to our celebrations, and that is to scatter the activities of the day over the various parts of the city, hoping by that means to prevent the gathering of these enormous crowds at one central spot. CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 27 We assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that we as city officials have learned something from what we have heard in regard to the use of dangerous firearms in the celebration of the Fourth of July. We are already working in our communities for their suppression, but I do not believe that in this city of Pittsburgh we have been overcareful with regard to care of life and limb. Mr. Leonard P. Ayres, Secretary of the Conference, in summing up the discussions, spoke as follows: I wish, with your permission, to spend six or seven minutes in speaking, on the part of the Playground Association of America, of some points in connection with the things we have discussed here this morning. In the first place, it may interest some of you to know that we have received credentials of official delegates from forty-five cities; that there are seventy-eight delegates present; and that the territory represented is very widespread. We have delegates from Winnipeg, Canada, and from Pensacola, Florida; from Seattle, Washington, Riverside, California, and Boston, Massachusetts, and everywhere between. You may have noted that in the printed program there appears the following sentence with reference to this meeting: "If the plan meets with the approval of the delegates from the several cities, the Playground Association will undertake to supply programs for such festivals, pre- pared by those who make a specialty of arranging public functions which are both entertaining and attrac- tive and at the same time distinctly educational." That may perhaps have been a rather rash promise, and if it is to be carried out effectively, we shall need a great deal of help. On the part of the Association, I wish to ask each one who has to do with any civic celebration of the character that we have been discussing to forward copies of the program to the office of the Playground Association, even if it is a program of a celebration other than Independence Day. We desire to pro- cure all the literature that it is possible to procure, especially literature of a constructive nature. I have been taking notes as the various speakers have made their remarks, and wish to make a general summing up of the sense of the meeting. If when I get through any of you feel 28 PLAYGROUNDS that it does not correctly represent what we have done and what we stand for, I shall be very glad to consider any cor- rections or amendments. i . In this country we have developed the habit of cele- brating Independence Day in a way which recalls the manner in which our independence was gained; as a nation we have largely passed beyond the village stage, so that in modern city life the problem of civic celebra- tions becomes a very great problem. There is nearly universal condemnation of our present common methods of celebrating Independence Day. 2. Much valuable constructive work has been done and is being done in the endeavor to find a suitable celebration to substitute for the traditional one. We, here, would call special attention to the kind of 'work that has been done in Springfield, Massachusetts, during the past seven years along this line. We indorse this work as resulting in celebrations that are safe, appro- priate, inspiring and educative, and we believe that such celebrations combine important lessons in civic coopera- tion and community life. 3. We believe that the way a nation celebrates its holidays is one true test of its civilization. We hold that a true ' conception of Independence Day is equally appealing to people of all races, and that celebrations such as have been considered are on a level worthy of the day that is being celebrated. 4. We indorse all movements for safe and sane civic celebrations, and it is the sense of this meeting that the Playground Association of America should aid such movements in a constructive way by preparing and dis- tributing programs for civic celebrations of Independence Day and other public holidays. 5. We discountenance the use of dangerous explosives, such as dynamite, and the use of pistols and revolvers in the celebration of Independence Day and other holidays. I wish to express to all of the delegates the grateful recog- nition that the Association feels for what they have done in CONFERENCE OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES 29 coming here as official representatives from these various cities and in discussing the question that has been presented. .1 want also, and especially, to extend our thanks to Mr. William Orr and the other speakers who have put the matter before us in so helpful a manner ; and with special emphasis I wish to assure his Honor, Mayor Magee, how much the Playground Associa- tion of America appreciates what he has done for us, not only in presiding at this meetng and in issuing the invitations which have made the meeting possible, but in helping the Associa- tion in every possible way to carry through this Pittsburgh congress. 30 PROGRAM SUGGESTIONS FOR The Celebration of Independence Day Elizabeth Burchenal, New York City Organization: Leadership should be taken by a group of citizens organ- ized into an Independence Day Association. This Association secures the necessary support in service . and money. Money is raised by popular subscription which might be added to by the city government. Some weeks in advance this Association outlines a program of events to occupy in a wholesome way the attention of all elements of the population, young and old. The exercises are selected to encourage a widespread partici- pation. Suggestive Program: 9 A. M. Grand Parade. Music. Pageant of early national and local history up to 1775. Paul Revere on horseback. Fife and drums. Continental Army (High School Cadets) marching. Signing of the Declaration of Independence. "The Spirit of '76." Columbia and the City. United States troops — Militia, Naval Brigade, Police Pageant of the nations who make up the city, showing their achievements, national dress, customs, music, etc. School children (showing amalgamation of 'all nationalities) carrying Ameri- can flags. Pageant of industries — merchants, manufactories, labor unions, etc. II A. M. Mass Meeting in Public Square or at City Hall or Court House. PROGRAM 31 Music — choral singing conducted by the leading musical director of the city. Independence Day oration. Reading of the Declaration. Singing of the great national lyrics and hymns. (Balloon ascension?) Raising of the Flag. National salute of forty-six guns. 12—7 p. M. Band concerts in different parts of the city. Family picnic parties in parks and groves. Games and wading for children. Organized games and folk dancing. Organized athletic meets for young boys. Organized athletic meets for youths and men. Organized water sports. Canoe and rowing races. Motor boat races. Swimming. 7 to 10.30 p. M. Band concerts in different parts of the city. Illumination of fireworks under the direction of local committees at various points. Interest should be aroused in local displays, in the general decoration of streets, houses, and public buildings. Posters based on scenes in the pageants could be made and posted by High School students, and any historic localities should be marked with special signs. 55 i I I OUR BARBAROUS FOURTH ■ i * ■ ■ &)Oi»^iniM^^t«ii^l«li^^^iiMMi«M3aii^ii^i«^^M^ii^MM^^^^M1«°4M^ ,- By MRS. ISAAC L. RICE President of the Society for the Suppression of Unnecessary Noise Reprinted by permission from the Century Magazine, June, 1908 R oseEfct-BAQE^ s ow OAT,OM, GHH-D -HYGIENE- Price, 5 Cents The Anti-Noise Society should have the countenance and support of city, State and Federal officials, including the President ojTjtne United States, in a movement to make the national celebration of 1 the Fourth of July less noisy and more sincere and patriotic ■'.,,..," IMef, (New York). ;; Mrs. Isaac,, L. Rice •contributes a remarkable article to the June! number of- the Century Magazine, under the name of "Our Barbar- ous Fourth." Much has been said and written^ on this subject, but perhaps no one else has so convincingly arraigned the American' people for their heedlessness, their folly and their barbarity in the toleration of a form of patriotic celebration that no other civilized country would tolerate for a moment Times (Kansas City). Thousands of sufferers from the din of this world will welcome the two articles on that subject in this nurnber of The Century— £b.e consideration of "Our Barbarous Fourth^', by .Mrs. Isaac L. Rice, who, as founder and president of fhe^'Sbcie^ty for the Suppression /of ' Unnecessary Noise," is doing a great public 'service in New York, , and the well-reasoned artichvon; "Noise," "by Dr. R. O. Beard- of Minneapolis. . . . Some outlet must be found for the boy's desire to be heard as well as seen on the Fourth, and the rational methods suggested by Mrs. Rice are an admirable' example of constructive criticism. , " V ' •■ The Century (New York)., . Our Barbarous Fourth By Mrs. Isaac L. Rice N his first book, Marcus Aurelius gratefully ac- knowledges his obligation to Sextus of Chae- ronea for having taught him to "express ap- probation without noisy display." Alas! in all the centuries which have elapsed since the time of this emperor-philosopher, we have not yet learned to appreciate the wisdom of his coun- sel; and every holiday, in our country, at least, is made the occasion of a strident outburst of hoodlumism. Hallowe'en, Election Day, Christmas, New Year's, Inauguration Day, and Fourth of July, each witnesses our thoroughfares thronged with shouting and disorderly crowds, provided with every noisy device from the tin trumpet to the danger- ous pistol, while shrieks of whistles shrill maddeningly above the street clamor and the booming of bells. Accidents occur, the sick are made worse by these frenzied demonstrations, and the young fail to appreciate the significance of the day which is being so unbeautifully celebrated. Of all these "noise-fests," the most shocking is the, Fourth of July, and its grim statistics probably furnish a sadder commentary on human folly than that afforded by any other celebration in the world. I often wonder what would be the emotions of a stran- ger, quite ignorant of our institutions, if he arrived in our country — "God's Country," as we affectionately call it — just before midsummer, and glanced over our great newspapers. After reading some items, such as the following, would he be apt to await a great and glorious anniversary, or the ad- vent of a day of strife and terror? The horrible Fourth will soon be here. ... In all the big cities the Fourth of July is now looked forward to with apprehension and looked back upon with a shudder, and even with horror. Or, The Board of Health has established supply stations of tetanus antitoxin throughout the city. The National Volunteer Emergency Service has established field dressing stations in the thickly popu- lated sections. The hospitals also expect their usual busy day. And then he would read head-lines like these : THE NATIONAL BATTLE-FIELD CARNAGE BEGINS ON HOLIDAY EVE BLOODIEST FOURTH YET DEATHS AND INJURIES IN FOURTH OF JULY'S WAKE After our stranger had grasped the fact that this was not the record of a battle or other public calamity, but merely some details regarding the manner in which a great nation commemorates the most solemn event in its history, I doubt whether he would have an exalted opinion of a people who could desecrate so noble a memory by so barbarous an observance. The fitting celebration of Independence Day is a ques- tion on which patriotic Americans are separated into two widely divergent parties, one claiming that it ought to be observed as noisily as possible, the other believing that our national birthday is too glorious an occasion to be marred by din and disorder. Of course we know that even among those who favor a boisterous observance there are many who cannot tolerate it themselves, and escape to the country in order to avoid the tortures of the "awful Fourth"; just as we know that a large proportion of the noise-makers, including the small boy and the big boy, too, is heedless, if not ignorant, of all that our holiday stands for, and thinks of it only as a time when clamor may reign unrestrained. 1 The figures which indicate the price that we pay for each of our yearly celebrations are so appalling that one would suppose a knowledge of them would be the most pow- erful deterrent to our annual massacre. This, unfortunately, is not the case. For the past five years, the "Journal of the, American Medical Association" has endeavored to collect statistics setting forth what the celebration of the Fourth costs in life and human usefulness; and although these are admittedly incomplete, — compiled, as they are, almost en- tirely from newspaper reports instead of from records of hospitals, dispensaries, and physicians, — they form the gravest possible arraignment of the recklessness which is willing to pay such a price for a "jolly day." They show that during the celebration of five national birthdays, from 1903 to 1907 inclusive, eleven hundred and fifty-three per- sons were killed, and twenty-one thousand five hundred and twenty were injured! Of the injured, eighty-eight suffered total, and three hundred and eighty-nine partial, blindness; three hundred and eight persons lost arms, legs, or hands, and one thousand and sixty-seven lost one or more fingers. But these figures, startling as they are, convey only a faint idea of the suffering, both physical and mental, which went to swell the total cost of these five holidays ; in this we must also include the weeks and often months of anguish of the injured, the suspense of entire families while the fate of some loved one hung in the balance, the horror of a future of sightless years, the pinching poverty now the lot of many because of the death or maiming of the breadwinner. But putting aside the question of fatalities, of inva- ^he following is an instance of this : Last Fourth of July, a police court magistrate, wishing to know how many of the prisoners before him, charged with shooting in the streets, could possibly plead patriotic motives, asked each in turn to state his nationality. Of the twenty in line, only two were American-born. Ikiism, of blindness, of penury, the effect on the sick of a long continuance of explosive noises, varying in intensity for days, or even weeks, and deafening for twenty-four hours at least, merits serious consideration. That the return of our "glorious Fourth" is looked forward to with dread by our hospital-sick, as well as by those who are concerned in their care, was made pathetically clear to me last summer when I interviewed the superintendents of almost all our municipal institutions. One and all deplored the needless suffering inflicted on their patients by our barbarous manner of celebration, and begged me to bring the matter to the attention of the Police Department. 1 In this connection, a letter from Dr. Thomas Darling- ton, Commissioner of Health, is of interest : I agree entirely with you in regard to the serious injury inflicted upon patients in the hospitals occasioned by the common practice of exploding fire-crackers and torpedoes in the immediate vicinity. Professor William Hanna Thomson took the same stand when he stated: I rejoice to hear that your Society for the Suppression of Un- necessary Noise proposes to have measures taken to lessen the explosions of fire-crackers and firearms in the neighborhood of our city hospitals on the Fourth of July. Such noises are particularly injurious, both from their nature and their being of an unusual kind, to patients with any high fever, such as typhoid, and it will be a great service to humanity to have them suppressed, if not alto- gether, as most sane people will acknowledge, yet at least near in- stitutions harboring a variety of patients. One feature of our celebration which has not yet been touched upon is the cost. Last year, New York City boasted *I may here say, in passing, that our Police Commissioner, recog- nizing the humane necessity of properly safeguarding the sick, sent out officers with orders to prevent disturbances in the vicinity of hospitals. Thanks to his action, the city's sick had a day of com- parative peace, and the reports which I received that night were unanimous in stating that the hospitals had never had such a quiet Fourth. A letter written by Mother Celso, Mother-Superior of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, will show how gratefully General Bingham's thoughtfulness was appreciated : "It seems as if we were in Paradise. The patients, the doctors, and the sisters all appreciate the quietness of the day." of an outlay of four million dollars, while the country as a whole burned up the huge sum of twenty million dollars in fireworks. Finally, we must add the vast sum lost by con- flagrations before we are in a position to realize the whole price that we pay for our day of jollity. It is interesting to remark how strongly the press is beginning to voice its protest against our "Noise-fest" — a protest now largely seconded by public opinion, although a few years ago it would have been regarded as wofully unpa- triotic. Here are a few excerpts gathered last July from widely scattered papers, which are unanimous in decrying our present-day observance : The most ridiculous and senseless celebration of any great national event. — New York Commercial. What the connection is between explosives and patriotism, no one has ever undertaken to describe. — Utica Press. The people must be educated to appreciate the folly of dynamite as a factor in patriotism. — Chicago Daily Tribune. Time to consider how our annual worship of the God of Noise is to be abolished. This blatant and death-dealing Divinity long ago usurped the shrine occupied by Patriotism. Every year we carry and lay on his bloody altars human sacrifices, like the tribute of maidens to the Minotaur — only they are mostly boys. And so, year after year, the "Glorious Fourth" becomes more and more a dread festival of blood and fire and noise, of death and mayhem. Minneapolis Journal. The traditional gunpowder and dynamite orgies of Independence Day are wrong. Firearms and explosives have no place in any sane scheme of city life. — Cleveland Plain Dealer. The day on which human folly too frequently runs amuck. . . . That the achievement of our national independence, brought about through the necessary spilling of great quantities of blood, should be commemorated by the very general loss of life and limb is as unnecessary as it is deplorable. — Union (Manchester, N. H.). Americans are realizing that noises, maimed and wounded chil- dren, and big conflagrations should not be the sequence of the Nation's birthday. — Toledo Blade. What ought to be the most enjoyable day in the calendar, is made a day of general carnage and a day toward which adults look for- ward with dread and whose passing they look back upon with a sense of mighty relief. — Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.). It is the money burned up in useless and dangerous explosives that is wasted, serving no better purpose than to leave the city with a headache the morning after. — Republic (St. Louis). The din . . . is hideously vulgar and utterly uncivilized . . . discreditable to those who make it and to the civil authorities who permit it. — Evening Wisconsin (Milwaukee). I fain would haul down the red flag of our modern Fourth of July and, in its place, run up the flag of peace, quietude, rest, content- ment, and persona! safety. — Life (New York). The total results of our last "jolly celebration" of Independence Day were 164 killed and 4249 injured, many of them being maimed for life! Is this method of celebration really worth while ? Journal Amer. Med. Assn. (Chicago). How can any satisfaction be taken in the perversion of a holiday to purposes of disorder and destruction, and how can any pride be felt in methods of observance which inevitably condemn hundreds — if not thousands — to be shot, burned, maimed, and otherwise dis- figured and tortured in propitiation of the great god of senseless uproar? — New York Tribune. As for those who are in favor of continuing our present mode of celebration, I can find but one who has written openly in its defense, and even then there is a suspicion that the article is ironical. It is better to shock the sensitive nerves of a few grown people than to have the boys and girls grow up mollycoddles, with the fear of gunpowder in their hearts and no appreciation of a boisterous holi- day, rich in patriotic appeal, and full of the "rough house" spirit of healthy Americanism. This, if seriously meant, reaches the height of absur- dity ; for if there is one thing of which little children should have a wholesome dread, it is gunpowder, and I know of no other country in which such a weapon is put into the hands of babes. It is customary with us to excuse ourselves for Fourth of July accidents by putting all the blame on the small boy. This, however, seems scarcely fair. The blame for much of the annual massacre rests not upon the careless small boy, but upon the careless big parent who places in his hand the instrument of destruction. And an even greater share of the blame is due to public apathy, which not only allows the annual suspension of sane and safe ordinances regulating the use of firearms and explosives, but also permits the 6 disorderly few to injure the health and disturb the repose of the orderly many. As proving that noise is the great desideratum in fire- works, a few extracts from various catalogues will prove interesting. Here, for instance, is a piece the figures of which, according to the thrilling description, move about "whistling and screaming in fantastic, wild, unearthly furore, terminating with a fusillading report," and another which bursts "with terrific reports that can be heard for miles," while a third explodes "with reports equal to six- and twelve- pound cannons," and a fourth like "an imitation rapid-fire Gatling-gun." An appreciative testimonial lauds a "Salute of LYDDITE SHELLS, nothing giving such a tremendous report having ever before been heard in our celebration," while other goods are emphatically praised as being "loudest and best," or "big in noise." One particular piece is notice- able because it consists of a string of fifty thousand fire- crackers. As corroborative of all this, which tends to show that noise is what is desired above all else in fireworks, comes this published interview with a dealer, which is certainly illuminating : The exploding cane is always a winner so long as it is not sup- pressed by the police. Blank cartridges come up at the head of the list. Nothing gives a celebrator so much pleasure as flourishing a pistol and shooting several times in rapid succession. There is just one thing that determines the efficiency of any contrivance designed for celebrating the Fourth, and that is, the volume of sound it makes. For that reason the cannon fire-crackers are popular, and always will remain so. This, then, is what excites the patriotic fervor of the partisans of a strident Fourth, though it does seem as if their enthusiasm would be somewhat lessened in placing side by side with the above this extract from the "Journal of the American Medical Association," which considers the causa- tive factors of the aftermath of last Independence Day : Of the 102 deaths aside from tetanus, gunshot wounds caused twenty, giant crackers caused thirteen, and thirteen deaths were due to explosions of powder, torpedoes and dynamite. Ten deaths were due to falls or runaways caused by fire-crackers. . . _. The limit of tolerance is reached, however, when we know that thirty-one persons were burned to death. . . . The principal cause of the most mutilating wounds is by far the giant cracker. . . . This year 1489 injuries, including thirteen deaths and eight cases of lock- jaw, were due to the giant cracker. It is a reflection scarcely calculated to gratify our na- tional pride that the United States is the only civilized coun- try which observes the greatest of its fete-days in such an uncivilized fashion. Our sister republics, France, Switzer- land, and Brazil, rejoice full as heartily as we over their national birthdays, but they celebrate them in a sane, safe, wholesome, and happy way, and not in our barbarous man- ner. As regards the observance of the French fete, July 14th, Marcel Prevost, the eminent writer, has kindly de- scribed it for me in the following letter : The fete of July 14th is, above all, in France, a day of popular rejoicing; politics do not enter into it. It affords an opportunity of illuminating the town-halls and public buildings, and of indulging in the pleasure of dancing in the open air. In a word, it is a huge kermess. It has always taken place in order and tranquillity. Acci- dents are rare, even in Paris. And since the review at Longchamps has humanely been arranged to take place at nine in the morning, instead of at noon, the troops do not run the risk of sunstroke, which sometimes saddened the early fetes of July 14th. The following touchingly beautiful account of the ob- servance of Switzerland's birthday was sent me by Dr. Eugene Richard, Member of the Council of State: Year by year the people of Switzerland keep the anniversary of 1291, which was in real truth the foundation of the Confederation. Does that treaty — founded by the inhabitants of the Forest Cantons, borrowing from justice her most equitable principles (even down to that of arbitration between states), and guaranteed by the rigid energy of its signers — receive a commemoration worthy of its splen- did simplicity? No clamorous ceremony, to drown the voices of the past, instead of blending with them. We give proof of our remembrance of the First of August by a few brief manifestations during the closing hours of the day. This national solemnity, surprising as it may seem, finds no place in the list of legal holidays. No one interrupts his daily tasks, for such was the way with the men of 1291, who, returning to their homes, took up again the care of their herds. As night descends, the bells on all the churches are set to pealing in a sublime concert of gratitude, rising with penetrating poetry 8 through the serenity and softness of a summer night. Shortly after- ward bonfires are kindled along the heights. Here and there will be a modest illumination or rare display of fireworks. Occasionally an orator reminds the people of the significance of their rejoicing and holds up for imitation the character of our ancestors. Whoever witnesses this spectacle realizes the strength and the sincerity of a patriotism that, without clamor or ostentation, draws fresh life by reverting to its original sources. Switzerland lives in the heart of her citizens. A noisy demonstration would take from us the benefit of a thoughtful mood. In order to produce an impression both profound and salutary, national celebrations must needs have a pervading tranquillity, which enhances their dignity, and leads mankind to earnest thought. According to a very charming letter from his Excel- lency, Senor Joaquin Nabuco, Brazilian Ambassador, it appears that although his countrymen do not observe their festivals with that calm, patriotic fervor which characterizes the Swiss, and although they rejoice in noise as well as in color, there is nothing to show that their holidays are marred by that disorder and by those horrible lists of casualties and accidents which disgrace the celebration of our great anni- versary. The following delightful description of Germany's greatest festival, the Emperor's birthday, has been given me by Professor Hugo Munsterberg of Harvard University: When I look backward to my boyhood days in Germany and ask myself from what sources my young patriotism was steadily sup- plied, I cannot value highly enough the influence of the patriotic cele- brations in my school and my native town. The dearest memory belongs to the Emperor's birthday. I know quite well that the present Emperor was born in January; but when I hear the word •"Emperor's birthday," it still always awakes in me first the date of the 22d of March — the old Emperor's day. Long before, the school planned everything for the grand day; patriotic and religious music, songs and patriotic declamations by the younger pupils, short dramatic plays with motives from German history, given by the older boys, and always an enthusiastic oration by one of the teachers. In Sunday clothes we gathered in the school ; everything was decorated with flowers and garlands and flags, and the whole school continuously, year by year, was lifted up in a com- mon pride and enthusiasm. Two or three of the happiest morning hours were devoted to the celebration, and the jubilant hurrah for the beloved Emperor at the end of the historic oration was the only sound of the day. Then we streamed out into the decorated streets, enjoyed the pic- turesque parades and went to the concert at the market-place, where patriotic marches kindled our youthful emotions. The afternoon belonged to parties at home, where school friends gathered and enjoyed their games with a historic flavor and the chocolate with a patriotic abundance of cakes. Quiet, mellow days they were, and any loud noise would have appeared to us boys as a desecration of the festivity; and yet the loyalty which I stored up in those March days of my boyhood still supplies me amply when I have, year for year on the 27th of January, to make my Emperor's birthday orations to the German-Americans. An interesting account of the manner in which Japan celebrates her fetes was kindly written for me by his Ex- cellency Viscount Aoki, recently Japanese Ambassador to- the United States: In Japan we have three great national holidays. They are No- vember 3d, the present Emperor's birthday; New Year's Day; and February nth, the Day of the Accession of the Emperor Jimmu, the first ruler of the Empire of Japan. An illustration of the Emperor's birthday celebration in Japan will be sufficient to give a general idea as to how our national holi- days are celebrated at home, for there is little difference in the way of its celebration between the above-named three holidays, except in minor details : On the Emperor's birthday all offices, schools, banks, and large business houses are closed. The national flag is hoisted on all public, buildings, schools, and on most of the private houses all over the country. High dignitaries, both civil and military, who are present in the capital, proceed to the Palace of Tokio to present before the throne their congratulations for the occasion, while those in the country and abroad send their congratulatory messages by mail through the Minister for the Imperial Household. In every school all over the country the day is observed in a form appropriate to the occasion. One hundred and one salutes are fired from every fort in the empire. The imperial review of the army is in regular order of the celebration of the day, when hundreds of thousands of the enthusiastic public gather around the drill-ground and all along the- imperial route to cheer their august and beloved sovereign and to witness the glorious military parade of the day, while all of his Majesty's ships fire twenty-one salutes (otherwise known as the national salute) and appear in full dress. The Emperor entertains; in the palace at breakfast all the foreign representatives and high dignitaries of the empire. And now let us listen to what some of our prominent. Americans, whose patriotism none can assail, have to say about our present-day observance. First "Mark Twain," in whose heart of hearts the small boy is enshrined, and who- certainly would not needlessly curtail even one of his little pleasures. Does he approve of our day of "burning" patri- otism ? No ; for he has written to me : I am with you sincerely in your crusade against the bedlam frenzies of the Fourth of July. And William Dean Howells : I am glad that you have added to your noble and beneficent ambi- tion to suppress all unnecessary noises the wish especially to deal with the barbarous and obstreperous celebration of the Fourth of July. I am sure that Confucius did not invent gunpowder, and that it was not Chinese wisdom which gave us fire-crackers. Until we cease to glorify our national birthday like a nation of lawless boys we shall have no right to claim that we have come of age, and the civilized world must regard us as savages until we stop behaving like them. And one of our poets : It is good news that you are turning your attention to the subject of the irrational manner in which Americans celebrate their inde- pendence. I am sure you will not merely advocate the suppression of meaningless noise, and that you will indicate such fetes, cere- monies, pageants, and celebrations in general as are rational and in- structive ; also, that you will hint at a broader and more inspiring use of the day than either arousing old and debasing international enmi- ties or the display of indecent self-glorification. As to the suppression of Fourth of July noise, with its dangers to nerve, limb, and life, the whole sensible population will wish you a continuance of that success which has followed your efforts on a narrower scale in the metropolis. I am reminded that in the sweet and peaceful valley from which I write the national holiday is looked forward to with apprehension, on account of the dreadful, sleep- scattering noises of the night and dawn before. On the Fourth, why should we not have music instead of noise, art, instead of gun- powder? Every community in the United States will have occasion to bless your name and memory if you can do something substantial toward making more quiet and more ennobling the anniversary of the day that gave the Republic birth. Here, too, is a letter from Dr. Weir Mitchell : If anything can be done to lessen the noise of the Fourth of July celebrations, it will also be efficient in lessening the amount of in- juries inflicted by the desire of man and boy to make meaningless noises. Not only does it leave the Fourth of July as an annually recurrent unpleasant memory, but there is the same absurd tendency to extend the nuisance of noises into other days. Thus at present in this city, and I presume elsewhere, the first of the year is ushered in by a vast chorus of idiotic noises produced by steam-whistles, fire- crackers, and horns, accompanied by a solemn bell-ringing, such as in old times called those who watched for the coming of the New Year to prayer. That our Commissioner of Health fully recognizes the necessity of bringing about a saner mode of celebration is shown by the following letter : Your plan to include, as part of the activities of the Society for the Suppression of Unnecessary Noise, the question of a more sen- sible celebration of the Fourth of July, meets with my most hearty approval. The long list of killed and wounded, which comes as the result of what should be a day of patriotic inspiration, is certainly appalling, and indicative of how far we have strayed from its true spirit. Your efforts to induce the people of this country to celebrate its most joyous anniversary in a manner fitting and appropriate, provide an object which should enlist the sympathy and cooperation of all who have the welfare of their country at heart. And finally ( for the limited space of a magazine article will not admit of the inclusion of even the hundredth part of all the appeals for a saner observance of the Fourth), I offer this letter from the Hon. Henry L. West, Commis- sioner of the District of Columbia, which shows that even officialdom is willing to risk the charge of lack of patriotism, if by so doing our boys and girls may be saved from the horrors of a day of catastrophes : I am thoroughly in sympathy with any movement which will re- sult in decreasing the habit of carelessly using gunpowder on the Fourth of July and which will also result in a more quiet celebration of the day. In Washington the authorities have already taken a step in the right direction in forbidding the explosion of the so-called giant fire-crackers, nor is it allowable to place torpedoes on the street rail- way tracks. I believe that the Fourth of July can be celebrated with as much patriotism and more sanity if the wanton use of gunpowder on that day is condemned. And now, before taking up the question of what might be suggested as a more reverent and appropriate mode of honoring our day of days, let us look back a hundred years or so, and see how our first national birthdays were kept. Here it is encouraging to learn that nothing resembling in the least our wild orgy of noise was dreamed of. Indeed, had such a suggestion been breathed to the sons and daugh- ters of our Revolutionary heroes, they would probably have felt that the plan savored more of China, the land of noise and the home of the fire-cracker, than of their own country, and have been profoundly shocked at the mere idea that such an anniversary could receive so murderous a recogni- tion. A glance over the time-yellowed pages of the "Even- ing Post," printed more than a century ago, or those of the "New York Packet," which was old when the "Post" was young, "shows how differently the Fourth was observed by those who had seen burst into full flower that glorious patri- otism which had given it birth. The proclamations, an- nouncements, poems, and advertisements which appeared in those July days of long ago are touching in their patriotic, though grandiloquent, fervor. Here, for instance, is a bit from an announcement of the Tammany Association which appeared in the "Season of Fruit, Year of the Discovery, 310" (July I): Brothers. This Day, like the Sun which illuminates it, sheds a bright and diffusive lustre, and welcomes all to partake of its radi- ance. Once it witnessed the blood-stained field, the plundered town, the ravaged coast, the sinking warrior, the defenseless town, the despondency of our Guardian Genius. But the Great Spirit watched over the western clime, and now its approach is hailed with the in- cense of Peace; and the veteran rejoices in his scars, the hoary chief and his patriot sons assemble with congratulations where once the noise of battle was heard, and the Eagle towers aloft majestic and unawed. In these days the celebration began with unfurling the flag, a salute of thirteen guns and ringing of church-bells, followed by a procession and exchange of courtesies be- tween the Governor and the President. Then came the march to church, where odes, addresses, anthems, and ora- tions were in order with, of course, the reading of the Decla- ration of Independence. Next, luncheon, with more salutes and bell-ringing and then, evening having come, perform- ances in theater and gardens and the meeting of various patriotic societies. Everything connected with the per- formances was patriotically reminiscent. In the gardens, transparencies and fireworks portrayed temples of immor- tality, obelisks of heroes, and figures of Justice, Fidelity, 13 Fame, and Piety, all radiantly intermingled with shining pic- tures of Washington and of the Arms of the United States, with its brilliant stars, while at the theater, patriotic plays were given, such as "Bunker Hill" or the "Death of Warren and the Glory of Columbia" or the "Retrospect of the Amer- ican Revolution." This all refers to New York, but it is probable that virtually the same observance obtained in other large cities. Let us now consider what might be substituted for our present-day mad and dangerous celebration, which serves only to keep in remembrance one feature of our great strug- gle, the cannonading and musketry-discharges which shook the country during the arduous days of its birth. I sincerely believe that our national birthday can be observed with heartfelt patriotic rejoicing, and yet without the slightest danger to life or limb, without any nerve-racking noise or display of hoodlumism, and without any of the extravagant outlay which ihas characterized our former celebrations. Flags can float, national music be played and sung in places now given over solely to the deafening din of cannon fire- crackers, the Declaration of Independence be read at all of our public buildings, where inspiring addresses may also be made, and street-displays, such as processions with floats, beautiful as well as instructive, furnish delightful object- lessons of the greatest events in our history. Then, at night, we may have illuminations, both private and municipal, and displays of fireworks in open places, where the exhibitions can be conducted by experienced men, thus avoiding all danger of the shocking accidents which now sadden our _ celebration. Let us, on this day, forget the noise of battle and the passions of international strife, and remember only the wonderful spirit of sacrifice, and patriotism, and broth- erhood which animated our Revolutionary heroes. Let us, who know what the day means, endeavor to make it both memorable and illuminating to those who do not by opening the hearts of the children, of the poor and ignorant, of the distressed and disheartened alien within our gates, to at least a partial significance of what we honor in our glorious fes- tival. Let us enter personally into the work, giving tender endeavor as well as means to the task of making the occa- sion the happiest of all the year to the ignorant and the wretched. Let us give them a day of liberty in the country or in the parks, where they will see our beautiful flag float- ing everywhere about them, and where their untrained ears will become accustomed to the ringing rhythm of our national melodies. Let us give them mementoes of the Fourth, such as flags and pictures of our heroes and of those whom we love as well as honor. There let them listen to the story of the birth of our Republic, and have it told simply and, if necessary, in their own tongues, so that all can feel how great were those who made the country free, and how won- derful is the boon of liberty now extended to the oppressed of other countries. Another Fourth of July has come and gone, and - again the "Journal of the American Medical Association" — in its humane task of endeavoring to awaken the national conscience to a just appreciation of the crime committed every year in the name of patriotism — has once more tabulated statistics of our Orgy of Blood and Fire. These show that one hundred and thirteen persons were" killed and five thousand, four hundred and sixty were injured. It would seem that it were now time for all municipalities to follow the example of the City of Cleveland which, but a few days after its last celebration, enacted the following ordinance, in order to bring about a sane and safe observance of the Fourth of July: Ordinance No. 12008 ORDINANCE NO. 12008.— AN ORDINANCE to supplement Sec- tion 1557 of the Revised Ordinances to amend Section 1560 of the Revised Ordinances and to repeal Section 1559 of the Re- vised Ordinances relating to the sale and use of fireworks, fire- arms and explosives. 15 Section I. (1557-a) That no person, firm, or corporation shall, within the city, sell, offer for sale, or have in his or its possession or custody any toy pistol, squib, rocket, cracker, or roman candle, or fire balloon, or other combustible fireworks, or any article for the making of a pyrotechnic display. Provided that nothing in this sec- tion contained shall be construed as to prohibit the Board of Public Service from giving pyrotechnical displays of fireworks in the pub- lic parks whenever said Board is thereunto directed by resolution of Council. Section 2. (1560) That any person violating any of the provi- sions of Section 1557, 1557-a, or 1558, shall on conviction thereof be fined in any sum not exceeding One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or imprisoned in the workhouse not exceeding thirty days or both at the discretion of the court. Section 3. That Sections 1559 and 1560 of the Revised Ordi- nances be and the same are hereby repealed. Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and legal publication. Passed July 13, 1908. C. W. LAPP, President of the Council. PETER WITT, City Clerk. Approved by the Mayor July 20, 1908. July 22-29. 16 The publication of a strong article by Mrs. Isaac I* Rice, presi- dent of the Society for the Suppression of Unnecessary Noises, en- titled "Our Barbarous Fourth," in the June number of The Century Magazine, is something of an epoch-marking event— and that for more than one significant reason. It is not in the tale that it re-tells of the yearly national "battle and murder and sudden death," to which the nation's birthday has been prostituted; not in the story it recites so well of the resulting human deformity, health prejudice and economic loss, that this significance dwells. These constitute, naturally, the first appeal to the people through the elemental instinct of self-preservation, im- periled in the most obvious direction of danger. That the appeal has been made so often, that, despite the verified array of awful facts and figures, this annual national disaster is still consummated, is fearful testimony to the deplorably low value that is still put upon human life and human health in America. . This article is remarkable, first of all, for the comparison it draws between our methods of national celebration and those of other peoples ; thus proving, to our discredit, that other nations have higher ideals of national conduct, loftier conceptions of public mo- rality, matiirer views of the eternal fitness of things, than we can boast. It appears that even the younger republic of France and the smaller republic of Switzerland, even the paternal autocracy of Ger- many and the revived but ancient civilization of Japan have created for themselves a purer atmosphere of patriotism than the United States of America enjoys. The comparison, however, encourages the belief that our methods are of local and Of developmental origin, rather than of universal human quality; that they are simply '^he rough ways of a young world till now," the errors of a national youth, tendencies which are temporary in the childhood of the individual, the nation and the race. It suggests the hope that, we may yet grow up- Mrs. Rice's paper is significant, again, because it embodies opinions of a number of enlightened public men and of an enlightened public press, throughout the country, which go_ far to -show the progress which the education of the people is making and to justify the faith that the national mind and conscience is coming to a new birth. But this publication is still more noteworthy because it strikes a . new note and a higher note than a mere appeal to the instinct of self-preservation suggests. It is not the personal pen of Mrs. Rice, alone, but the official voice of the society she represents which speaks to the people, literally, of "the things which belong unto their peace." She makes not only an appeal for the saving of life and- limb, not only a plea for the cultivation of a calmer and purer patriotism, but a protest against the indulgence and the tolerance, by the Amer- ican people, of insane, insensate, brutalizing, destructive and deteri- orative noise.— Dr. R. 0. Beard, in the Bellman, Minneapolis.