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Show SAFE AND SANE IT WAS. The celebration of tho Fourth of July throughout tho country was safe and sane, sure enough. On tho morning morn-ing of July -1th we printed a little table showing tho deaths and injuries by celebrations on Independence Day in the past. For the eight years given the deaths aggregated 3662, an aver-ago aver-ago practically of 208 per year. The injuries numbered 35,G20, an average of 4452 per year. It is too early yet to compile the casualties of the Fourth of July this 3'ear, but the preliminary report from thq Chicago Tribune, which makes a specialty of collecting this sort of news, shows but thirteen deaths, compared com-pared with twenty-eight reported the first night last year. Tho number of injured reported is 201, as against 1785 I reported up to tho same hour last year. This is certainly a, tremendous gain for sanity and safety. All that we havo to do is to keep right along on the same good path, and presently there will be neither deaths nor wounds to report as a result of the celebration of Independence Day in the United States. And surely that is a consummation consum-mation most devoutly to bo wished. For, of all tho distressful things in connection with the joyous celebration, killing and maiming of human beings is the worst of all. The country was not so fortunate in the matter of fires; for many fires aro reported, started by firecrackers and other explosives. This damaging result of explosive Fourths will be the last to put an end to; but persistence in the doctrine of safety and sanity is bound lo win also here. |