the americanization of edward bok-第75部分

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　bodies　had　joined　in　the　clamor。

The　attorney…general　and　the　secretary　of　state　were　instructed　by　the　President　to　look　into　the　legal　and　diplomatic　aspects　of　the　question；　and　in　his　next　message　to　Congress　President　Roosevelt　uttered　a　clarion　call　to　that　body　to　restrict　the　power…grabbing　companies。

The　Ladies'　Home　Journal　urged　its　readers　to　write　to　their　congressmen　and　they　did　by　the　thousands。　Every　congressman　and　senator　was　overwhelmed。　As　one　senator　said：　〃I　have　never　seen　such　an　avalanche。　But　thanks　to　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal；　I　have　received　these　hundreds　of　letters　from　my　constituents；　they　have　told　me　what　they　want　done；　and　they　are　mostly　from　those　of　my　people　whose　wishes　I　am　bound　to　respect。〃

The　power　companies；　of　course；　promptly　sent　their　attorneys　and　lobbyists　to　Washington；　but　the　public　sentiment　aroused　was　too　strong　to　be　disregarded；　and　on　June　29；　1906；　the　President　signed　the　Burton　Bill　restricting　the　use　of　the　water　of　Niagara　Falls。

The　matter　was　then　referred　to　the　secretary　of　war；　William　Howard　Taft；　to　grant　the　use　of　such　volume　of　water　as　would　preserve　the　beauty　of　the　Falls。　McFarland　and　Bok　wanted　to　be　sure　that　Secretary　Taft　felt　the　support　of　public　opinion；　for　his　policy　was　to　be　conservative；　and　tremendous　pressure　was　being　brought　upon　him　from　every　side　to　permit　a　more　liberal　use　of　water。　Bok　turned　to　his　readers　and　asked　them　to　write　to　Secretary　Taft　and　assure　him　of　the　support　of　the　American　women　in　his　attitude　of　conservatism。

The　flood　of　letters　that　descended　upon　the　secretary　almost　taxed　even　his　genial　nature；　and　when　Mr。　McFarland；　as　the　editorial　representative　of　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal；　arose　to　speak　at　the　public　hearing　in　Washington；　the　secretary　said：　〃I　can　assure　you　that　you　don't　have　to　say　very　much。　Your　case　has　already　been　pleaded　for　you　by；　I　should　say　at　the　most　conservative　estimate；　at　least　one　hundred　thousand　women。　Why；　I　have　had　letters　from　even　my　wife　and　my　mother。〃

Secretary　Taft　adhered　to　his　conservative　policy；　Sir　Wilfred　Laurier；　premier　of　Canada；　met　the　overtures　of　Secretary　of　State　Root；　a　new　international　document　was　drawn　up；　and　Niagara　Falls　had　been　saved　to　the　American　people。

In　1905　and　in　previous　years　the　casualties　resulting　from　fireworks　on　the　Fourth　of　July　averaged　from　five　to　six　thousand　each　year。　The　humorous　weekly　Life　and　The　Chicago　Tribune　had　been　for　some　time　agitating　a　restricted　use　of　fireworks　on　the　national　fete　day；　but　nevertheless　the　list　of　casualties　kept　creeping　to　higher　figures。　Bok　decided　to　help　by　arousing　the　parents　of　America；　in　whose　hands；　after　all；　lay　the　remedy。　He　began　a　series　of　articles　in　the　magazine；　showing　what　had　happened　over　a　period　of　years；　the　criminality　of　allowing　so　many　young　lives　to　be　snuffed　out；　and　suggested　how　parents　could　help　by　prohibiting　the　deadly　firecrackers　and　cannon；　and　how　organizations　could　assist　by　influencing　the　passing　of　city　ordinances。　Each　recurring　January；　The　Journal　returned　to　the　subject；　looking　forward　to　the　coming　Fourth。　It　was　a　deep…rooted　custom　to　eradicate；　and　powerful　influences；　in　the　form　of　thousands　of　small　storekeepers；　were　at　work　upon　local　officials　to　pay　no　heed　to　the　agitation。　Gradually　public　opinion　changed。　The　newspapers　joined　in　the　cry；　women's　organizations　insisted　upon　action　from　local　municipal　bodies。

Finally；　the　civic　spirit　in　Cleveland；　Ohio；　forced　the　passage　of　a　city　ordinance　prohibiting　the　sale　or　use　of　fireworks　on　the　Fourth。　The　following　year　when　Cleveland　reported　no　casualties　as　compared　to　an　ugly　list　for　the　previous。　Fourth；　a　distinct　impression　was　made　upon　other　cities。　Gradually；　other　municipalities　took　action；　and　year　by　year　the　list　of　Fourth　of　July　casualties　grew　perceptibly　shorter。　New　York　City　was　now　induced　to　join　the　list　of　prohibitive　cities；　by　a　personal　appeal　made　to　its　mayor　by　Bok；　and　on　the　succeeding　Fourth　of　July　the　city　authorities；　on　behalf　of　the　people　of　New　York　City；　conferred　a　gold　medal　upon　Edward　Bok　for　his　services　in　connection　with　the　birth　of　the　new　Fourth　in　that　city。

There　still　remains　much　to　be　done　in　cities　as　yet　unawakened；　but　a　comparison　of　the　list　of　casualties　of　1920　with　that　of　1905　proves　the　growth　in　enlightened　public　sentiment　in　fifteen　years　to　have　been　steadily　increasing。　It　is　an　instance　not　of　Bok　taking　the　initiativethat　had　already　been　takenbut　of　throwing　the　whole　force　of　the　magazine　with　those　working　in　the　field　to　help。　It　is　the　American　woman　who　is　primarily　responsible　for　the　safe　and　sane　Fourth；　so　far　as　it　already　exists　in　this　country　to…day；　and　it　is　the　American　woman　who　can　make　it　universal。

Mrs。　Pennypacker；　as　president　of　The　Federation　of　Women's　Clubs；　now　brought　to　Bok's　attention　the　conditions　under　which　the　average　rural　school…teacher　lived；　the　suffering　often　entailed　on　her　in　having　to　walk　miles　to　the　schoolhouse　in　wintry　weather；　the　discomfort　she　had　to　put　up　with　in　the　farm…houses　where　she　was　compelled　to　live；　with　the　natural　result；　under　those　conditions；　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　secure　the　services　of　capable　teachers；　or　to　have　good　teaching　even　where　efficient　teachers　were　obtained。

Mrs。　Pennypacker　suggested　that　Bok　undertake　the　creation　of　a　public　sentiment　for　a　residence　for　the　teacher　in　connection　with　the　schoolhouse。　The　parson　was　given　a　parsonage；　why　not　the　teacher　a　〃teacherage〃？　The　Journal　co…operated　with　Mrs。　Pennypacker　and　she　began　the　agitation　of　the　subject　in　the　magazine。　She　also　spoke　on　the　subject　wherever　she　went；　and　induced　women's　clubs　all　over　the　country　to　join　the　magazine　in　its　advocacy　of　the　〃teacherage。〃

By　personal　effort；　several　〃teacherages〃　were　established　in　connection　with　new　schoolhouses；　photographs　of　these　were　published　and　sent　personally　to　school…boards　all　over　the　country；　the　members　of　women's　clubs　saw　to　it　that　the　articles　were　brought　to　the　attention　of　members　of　their　local　school…boards；　and　the　now…generally　accepted　idea　that　a　〃teacherage〃　must　accompany　a　new　schoolhouse　was　well　on　its　way　to　national　recognition。

It　only　remains　now　for　communities　to　install　a　visiting　nurse　in　each　of　these　〃teacherages〃　so　that　the　teacher　need　not　live　in　solitary　isolation；　and　that　the　health　of　the　children　at　school　can　be　looked　after　at　first　hand。　Then　the　nurse　shall　be　at　the　call　of　every　small　American　communityparticularly　to　be　available　in　cases　of　childbirth；　since　in　these　thinly　settled　districts　it　is　too　often　impossible　to　obtain　the　services　of　a　physician；　with　the　result　of　a　high　percentage　of　fatalities　to　mothers　that　should　not　be　tolerated　by　a　wealthy　and　progressive　people。　No　American　mother；　at　childbirth；　should　be　denied　the　assistance　of　professional　skill；　no　matter　how　far　she　may　live　from　a　physician。　And　here　is　where　a　visiting　nurse　in　every　community　can　become　an　institution　of　inestimable　value。

Just　about　this　time　a　group　of　Philadelphia　physicians；　headed