Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-22
A THANKLESS TASK.
The Management of st. Luke's Cot
tage Hospital.
The Ladies' of the Guild Give mp AT
ter struggling for Six Years
What They Have Had to
Contend with.

Rock ISLAND. April 90. Editor AR
GUs:-The announcement of the Ladies'
guild of 81. Luke's hospital that they
had finally decided to discontinue their
efforts to maintain the work of that in
stitution and turn the property over TO
the trustees, demands few words of
explanation. The practical effect of this
decision will be the closing of the hos
pital, as il is not at all likely that the
trustees will take any steps to raise the
funds needed to maintain its operations.
But few persons have sny conception as
70 what the work of securing the funds
for the hospital has cost the guild during
the six years of the existence of the in
stitution. These ladies have left no
stone unturned in their efforts TO carry
on this work. They have freely given of
their time, their strength and their money,
and what thanks have they received?
None at all. On the contrary they have
been compelled TO run tie gauntlet of
unfair and unkind criticism. as we'll as to
suffer all kinds of criticism and misrep-
resentatlon Of their motives. They have
even been charged with having misused
the funds committed to their care. During
the past year they have received bat $500
from the citizens of the community, and
the balance they raised by direct personal
work. As the case now stands, they do
not care TO subject themselves any more
TO the humiliation of such rehuffs as they
have received when soliciting funds
Indeed these rebuffs have at times
amounted to nothing less than personal
insults.
The management do not claim that they
have been perfect in their administration
of the affairs of the hospital, but thew
have always acted in accordance with
their best judgement. If there had been
less OF unfair and unfounded criticism
and more hearty cooperation and assist.
ance, the outlook for the hospital might
have been very different today. As il is.
these ladies have reached the end of their
string and have exhausted all their re-
sources and now their patience, if not
their self-respect. tells them to cease their
thsnkless work. The circumstances In
the case fully justify their final decision
to cease their work. 1t has not been for
personal ends that they have labored, but
simply for the benefit of the sick and
suffering who have no place where their
needs could be minisiered to- It is easy
enough Tor persons to criticise and find
fault, but 1t has only made the work of
these ladies all the more trying and diff
cult. The work must now stop because
OF an utter lack OF support on the part OF
those who have the means but not the
spirit to assist them in their uutiring
efforts.
1t is strange commentary on our CITY
with all its wealth and prosperity thai
tharn 10 mn in - i
benevolence to maintain such an in-
stltution. Other cities can main>
tain hospitals and point with pride
to them, but it seems that Rock
Island cannot. Henceforth the home
less sick' will have no place where
they can be cared for. The guild would
cheerfully continue their work if they had
met with different treatment By the com>
munity at large, but it is unreasonable to
ask them to make brick without straw.
and they are ready and have been ready
for months, to turn their work over to
other hands. After six years the work
now falls TO the ground, And who is to
blame for thisf Surely not the ladies who
have done their best but those who have
blocked their progress by unkind criti-
cisms and actual hostility. Let some of
the critics and wise-scres now come for
ward and take up the work. Now is
their chance if they ever really desired it.
1t remains to be seen what they will do.
But 10 fairness to the faithful few let the
due honor be given for having maintained
this charitable work for six years.
FRIEND OF THE HOSPITAL
IA Friend Of The Hospital" does not
avoid the truth. and the ladies OF St.
Lukes hospital whose self-denying, pub
lic-spiri;ed charitable efforts have made
the hospital what it has been, have GER
tainly merited the gratitude of the entire
community, TO say nothing of the great
number of individuals whose sufferings
have been slleviated by their work.
Thankless and discouraging as have been
the efforts OF the ladies to maintain the
hospital year by year. however, it is not
likely that Indifference in the matter of
contributions would have caused them o
give up entirely, had it not been for the
actual warfare carried against the hospi>
tai from some of our city pulpits a few
years ago when charity ball designed
to yield the hospital handsome income,
received such staggering blow because
OF the reflections cast upon all who might
participate. 1t is fact that the ladies
really lost courage from that hour, and
while they have struggled bravely on
since. the undertaking has been an unsur>
mountable one and at last they have given
up entirely. As "a Friend Of the Hos
pital" says. who indeed can blame them