The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1900-05-16
LET ALL THE PEOPLE KNOW
A Plea For The Infirmsry. To-Day Rich
Mex, Year You May be Sick And in
Want

The Ferris Wheel of Life develops
many ups and downs. The dweller in
a palace to-day a decade hence may
seek the pauper's home. To anyone of
us some day the gates of poverty's last
refuge may open swing. Shall we not
then seek to erase the legend grim,
LET him who enters here leave hope
behind"
The magnificent Government build
ing is an ornament to our city; we
point to It's architecture and appoint
ments with pride; yet according to the
lesson given us in the story CT the Good
Samaritan, the place where trained
watchers count the heart-beats of the
weak, battle the fevered brows of the
suffering, and hold to the lips of "the
least of these" cup of cold water, is
an ornament bevond the beauty of ar
chitecture. refer to the Pattie A. Clay
Infirmary.
The Bible tells OF man who was on
his way from Jerusalem to Jericho when
thieves came upon him; robbed him,
beat him and left him BY the wayside
to die. A priest who went that way
saw the man.bu passed by on the other
side. 4 Levite did the same. But a
Good Samaritan, who was passing that
way, seeing the wounded stranger
had mercy on him, put him on his
own beast, carried him 10 the inn, had
him cared for and paid the bill The
story closes with the admOnition, go
thou aud do likewise" What the Good
Samaritan did for that one man the
paff;o CIov VuGer,orxy hoe I0na Cor
hundreds L am safe in saying the inn
to which the man was taken
never had spring mattress or atrained
nurse. and the doctors Of Jerusalem
and Jericho never equaled in skill the
doctors of Richmond. II the deed of
the Good Samaritan is worthy a place
in the book of all books. is not the In
Urinary given 10 Good Samaritan work
worthy place in our hearts and worthy
the help it sorely needs?
Is this giving too much Importance TO
hospital work? If we go to the Bible,
with all its pages and chapters, We
find one page given to the creation oil
the material universe, with all its suns
and systems, while page upon page, and
chapter after chapter, are given TO the
healing of the lame. halt and blind.
We live in as lovely land as the
sun shines upon, and Madison county
has given to the world ministers, war
riOrs, statesmen that have helped to
make famous other States besides the
Blue Grass garden of the Southland. Yet
as the Bible merely mentions the ma
teIial world while it crowns as greatest
of all glories the work of Christian
aborffU On I fnrn fro,y, Tho objection
background of wealth and beauty about
us. to say of the Houses of Mercy
Homes OF the Friendle,ss, Orphans and
Widows Homes, Hospitals and Infirm
aries, these are the sublime way
marks of Gods purpose among men,
These charitable institutions, with
others numbering hundreds of thou
sands in our land, are moral and merci
ful lightning rods, which tend to aver
from this Republic the wrath of God.
These hospitals and homes make uT
an independent, reciprocal, together
woven, GOd-allied ard GOd-saving in
huence ancient empires never dreampt
OF
Hear me, men of every party, womer
Of every creed, and all lovers of liberty
If this Republic is to stand in steady
splendor at the heighth of human civil
cation, it will not be because of ii
money standard, nor its tariff or ex
pansion policy but because of the heart
beat of human brotherhood sending the
blood of a common father bounding
through the veins of the concentrated
whole of society, binding high and low
rich and poor, weak and strong together
Rome never had a legion of soldier
that was such a guarantee OF nationa
endurance as the plain hospital nestled
in the shadow of bereavement WHERE
the bright feet OF charity carry healing
and help to 1.-THE least of these" Tn,
Christian world is asking: "Wha
would Jesus do?" We know what b,
did. We know he passed by the palac'
that in manager he might be in toucl
with the lowest and poorest, and tn
Infrmary could have no boiler CLAIM
upon MS than that nearly four hundred
charity patients passed through il
portals. We know the life He lived
| II He were in Richmond He would no
inquire about the condition of on
farms, or the speed of our horses; hu
He would ask after the hospital servic,
of the city and the homes OF charity
Some one may say: "We have a.gOoC
poor house, why start another one?'
SO the city once had a good publi
school, why build another? New
York City once had five hospitals. wh,
build five times as many more? Great
er population requires greater facilities
The poor house is for incurables, a
we'll as for the aged and infirm poor
The Infirmary is hospital, and doe
not conflict with any institution
II you will take time to visit the In
Urinary and look into its great wOrl
you will not ask, "Why?" TO pres
that question is TO parade your ignor
ance or Indifference to one of the di
vine laws. the blessed Golden Rule.
1t is for higher, nObler conception
Of our responsibilities and opportunitie
that i plead. There are in Madison
county many charitable and generous
hearted people-people who are eve
ready to respond to the call of distress
to listen to the pleadiDgs of humanity
But the major portion of the inhabi
tants are in ignorance, or at best ar
not more than dimly conscious, of til,
fact that such an institution exists a
the Madison county poorhouse. Per
hsps score of the citizens of tn
countyseat know i'm what portion O
the county this Institution is located
Half that number would not know
what road 10 take if they wished Il
visit it. IL is practically inaccessible
It's inmates are shut out from tn,
world. / would speak for those WIFI
cannot speak for themselves, for thos
whose murmurings are lost amid tn
far awav hills TO which they havl
been banished, for those whose com
plants can never penetrate to thos
who might svmpathize with their un
witnessed suherings. These peopl
and others are guilty of the grea
crime-the objectionable sin of power
". And when our INDECENT sick appl
to our kindhearted County Judge 10
aid and treatment, we submit tina
though their poverty should be pur
ished. thay should not be buried alive
This does not convey a charge agaius
the management of our poorhOuse. Tn
purpose of this Importantly is TO poin
out the necessity for the intelligent
humane treatment of our unfortunate
wards This can be accomplishe,
only by an enlightened public sent
inent We have been from the day Q
its founding to this hour friend of tn
Infirmary. Through evil and through GOO
report. and We speak not as one with
out authority.
1t is the one organized publ
charity of our county. 1t cannot exis
without money. 1t cannot be support
ed out of the purses of It's frinds alone
1t is not conducted for profit. There
fore, our magistrates and councilmel
should count it privilege and dut'
to foster in our midst an institution
dedicated to the alteration of the SUI
fefing Of mankind. under the manage
ment of skilled nurses. II provide
the best of care and treatment O
patients and thereby hastens their i'm
provement and lessons the cost to In,
conntr We 1all-nn oil hnnac ne rao..l.