Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-15

tumwa Trades and Labor assembly,
was called upon for an address. He
stated that he was sorry to see SO
few wage carriers present at the ban
quet n expressed a wish that more
of them might have heard DR.. Mac
Lean n the other speakers. He
agreed with DR.. MacLean that the
poor people were the greatest benefi:
Charles from a hospital and assured
the Warmest support of the laboring
people in the project.
S. II. Harper.
S. HI. Harper stated that there had
been enough hospital talk and that he
was going to vary the by
talking of something else. He stated
that he did not know whether to pro-
pound the question of how far it is
from the earth's circumference to
Bird Center OF to let the audience
study on the question of the day, How
old is Ann?" Senator Harper stated
that Ottumwa had never failed to re-
spond to an emergency from the time
bonds to bring the B. g. NJ. railway
here until the present day n he
saw no chance of failure in the scheme
to build a new hospital.
r. w. Simmons Address.
when kindred subjects present
themselves to us for consideration,
we sometimes hesitate as to the i'm
portance and weight Of each, as
compared with the other.
There is something about the idea
of building n maintaining a public
hospital which appeals to me as it
must to all, more forcibly than that
of any other of our public institu-
lions.
Our courts may be held in the open
commons or in barns, or in costly
marble piles covered over with gilded
domes and yet exact justice may be
rendered.
"A scientific education and even the
finishing touches of high collegiate de-
gree may be attained by the use of a
tallow dip for a light or a log school
house with wooden benches for CONF
fort.
THE devotion of a true Christian,
if l may be privileged so to speak,
is not measured nor DO l believe is
really quickened by the size nor cost
of a e nor the height of a steeple
which is owe the same.
1T is, however, of course, very much
better that we are able to provide
fine court houses and extensive and
StdpoIateiy GQulppGu COlleSeS anu mag
nihcent churches and cathedralS for
u use, and these things we do be-
cause we are a great and liberal peo-
pie, and because we believe in prog
ress and the development of our hu-
man comfort.
The Necessity of a Hospital.
But as l have said the necessity for
the hospital seems to me greater than
all these, so far as it's physical bet
terments are concerned. A place
where human suffering Is arrested
where The skill of science is practice
ed and where life is more easily
affections of friends and relatives have
been for a time transferred from low
ing n beautiful homes to await the
awful verdict of fate or the dull dis
appointment of hope.
1T is human! 1t is natural! 1t is
Christian! that we should help one
another in suffering and in sick
ness.
Even before the time Of Christ, hos
pitfalls seemed to rave been establish
ed by the Buddhist priest for the sick
priest for the sick poor Of India, but
they are more especially characters
tic of Christianity and were. recog-
nized institutions as early as the
fourth century, 49,
AHo SlIlCe lHaI time al CnTlSIldn-
dom has been engaged in the develop
ment of we'll appointed and well
equipped hospitals. They are highly
moral institutions, not religious nor
political, and bespeak the highest
ideal Of mans love for man.
Ottumwa's Needs,
I'VE want a good hospital in ottum-
wa. / will not here speak Of the
patience and anxiety and Of the no.
bleness and sacrifice Of some of our
good Ottumwa women who have la
bored so long and so earnestly for
the building they now s for. They
know the crying need of it better thar
most of us. Let us help them and
ourselves. We want a hospital in OF
tumwa worthy of her name. We want
no building to serve as a memorial
or monument to it's individual found
er. Let it be built by the. people of
Ottumwa and let us call 1t our mon
ument to living and suffering human
ity. Let the integer be the people
and let us meet this expense as we
quires."
Mayor PiekIers Address.
Mayor Picker when called upon
spoke as follows:
MIR. Chairman.-After hearing the
remarks of the gentlemen preceding
me. l can not see where there is room
for anything more to be said on the
subject of a hospital for the city OF
Ottumwa.
1T seems to be the opinion Of those
who are competent to Judge that the
present hospital is inadequate to meet
the demands Of a city the size of OF
tunlwa, and i desire to a that WE
should place confidence in their judg-
ment on this subject.
Il desire to say that during the
time / have been mayor of this city
j have often observed the necessity
of lettering some of the conditions at
our present hospital. Although we
must give due credit for all the good
acts and deeds which have been rem
dered by reason of it's existence.