The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-01-19

ends and aims.
The State Eleemosynary Institutions.
The various eleemosynary institutions
Of the State require constant thought
and study. Equal in concern and rs near
to the hearts OF the people as any sub.
ject that has been touched upon is the
human and skiliful treatment Of those
unfortunate members Of society within
the State who have been touched with
inirmitics that unfit them for the daily
vacations OF an active life and who must
perforce become the recipient Of the we'll
directed bounties of the State. They
are in every sense the object of solici.
tude on the part of the public and its
adopted ward. No more urgent impulse
impels one to acts of public rs well as
private charity than the man who is
whole in body and mind, of the unhappy
situation OF a stricken brother who is
helpless to stand forth and meet the
veriest obligations OF even existence it.
self.
Mississippians have not been given to
the mere ynpOrIng OF maudln scntimen.
tality, but the concern Of Mississippi for
its wounded children has taken intelli,
gent as well az substantial torn. Tho
pitiful plight of blindness has been re-
lievcd to the limit that tender care and
scientific instruction and study can
tighten the cross that those so NJ
flictcd must needs bear. They see
through the minds eye now, where
once was only darkness and despair.
The deaf are made among themselves
to speak by vision and to hear IN like
miraculous manner.
The States resources are taxed 10 do
these things. The homes it provides and
the instruction it affords have bright
Cned lie where otherwise would have
been only hopeless human existence,
and the sum total of human happiness
has been incidentally increased by these
well directed efforts of the State. Each
citizen feels n personal qualification that
he has contributed his share to obtain
such results and all of our people believe
that such work as has been done should
be continued, and that no pains should
be spared to still further amcliorntc
the conditions of the citizen who is thus
burdencd with misfortune.
All expenditures along these lines
should be wisely, but they should be lib
orally made.
The conditions of lost mentality, tha
human dind in ruins" appeals with ire
sistible strength to tho legislative heart
of the State, and the State has done
much to care for those so sorely afflicted.
The work it does for such invnlids
is not limited TO the preservation Of
the body, but extends to the restoration
out of the ruins of truly a new life
for the mind itself. These charities
all command our unrestricted support.
They are sd@red in their purpose and
scope. They must be extended in their
special field Of care taking, training and
work as the result of scientific study
and research shall mark out the way;
but we must never lose sight Of tho con.
trolling idea that modern scientific bus.
mess methods must be applied to their
management, as | shall at all times urge
shall be done with respect to all the
public business, and 1t ia my hope and
expectations that thereby the public
service will be very greatly improved
and that the appropriations made by
the legislature will be made to extend
further in response to and In meeting
more adequately the necessary demands
that are being daily made upon the
State.
The Old Soldiers.
Not to be classed among the eleemos.
enary establishments Of the State, but
yet evidencing a grateful acknowledge.
ment of unbought loyalty, is the main.
tenance of the Old Soldiers Home at
BeauvOir.
The place itself is u never-dying in
SEPARATION to lofty achievement. II speaks
a message to the younger generation
who can never know what test devotion
to principle withstood when tempters
secured the land-whcn the soul and
God only stood sure.
Why pause for comments The Mis-
sissippi soldiers in those days wore
boldly on their breast the red badge Of
courage.
If "the brave live on" they had never
died.
But fate has woven the thread Of life
and there is no armor for any against
fate.
The call comes with accelerated pace,
and while there are any left 10 receive
the willing offerings Of the State in
the Home of the State or in whatever
place they may choose to live, ] trust
no minimum Measure will limit the
provisions the State will make for them
so long as occasion shall require.
Old Ladies' Home.
Unfortunately our material resources
are not as great as some Of our sister
States, and we have been unable to ex-
tend a helping hand to the aged and
infrm. Old age pensions are provided
by the most advanced nations OF the
earth and no doubt this form of public
philanthropy, as the world grows wiser
and better will become a fixed charged
on all civilized and C"hristianized gov.
eminent. An institution has been es-
tabIishod in this city which should ap-
peal to the heart and mind Of every
warm-blo0ded man in our State. Sew
eral years ago II small band OF large
hearted Christian women conceived the
design of making some provision for
the declining years of their sisters, who,
strickencd by the iu6rmities Of age and
left alone in the world exc out a mere
existence, and who could find no charity
in Mississippi ministcTing to their press
ing needs, and the establishment OF this
institution is the frt result OF their
laudablc effort. This noble undertake
ing has struggled along with scant sym
pathy from our lawmaking body, and
even to the contrary the unselhsh pro.
moters and guardians Of the sacred
trust, have been dealt with almost as
mendicants and unceremOniously refused
serious consideration. / earnestly com
mend the Old Ladies' Home a. most
worthy of the generosity of the legis-
latute and bespeak for the trustees a
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