The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-04-13
Immortdl Hoo5ier Poet
OPEN DRIVE TO BUILD
100000 HOSPITAL
IN HONOR OF RILEY

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April 13.-
President Harding, in a telegram read
at the opening of the drive for ap-
proximately $3,OOO,OOO for the erection
of the James Whitcomb Riley Chill
dren's Memorial hospital here TO-DAY
expressed qualification at the proposed
memorial to the "Hoosier Poet"
81 am gratified to learn of your
plan to provide a suitable memorial
to James Whitcomb Riley" the presi-
/ dents telegram said. THE whole ma
lion will approve, for it knows and
loves him for his wTitigns which have
called forth so sympathetic response
/ from the entire people
! Davis Speaks.
| Secretary of Labor James J. Davis.
was the principal speaker at the open,
! ing session. Several thousand dollars
/ had been pledged to the hospital drive
prior 20 the opening of the campaign.
| Mr. Davis. a former HOOsier told of
| his acquaintance with Riley and the
| latters love for children, especially
| those who were afflicted. Speaking
Lf these children, Mr. Davis said:
! God knows W, can never do enough
for then We little realize how many
little American, there are, doomed to
/ lives of physical pain or mental an
guish because o. sCme curvature of the
spine. some twist of their poor bodies
| condemns them to poverty. to helpless
ness, to dependence on others.
States and cities are now rallyine
to the aid of these most pitiable OF
human unfOrtunates. Indiana is lead
ing the van. Close after comes New
York, Ohio. Michigan, Virginia, Massa
chusetts, Montana, Missouri, Illinois
and the rest. There is not a state now
that does not. through public or pri
vate means. pay some heed to the cal
of these children for a happy usefu
life" the secretary said.
McCray Speaks
Governor Warren T. McCray. instru
mental in having the legislature pass
the bill providing for an appropriation
to build the first unit of the hospital
also spoke.
The governor said that the state
after the institution was erected
would provide for the maintenance o
the hospital Other speakers on tht
program included Booth Harrington
George AIDE and Meredith Nicholson
prominent Indiana authors. and DR.
!, William Lowe Bryan, president of In
diana university.
The Riley hospital will be a stat
institution. Back of it is the though
F that if the Hoosier poet were alive tc
, day and could he consulted as to tn
way he would like to be remembers
, in years to come he would say tha
whatever was done for the children O
Indiana would satisfy him. He wrot
, not only of but for children. Chile
&, ! less though he was, he thought of a.
the little boys and girls in HOOsierdor
as being members of his own family
? To them. their childish ways, thei
r hopes and fears, were his. Their hal
] piness gave him joy, and he chronicle
: it. Their sadness brought him sorrow
{ Decide on Hospital
: Riley's friends considered variou
ways whereby an everlasting tribut
r could be paid to him. They Nigh
rear a shaft of granite that would a
: tract the eye; they might throw ope
/ a playground somewhere for the hal
Q py children who could use it. But OF
;. of their conference came a create
plan-the thought of placing at tn
e disposal of all unfortunate childre
n in the state a hospital for them alon
c So the childrens hospital is to /
# built
o The state has made the initial a
It preparation and will maintain the no
It pital but money will be needed urgen
e ly to carry forward the entire pr
gram. This institution, when finishe
s will be free to all children whose pa
st ents cannot pay for medical or surg
D. cal care. It will give TO them eve,
attention that modern science can pr
vide There, in the name of jam
Whitcomb Riley the afflicted bo
D. and girls of Indiana will be made We
d if medicine or surgery can reach thel
o. How quickly it will become a reali
ly depends wholly on the liberality of Il
people of Indiana.