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In view of the recent exposure by the St. Louis Star of the deplorable conditions existing in many of the county poor houses throughout Missouri, the following letter received this week from the inmates of the County Infirmary at Farmington will be good news to the people of St. Francois County. The letter speaks well for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Smith who have had charge of the institution for the past two years. It also tells of the interest taken by different women's clubs and other organizations. The letter follows:
| "We, the inmates of St. Francois County Infirmary
appreciate the kind treatment we have received and the many presents brought to us. It has brought happiness and cheer to the hearts of all of us. "We thank the ladies and the school children very much. We hope God will reward them in their future. We wish them a happy New Year. "We also thank the parties that had an entertainment and music here and the presents we received from them. We also thank you for the religious services that have been held here in the last two years." The Inmates of St. Francois County Infirmary. |
Two of the counties adjoining St. Francois -- Jefferson and Iron -- were severely censured by the St. Louis Star. The conditions unearthed by a reporter in both of those counties almost beggars description. In striking contrast, St. Francois County, through the county Court and many civic organizations, has seen to it that those of our citizens who have fallen by the wayside in the battle for existence, have been given at last the ordinary comforts of life, amid surroundings that have been kept scrupulously clean and sanitary.
When a person is old, friendless, homeless and destitute it becomes the duty of those more fortunate to see to it that the few remaining years alloted to those who fall are not spent in squalor and want.
The sanctimonious plea that such arrangements encourage shiftlessness will have little weight with those whose hearts have not been entirely drained of the milk of human kindness. It is given to no man to know what the futre holds in store. There are many instances of men and women who up until very late in life have been in comfortable circumstances. Then misfortune overtook them and their remaining years were spent in destitution.
We are pleased to note that St. Francois County has a heart.
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