Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-02-13
VERMONT.
WHY DON'T vERMONTERs GO INTO
MANUFACTURES

recent paragraph of ours, limiting induce
ments to mechanics and manufacturers of other
New England States to locate workshops in Yer
mont, has been copied by nearly every newspa-
per in the State pretty strong prima .facie evil
dence that the article was correct Perhaps,
from this very general circulation among Yer
mont newspapers the article may have OCCASION
ally met the eyes of persons abroad who are in
terested in il; and we imagine that such per-
son would be apt to say to himself" Hell, u
Vcrmont affords such advantages. for manufaetw-
ing and mechanical business, ichy do not YER
MON TIERS Improve these ddrdntdges" We
will attempt to suggest thing or two, by way
of answer to this question.
First Until the advent of railroads. the cost
of transporting the material for manufacturing,
the manufactured article, and leading item of
subsistence, to wit -four, balanced the advanta-
ges of cheap power, cheap fuel and cheaper sub
sistence in other things besides flour.
Second Vermont, from her position, climate,
and soil is a first rate agricultural State. parti-
ularly in the items of cattle, horses, sheep and
the dairy and her people are, in the mass, far
mers. Her soil is too rich to raise a race of hard
driving, sharp witted, ingenious, economical, la
bor-savng mechanics who are bound to thrive
any where after they have once been compelled
to learn the trade For such stock of men
poorer soil is required they grow best where
the land shall not with much ado, be made to
furnish oats enough to feed the horse required to
draw the milk-pa cradles, clothes pins and lu-
offer matches of Massachusetts pail factory to
the nearest railroad station. OF course we do
not mean to say that VI. has not good stuff for
mechanics aud manufacturers, and merchants
and every profession in lie,-and plenty of it:
we simply mean that while she is capable of ca
silly and handsomely supporting her people main
y by agriculture there has been no stern neces-
sity to force her people to improve the resources
which the State affords for manufactures. To
this general rule there are exceptions. In cases
where the family has outgrown the farm, the chill
dren have emigrated--to the cities, to make good
physicians and politicians TO California, as for
tune-seekers and to the factories of other New
England States to make first rate operatives, and
managers if need be.
Thi'd. Being an agricultural State, and as
whole young at that, Vermont cannot furnish
capital Tor manufactures on large scale Her
people are Independents well of'-not very rich
There are few men and few families in the State
that would be called "rch" in Boston. Pit to-
gethcr the moderate sums that could be spared
in neighborhood by men who are called rich
in Vermont, and enough could be raised TO start
even manufacturing respectfully in village here
and there but then these men have no practical
knowledge of manufacturing, and, generally, the
least possible degree Of faith in any thing they
do not understand.
We think all this nay fairly be said, in re-
ply to the interrogatory with which we started
If true, the things wanted are capital, experience
and skiH, from abroad just enough for seed-to
raise u few first rate dividends out Of Veunont's
rich resources,--and SO teach our own people and
all the rest ofmankind,' that Vermont is pref
" good place after all