Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-11-08
Grecu Sit. Green1on
MONTPELIER, VI.
Thursday Morning, November s, 1850.
Discussions upon the Agricult aral Bill
REMARKS BY SENATOR NEEDHAM,


ton to make any extended remarks, yet it
seemed to him that it must be apparent to the
most careless observer, that something must be
done for the agricultural interests of the State.
Whatever is done must, Of necessity, be ex-
perimcntal in its character Vermont is unlike
any of her sister States in many respects, SO
that no example which has been set by them
can be followed by her with perfect certainty Of
reaching the same result. In 1870 the popula-
ton of Vermont was 81 l44, and from 1870 to
1900 the population increased so per cent;
from 1900 to 1910 it increased 40 per cent.
1920 to 80, 10 per cent but from 1910 to
1850 it increased only per cent. ; and from
the census of the present year it appears that
Vermont has fallen from $4,000 to 300, 600.
As legislators, Them it behooves us to inquire
whether anything can be done to restore Yer
mont to a gaining footing. 1t appears that
Vermont is cminently an agricultural State
Out of % 900 men in this State there are 49,
SEQ who are engaged in agriculture. This is
tae substratum Of all our success. The reason
SHY Vermont has lost in population is that the
ucorle Of our State have sccn in some distant
States and Territories, lands which they mag
ncmorc productive than our own. And they
lave seen this because the State Of Vermont has
not exercised that parental, fostering care over
Gar Ic0pie which She should exercise. There
las not been circulated that statistical nforma-
ton which shows that no State west Of Chic
AN compare with ours in the actual produc
IONS OF agricultural interest, that an acre OF
2orn, wheat or oats in the State Of Vermont is
worth two west Of Ohio. DO the people WHO
nigga te from Vermont understand this? Ger
.ainly they do not What then is the remedy?
THE answer to this question Is not easily CIV
en-. Indeed it is not positively certain that
there Is remedy. But the great interests haz-
arded by the large EN- grafton, from which we
have already 50 greatly suffered, call upon us to
nut forth some effort to stay this emigration
from tire State, and, if possible, induce families
from other States to locate beneath the shadows
u Jur beautiful mountains. Anything that
promises well that can be done without risk
IRA large expenditure we are certainly jU5tl-
led in doing.
And it is now suggested that the State pass a
bill establishing an agricultural bureau. Since
more than 70 per cent OF the men of this State
are directly dependent on the SOIL if anything
IS to be done it should be done for agriculture.
Agricultural boards have been established in
some States, and have done much good and pre-
vented the large immigration which would 9TH
erwso 90 on,
In the first place this bureau would do no
harm. If there is any objection, it is one OF ex
pensc. Yet the expense, it is proposed, shall
not exceed s 1000, about two cents head
There is now no way in which the farmers Of
Vermont can communicate their views and
bring them to focus, This deficiency the pro-
posed board will supply.
The great difficulty with our farming lands
now is that We have 50 many manures and we
.annot afford to buy foreign manures, We
want some man, or body of men, who can give
US tile solution Of the question ; E" how can we
Bring our lands up +? ;" An agricultural board
would concentrate the knowledge which the
reorle of the State need to resuscitate their
worn out lands and improve the soil.
We need head to the great agricultural in
tercss of the State. A head into which can
be gathered the experience and observation Of
practical thinking men working men, who
by the dexterity Of their own hands have by
constant toll and labor secured that knowledge
which nature so reluctantly imparts; and from
this head. there can be disseminated among all
the people Of the State, the knowledge which
ghiS systematic process Of securing, has gather
ed together.
Look at the files Of Wing a0d Republican pa
pors, that have been issued by the press Of
Vermont, or the last twenty years and you Will
ind from three to five columns every year, de-
voted to the advocacy of a tariff to protect the
wooden and cotton interests OF The country
You viii find in the debates Of the National
Cnnoross argument unon nIgumnnt made NV
-ho CnnI sa@oc;ons stdtosmnn Of nnr Stoto II
favor Of sneh a torif'--ard thew have INIT cx
Pressed the feeling and sentiment Of the neo.
1.Irat hor,a Bnt vitality tLo nrrss or Nv ON,
1enrn.antat;ycs in fine Naiioa9I Congrrxs' tal
IoCn s,;I for thnodyancnno,,t Of IaTionIfnrn
lis woI ia aJyocaf, tLo hnnortaH9o ~ to
n bn4 Whom wa DO So ict rs n"t fail 70 WV
,na,oGo,, lint we hYyH tariff intSrast '' in tLi
ra,rosentoJ b 1I on0 anJ tI
Go, o', ,40o' "E COO Il'
36o ~ ~ Nv oin W oV c
a,i ;n+a'cs th o"mtn ~, ti
e teIr ~ t'!o Vou"'r ~ ""lo'