Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-04-24
agricultural.
TIM. BUNKER on THE
F o o D @ U ES TON


' knew wa should catch it to-day said Seth
Iwiggs, as he came iuto our holse on the evening
OF Thanksgiving day, and seated himself comfort
ably upon the settle, blew ring of su)ke ont OF
his mouth, as it il had been shot out Of a ride
" The Parson g'uerally hits the nail on the head
and hit ii square to-day. no mistake We have
sent of too many Of our boys 90 Che city. There
isn't so ma IA brellstuf raised in H)okertogn as
there was fifty years ago, ana if 10 keeps ON at
this rate, somebody has got to starye bye and
bye
" That is to say, if every place is just like
HooSertown [ responded
Neighbor TWggs' remark had reference to Mr.
Spooner's Thanksgiving sermon. which was pret-
ty much like all his sermons, whsthsr on Sundays
or not "a word in season. You seq. Mr.. Spoon
err, like myself, belongs 90 the Old sehcol Of folks
who have got so accustomed 20 making up our
own minds on public questions that we can't af-
ford 10 take cur opinions second hand. You see
most people around here in Connecticut have got
dreadful hankeriog after city life aud fashions.
They want something better than farming for their
sons aud daughters, though according TO my mo-
ton, farming, taking the long run, paws batter
than any other calling upon the face Of the earth
The boys that grow up around here are smart, and
would probablydo well at alnl anything, ii they
had fair chance. But Hooksrtown can't hold
them any more than pot can hold boiling water,
Some of them have gone down South to try their
fortunes, some 30 the West. but more TO the city
which threatens TO swallow up the country, which
is q good deal like a man swallowing his own
stomach. You see this state OF things makes rath-
er dull look for the old parish aud worries the
minister, aud it works out in his sermons on
Ihanksglyings, and Fasts and sometimes on Sun
days Some folks grumble about political preach
ing, and secular preaching, etc, but for my part
If a man has got anything 20 say Co make people
better, | never could see why IL want lest as well
to say it on Sunday as any other time, But the
grumblng don't trouble Mr. Spooner much. lie
is independent as a wOOd-ehopper, and knows he
can get his bread ald take care of himself If the
Hookertown people turn him out of the pulpit to-
morrow, Which they have no notion Of doing. lie
speaks right square out, and nobody has any more
doubt as to the side OF the question he is on, than
they have about sunrise.
Well, you see this food question is what the
philosophers call poser. II bread and meat are
all the while getting dearer, and labor is growing
cheaper aad that is the settled tendency Of society,
you see the time IS coming when labor WON'T buy
bread. anl somebody must perish. That is the
way things are working now, and wise men should
be looking for remedy.
Mr.. Spooner showed this very clearly. L. has
been the tendency in Europe Tor a great many
years-Engand hasn't raised her own breadstuiis
for more lhan thirty years. The great mass of
her people are gathered in cities aud large man-
uiaeturng towns, aud there is not land enough left
to raise full supply OF food for her population,
even with their improved nusbandry She has 20
bring large quantities Of wheat and other grains
from the ports OF the Mediterranean, and from
across the Atlantic to make up the defciency--
Now, If there should be short crops in these coun-
tries and in America, or II she should be at war
with enemies strong enough to blockade her ports,
nothing could prevent great distress aud starya-
ton.
The same social disease is beginning TO work in
this country. The price of food has more than
doubled within few years, not only in cities but
m the farming districts. Flour in Hookertown