The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-04

erty and debased by association and
tempted by want; nor from those who
are inflated by their wealth, to whom Ia.
Dor is stranger, who despise economy
and know nothing useful from experience.
Yet this very class, this middle class as
it is known in history, is the class that is
so largely. just now almoet entirely, lesv-
ing grand old Vermont for the fruitful
fields of the West, and the greater activ-
ity of other localities leaving so rapidly
that many Of the towns in the State are
even becoming less in population, and
probably not one in ten materially in
creasing The appalling fact is not that
we are not increasing in population but
growing relatively if not actually less,
but that the drain upon US is Of those we
can least afford to lose. IF asked the
population Of Vermont, the boy of ten
would have to answer in almost the same
figures his father learned 25 years ago /;
the increase for the decade ending pre-.
ceding the last census being actually less
than one thousand. The rapid increase
Of population of other States makes our
stand still equivalent to a retrogade.
The fact is undeniable that we are rela.
lively losing ground. The danger is that
the star of Vermont, though it may new
er set, may be eclipsed. It was doubt.
less having this in mind that Judge Doug.
las uttered the sarcasm that Vermont was
good State to emigrate from. May it
not be that the underlying truth Of chat
sarcasm constitutes it, sting3 The full.
some adulation and glori6cation of poll.
ticians upan the hustings, is gloss that
may answer their purpose, but it will
never secure to Vermont substantial
growth and prosperity. need not dwell
longer to demonstrate that which all will
admit without demonstration. The result
is patent that without change, the best
element Of our population will be lost to
the State. and its place supplied. if sup.
piled at all. only by an inferior class ;
farms will become drug in the market,
and their saleable value greatly dimin.
ished
What, then, is the remedy? Ianswer,
il is to increase our business by ayailing
ourselves Of the wonderful opportunities
that nature has 30 profusely provided to
us. We must become something besides
an agricultural people; We must become
a manufacturing people also. Our noun
tains and valleys are treasure house of
valuable mines and are ribboned with pc.
rennial streams, sufficient to move the ma.
chinery of the world. With these de-
veloped and appropriated, our farms
would become like gardens; our youth
would find here the activity and promise
of a new country combined with the al.
vantages Of an old. Vermont would be.
come not only good State to be born in,
but the best of States for all purposes to
live in.
The advantage Of increasing our man.
utactures Is no chimera. 1t is demonstra.
bic iu various ways, perhaps not better
than by citing an example. Take the
state Of New Hampshire for the period
from 1850 to 1860. Of which We have
full statistical returns, and during which
there was no war or other cause to make
the decade exceptional.
The State Of New Hampshire has Il.
bout the same extent Of territory, but
about 100000 acres less Of improved
land. Its soil is much inferior, it's scene.
ry on the whole less beautiful. its people
as class less intelligent; as an agricul.
tura State it is in all respects vastly in.
ferior to Vermont, aud possesses no great.
er natural advantages for manufacturing
industry. In 1910 the population Of
Vermont was greater than that Of New
Hampshire. Yet in 1860, notwithstand.
ing all the advantages in favor Of Yer
mont, she was outstripped by New Hamp'
shire in population by more than 10000
Her per centage Of increase Of popula'
ton from 1850 to 1860 was eight times
more than that Of Vermont. With hel
400, 900 acres less Of improved land in
1869, her valuation of real and persona
estate was 1888, 500 more than tina,
Of Vermont. At the same time, the east
value OF the farms Of Vermont Wa,
$2l ,S2l,9l2 more than that of New
Hampshire. Horses, cows aud Sheer
Vermont had nearly double. Valuation
Of live stock was about five millions more
In nearly all agricultural products Ver
mont greatly exceeded New Hampshire
Oats she produced about two million
more wool nearly two million pound
more potatoes, about two million bush
els more butter, niue million pound
more cheese. above five and half mil
lion pounds more ; hay, nearly three hun
dred tons more; maple sugar, over sigh
and half million pounds more. | neet
not trace statistics further to show th
natural productive superiority Of Yer
mont over New Hampshire in farm pro
duce 1t also maintains an equal, il NO
greater superiority in value Of mines
And yet. as have stated. We were out
stripped by that comparatively steril
and barren State by more than 10000 ii
population, and according to the last cen
sus by more than s33, 100000 in prop
erty, and this was due solely to her man
ufactures. We have also lately seen tha
the people of New Hampshire pay an in
come of seventy-two cents per head,whil
in Vermont WI pay but forty-seven.
am. aware that it is not populstio
or wealth alone that makes State in til
highest sense. AS the poet hath it, it
men. high minded men. who know thei
rights, and knowing dare maintain" bu
the question we are considering is how t
secure, or rather how to retain such mer
High minded men Of this age are no
Van Wrinkles. The hum and buzz 9
business is the music that entices ava
the best blood Of Vermont This musi
must be brought to Vermont or our youn
men will seek it elsewhere. The advan
tage of manufactures to agriculture
seen in our own midst. Observe the il
crease in grand list in those towns 20 70,
tupste as to have secured single manu-
featuring establishment OF respectabi