Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-02
From the Burlington Free Press.I
To the Farmers of yermont.

Last Saturday night the amount con-
tributed for the relief of the sufferers by
the Chicago fire was estimated at $1,000
GOO, and there is no doubt that it will
reach $10,000,000. The world never wit
messed a grander exhibition of charity
than this. 1t is not probable that so
large an amount was ever contributed be-
fore to any one charitable object in q
whole year, aud this sum has been raised
in two weeks. Oae person writing from
the burned city says thar, probably, the
poor of no great city in the world will be
better cared for during the coming winter
than those of Chicago. The people rem
dered destitute by the great fire arr, thus
placed beyond the possibility of sctual
suffering during the long winter. which
will soon be upon them. Thus has the
object of this noble bathurst of
generosity and pity been accom-
has been achieved than this, even, in the
moral effects of this worldwide charity.
1t has knit in closer ties of friendship two
mutually Jealous nations, and Eogland
will never have cause to regret her gener-
osity 70 cur destitute people. 1t has
strengthened the bonds of love and broth
humanity, and made US all better, more
charitable and more loving. To whom
are we Indebted for these results? II il
to the business population of the great
cities nearly every dollar has been coz
trihufed by the business and professional
men, the artisans, the mechanics and L.
borerz of the large cities and towns. Bot
very little has come from the agricultural
= hoay I'D frn.
The great cities of the world have sprung
to the assistance of the great city Of
the West. The commercial interests
of the world have rallied to aid the
stricken commercial interests of Chicago
| This is at il should be; but have the aw-
| full calamities at the west left no duty for
the farmers of the United States to per-
form? IL the condition of the Chicago
sufferers was pitiable, think for a moment
of those poor people Of the backwoods of
Michigan and Wisconsin; those small
! farmers who, toiling in the new, wild
country, year after year, have patiently
gathered together enough TO build house
and barn, and procure few of the poor
est necessities, only to see it all swept
away in p moment, thankful to escape
with life. The community burned ont in
| the northwest has not the means or con-
veniences for recuperstion which be-
long TO the people of Chicago, and the c, v
which comes from Michigan and Wis.
cousin for aid is the most pitiful We can
/ imagine. In Wisconsin a tract of country
more than half the size of Vermont has
! been burned over. Thousands have been
rendered destitute of every necessity, and
with a long, cold winter before them.
Hundreds have hapu buruad 20 doth and
thousand injured so that they cannot
work. 1t is impossible to exaggerate the
horrors OF their condition. Now il seems
as though here was a special call upon
the farmers of the East and Of the whole
country for aid 10 their homeless breth-
rem. The sufferers Of Michigan and Wis.,
consin are destitute of money, food and
clothing. Nothing can be contributed for
them amiss. Their condition is more Sc
we're than that of the people of Chicago.
/ Here IN Vermont the farmers are prosper
Gus and in the midst of plenty. They
are not expected TO give large sums. bat a
dollar from every farmer in the State will
swell q grand total. Let some one move
in the matter and form a simple organiza-
/ ton in each township or school district
/ for collecting money and supplies of food
and elotbing, and let the blessed work 90
/ on uutil the terrible necessities of the
people OF the Northw west are relieved and
| they are placed TO some extent out of the
reach of suffering during the winter. Let
each farmer in Vermont imagine for a
moment the distress, present and prospec-
tive, of these stricken people, and then
contribute his mite, and ''he shall find it
after many days"