Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-10-27
To the Farmers Of Vermont.

Last Saturday night the amount contributed
f,r the relief Of the sufferers by the Chicsgo IRE
was estimated at s 100000, and there is no
doubt that it will reach sl0,Ooo,ooo The
world never witnessed a grsnder exhibition OF
charity than this Il Is not probable that SO
large an smount was ever contributed before to
spv one charitable object in a whole year ana
This sum has been raised in two weeks. One
person writing from the burned city says ths''
r-obablv. the poor Of no great city 10 the world
will be better cared for during the coming winter
than tho-e Of Chicago. The people rendered
destitute by the great Gre are thus placed beyond
the rossibility q SEXUAL suffering during the
lone winter. which will soon be upon them Thus
has the object Of this noble outhuTst OF generosity
and ri+v been accomplished. But greater reiu-t
has been achieved than this. even, in the nora
effects Of this worldwide charity. 1t has knit
in closer ties Of friendship two mutusly Jealous
nations. and EaglauI will never have cause 10
regret her generosity to our destitute people II
has strengthened the bonds Of love and brother
hood that unite US all in one common
humanity. and made US ah better, more
charitable and more loving To whom are
We indebted for these results? Il is to the ousi-
ness ronulation Of the great cities; nearly every
dollar has been contributed by the business ana
nrofession.l men, the artisans, the mechanics
and lshorers of the large cities and towns But
very little has come from the agricultural dis
tricts OF been contributed ~ farmers 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
striken commercial interests Of Chicago. This If
as it should be; but have the awful calsmities At
the west eft no duty for the farmers Of the Oni'ed
States to perform If the condition OF the Cni-
cago sufferers wss pitiable, think for moment
of those poor people Of the backwoods OF Mlchi-
gan and Wisconsin those small farmers Who
toiling in that new wild county, year after year
have patiently gathered together enough to build
house and barn, and procure few OF the
poorest necessities only to see 1t all swept away
in . moment. thankful to escape with life. The
community burned out in the northwest
ba. not the means or conyeniences for
recuperation which belong to the people
of Chicago, and the cry which comes from
Nicbigan and Wisconsin for aid Is the most
nititul we can imagine. In Wisconsin a tract oil
country more than half the size Of Vermont hss
been burned over. Thousands have been rem
dered destitute Of every necessity, and with
long. cold winter before them. Hundreds have
been burned to death. and thousands injured SO
that thew cannot work. Il is impossible to exsg-
pers,e the horrors other condition Now It seems
as though here was special call upon the farm
ers Of the East and Of the whole country Tor aii
to their homeless brethren. The sufferers IN
Michigan and Wisconsin are destitute Of money
food and clothing. Nothing can be contributed
for them amiss. Their condition is more severe
than that Of the people Of Chicago. here IN
Vermont the farmers arc prosperous ana
in the midst of plenty They are not
expected to give large sums, but dollar
from every farmer in the State will swell grand
total Let some one move in the matter and
form simple organization in each township or
school district, for collecting money and supplies
of food and clothing, and let the blessed work
90 on until the terrible necessities Of the people
in the Nyrthwe,t are relieved, snd they are
placed to some extent out Of the reach
of suffering during the winter. Let
each farmer of Vermont imagine for nc
meut the distress. present and prospective, Of
these stricken people, and then contribute his
mi tie, and he shall " fud it after many days