Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-09-25

any disputes to be settled by those whose accredit-
ed intelligence and impartiality has led to their
selection for the unenyiable position Of judges.
As noon approached the crowd increased till
the grounds were fairly encircled by FESTIVE
horses, stamping and thrashing in their vain
endeayors to keep of their active enemies. the
flies. The accommodations on the grounds for
those not economical enough to have brought
their dinners with them were rather poor, and
one could hardly obtain an equivalent for the
price charged and many found the attractions
Of square meal at the hotel in the village strong
enough to make the walk down and back a plea
sure. 1t would certainly be better if, at their
next annual meeting, the officers Of the Society
would take this matter of victualing the crowd
under their own personal control.
! The first part Of the afternoons programme
was an address by Hon. c. w. Willard The
subject Of his address was " agriculture and
Manufactures in Vermont" Before commencing
the address, the speaker stated that he had left
at the Secretary Office some packages Of wheat,
which had been sent him by the Department at
Washington for trial, and he hoped that such Of
the farmers present as were interested in such
experiments would call upon the Secretary and
get some Of the seed for trial.
The speaker disclamed the ability to tell, from
personal experience, what he knew about farm
ing nor had he yet received that strong incentive
to agricultural pursuits-the Presidential nomin-
alton. An exhaustive development of the theme
selected was not possible in an address, nor was
there time to expatiate on the PROJECTIONS of Yer
mont, many and great as they were While we
have ability and energy equal to that possessed
by the people Of any State, timid conservatism
has paralyzed us at home, and compelled our
young men 10 leave our borders and try their for
tunes in other parts Of the country We build
up the schools and universities Of other States.
while our own suffer and decay. Is there no
remedy for this? Is there no place for new
workers?
The speaker then showed from census statis-
tics, that in population our State was nearly
stationary That although in the last decade
there had been an increase Of about five per cent
yet that increase was altogether in the larger
towns, '~hils the purely agricultural sections Of
the State had been depopulated. Can we afford
to have this 50? Thus far Vermont has been
principally an agricultural State. We are in
debted to this fact, that we are free from many Of
the social and political corruptions found in
larger and Weather communities. In this
country State pride is becoming subordinate to
the prouder claim of American citizenship; and
the richer and broader fields offered for enterprise
and energy draw away from us many of those
most needed at home Nor can we reproach our
young men for their preference. We cannot
keep our young men at home by advice, but by
offering them remuneratye fields of employment
Our producing industries must be the sources
Of our growth, and first and chieEest of these is
agriculture. The invention of labor-saying ma
chimes, such as reapers, mowers and the like tends
to create consolidation of farming interests, and
land formerly owned by the many is falling into
the hands Of the few and for this reason although
our wealth may not be diminished, yet our popu-
laton must surely decrease. lfagriculture holds
cut no promise for the future, then we are left to
try manufacturing The speaker made COMPARE
sons between our State and Massachusetts,, derived
from the latest available statistics. He showed
that with population greatly less than Massa-
chusetts, we were far ahead of her in all agricu-
tural products, while in other industrial pro-
ducts the proportion was a. l6 to | against us ,
while all the other New England States had out
stripped us in the same way. Manufacturing had
done for them what agriculture could not do for
Vermont, and what in the future it would be
still less able to do. The speaker drew the in
eyitabls lesson from these facts that we must
turn our attention more fully, and at once, to the
development of manufactures. We must not be
afraid to do this. Massachusetts, had not been, and
was now reaping the rewards of her enterprise.
Ought We not to profit by her example. Nor have
we any need of capital to do this. There are in
the State six millions of capital engaged in the
banking business, which gives employment to
perhaps one hundred men, These banks add
nothing to the wealth of the State, and by the
accumulation of interest serve to fll the pockets
of the stockholders. A fraction of this capital
invested in manufactures would answer our pres
ent needs He looked upon the national debt as
evil, in that it tended to lock up capital If the
money thus locked up could be freed, rates of in.
terest would decline, money would be abund-
ant, ard all the manufacturing interests Of
the State and country would be blessed He
knew of no practical remedy for this state of
things, except to convince our capitalists that
these ventures, instead of being unsafe, are
really more profitable than investments in bonds
and bank stock Difficult as may be the remedy,
every vermonter ought to make an effort in the
right direction. The speaker then showed the
benefits railroads were showering in developing
and utilizing our resources, and increasing the
value Of all property. lie deprecated the great
army of consumers who were non-producers, min
listers, lawyers, doctors and the large army of
camp followers and bummers, who live mainly by
their wits, lie believed the non producing profess
sions to be largely over crowded, and for that rea
son he welcomed the increase Of scientific schools
and agricultural colleges in which our young
men can obtain more practical education. lie
believed that no education was too complete and
thorough for our young men and women but he
believed it to be dangerous if it led them away
from the pursuits of skilled industry.
Others might have the start of us in the race,
but our citizens have the manhood and strength
to contend successfully with any other State
The sons will complete what the fathers may
leave unfinished lie would not have less cul-
ture but more work. Massachusetts, is not less
moral or intellectual power because of her thou
sand material industries, and If the population of
Vermont was doubled and its wealth quadrupled
we should see not less, but more culture, better
endowed and better patronized colleges, a rounded
and more complete manhood and a stronger and
more influential commonwealth.
The address was well received by the large
crowd of intelligent listeners. The speaker la
bored under the disadvantage Of having his audi