Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-06

flame and blood, and the thunder of the
''red artillery )" the ''deadly minnie bull
let :" the '|howling SHELF and all the
murderous implements of war. There
were some pathetic portions where he
spoke of the dead whose names would
be forever immortal. At the close he
called for any one in the room who once
belonged to the Old Brigade Seven came
forward, and as they did so there were
rousing peals of applause from the audi
ence. The Post, and all present passed
a unanimous voteof thanks to the speak
er for the rich treat he had given them.
p.
Wallingford, February 8, 1873.
Shall the Young Wen go west---
How TO Keep Them AT Home.
Editor Rutland Herald Every orator
who has spoken in Vermont for the last
twenty-five years at agricultural fairs
and elsewhere, has lavished his rhetoric
upon the glories and beauties of the
Green Mountain State. They have told
us of the achievements of the early set
tiers in such language as would leave no
doubt in our minds that they were heroes
indeed. They have given US the history
of the State in such a way that the con-
clusion from it is irresistible that we are
the most intelligent, the most virtuous
and the most patriotic people on the face
of the globe. They have told us too of
the healthful air of our mountains, the
pure water that springs from every hill
side, the productiveness of the soil, the
salubrity of the climate all has been set
forth in the orators best style, ostensibiy
for the purpose of inducing young men
to remain at home.
True. the healthfulness of our climate,
the intelligence and morals of our peo-
Pile, the solidity of our institutions and
the undoubted richness of our soil are
important considerations, and should be
we'll weighed by every young man before
he decides to leave his native State for
home in the West. But this beautiful
picture, drawn by our buncombe orators,
a true and correct representation though
it may be, avails little with the young
man. 1t matters little to him just now,
that the Green Mountain boys, led by
Ethan Allen, took Ticonderoga, or that
Thomas Chittenden was the first Cover
nor of the State. He is young, vigorous
and ambitious, and the question with
him is how he shall himself arrive at
distinction; and if he cannot see the way
open to him in Vermont, he viii go
West. The cool and bracing air that he
has inhaled from the day of his birth,
and the pure water with which he has
quenched his thirst, are matters about
which he is Indifferent, for now he is
| hale and hearty and does not dream of
ever being otherwise, whether he re-
mains in Vermont or goes to Kansas or
California.
1t is important that we keep our
young men, or as many of them as we
can, at home; but we may get as elo-
| quent as we please over our evergreen
hills and the glorious history and virtues
of our people, and not one the less will
leave the State. So long as we do moth
ing but talk Vermont will be a good
| State to emigrate from" We must do
| something, and what shall we do?
We must increase the business of the
State; we must put life, energy and ac-
| tivity into our people, and then the ave
nues will be opened for the employment
| of our young men, and they will stay at
| home AS dull as Vermont is, there are
| places full of vigor and enterprise. The
| young man knows it, and he longs for
| active life. His father may be content
with the same dull routine which he has
seen in his mountain home from his
| childhood up. Not so the boy; his
| young blood is not satisfied with this
slow unremunerative plodding. He goes
| away and makes his fortune or his ruin.
We well know that many make mis-
takes; they leave when they had better
stay at home. But preaching to them is
| of little use; they must see something at
home that will attract their attention, or
| they are sure to go.
Much has been said within the last
few years about building up the manu-
| featuring interest in the State of Yer
mont Here, in my judgment, is the
key TO our prosperity in future. Do
this and the young men will stay at
home.
This may be regarded as an assump
ton, unless reasons are given, which
will undertake to do. All will concede
that the establishment of manufactures
would create a demand for the amount
of help required to run them; but this
is not all the effect by any means. 1t
| would produce growth of other bust
ness; it would add to the farming inter-
est the farmers more than all others
would be benefited. Is not that so !?
Let us see.
Manufacturing will make home mar
ket for farm products ; and without the
home market, there cannot be general
prosperity among the farmers. Cheese
and wool may be sent to New York and
Boston, but beef, mutton, pork, potatoes,
wood, hay, grain and garden vegetables
must find market at home, or they
cannot be raised to sell, with profit to
| producer.
A prosperous manufacturing interest
| in Vermont would, in its effect, greatly
| increase the amount of agricultural pro-
| ducts in the State. This too may seem
an unwarrantable assumption, but / be-
lieve ! am prepared to prove it. Men
will farm it better when they can get
remunerative prices for what they raise,
and will not farm it well unless they can.
| Look at the interest in Rutland county.
| In the towns of Rutland, Brandon, Cas-
Teton, Fairhaven, Poultney and Walilng-
| ford, there has been in the last few years
a decided improvement in farming, es-
pecially near the villages of those towns.
! The reasons | give for that improvement
are these. Those villages have grown
the population has increased and of course
made greater demand for farm pro-
ducts. This has stimulated the farmers
to more careful and thorough cultiva-
| tion-to bstter and more productive
farming. Near those villages we do not