Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-06-09
SHALL WE GO WEST TO FIND
BETTER HOMES!

AIA@ AAOAA ASAS
We should be led to believe, did we
Judge only by the anxiety manifested by
many to go West, that Vermont was not
a desirable state to live in; and as this
subject is at the present time agitating
the minds of many in this vicinity, an
article discussing the matter may not be
amiss. We suppose the best place in
which to make our homes, is in that
country where we can, by honesty and
industry, acquire most easily sufficient
competence to supply all our physical
and intellectual wants, and where we
are most favored by those influences
which tend to make US better and hap |
pier. If it is the intention of any one
to leave his home and 60 to a distant
section of the country to build up new
home, he should not forget that there
are many endearments that he must
leave behind. He will not fully appre-
ciate this until he bids adieu, perhaps
forever, to the scenes of his early life,
and leaves his friends and associates to
take up his abode in new country. 1t
matter not how rough or wild, how cold
or bleak, how poor or desolate, was his
native home, there were many things
there that he learned to love, and so
long as he lives they will be dear to
him. We remember when travelling
through one of the most beautiful states
in the West, what thrill of JOY we ex-
perlenced when we came in sight of
section of country that was broken and
billy like Vermont. We did not know
before this that we loved hills and
mountains, nor did we realize the al
most inestimable value of the cool and
crystal streams that flow so abundantly
from our hillsides, until we had seen
and used the muddy and disagreeable
water of the South and West. We did
not know before we mingled with soci-
ETY. composed of almost every nationali-
ty, and with every taste, habit and
tongue, that there was any particular
pleasure in living in New England, where
the language is pure and the habits of
the people are alike. We did not know
that Yankees were more neat about their
persons, food, and homes; that they &C.
cupied better houses and had more with
in them to make them agreeable and
convenient; that they used better lam
guage, read more books, were better ed
ucated, and took more comfort than any
other people, until we had gone out of
Yankeedom. But these are facts. Some
of those things do-not seem to be of
much Importance, it may be said, but
when we are deprived of them, go to
a new country, and have to conform to
new customs and endure the disadvanta-
ges common to all new countries, it will
be strange if we are not homesick and
disconnected. We would not say that
no one can better his condition by going
away from his native home, but believe
it should be the young men and young
women. They can better endure thu
hardships of the journey. and the severe
labors they will be subjected to in com
batting and overcoming the obstacles
and difficulties that must be encountered
in building up fortunes and homes in
new country. We like to see the enter
prise and courage that pushes the youn,
man out into the world, and if he think
it is better for him to leave Vermont
would not discourage him; but we d
not believe it wise or best for the man O
middle or advanced age to 60 any grea
distance from his early home. His hat
its are fixed and it will be hard for him t
conform to the customs, and learn tn
ways Of the world. The dangers of &C
limation should not be overlooked whe
we are about to 20 to new country
for they are considerable. A compar
son between Vermont and other section
of the country, may make us more cor
tented. Our winters are long and colo
but if we 60 West we shall find man
days when the cold is severe. and cor
slant and furious wind to make tt
weather seem to be worse than it is her
The heat of the summer is more col
slant and more intense. While O,
roads are blocked with snow, the trave
ing in the level countries is awful {
account of mud. Our soil is Meth,
rich nor deep, while upon the prairie l
manure is needed. But we raise mo
corn, wheat, potatoes, and grass to tt
acre than they raise in those fertile r
gions. They produce thousands
bushels while we produce hundreds,
account of the larger areas that they Gu
tivate. They sell their corn for
cents, we sell ours for 81 90 per bushe
they get 3 cents per pound for dress
hogs, we receive s.; they pay enc
nous freights on grain and merchandi
on account of distance from the marke
We are only two hundred miles fire.
seaboard and the best markets in t
country. We have excellent lumber /
building purposes and fuel; they p
great prices for lumber and for fuel '
have beautiful timbered forests in t