Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-04-17
ing large circle Of friends and being like
one Of whom Il is said

ing large circle Of friends and being like
one Of whom Il is said
mwhers he goes and how he hres
Nobody knows and nobody cares"
Then the financial and educational effects Of
the grange are Of great value and highly
priced.
Yet there are other features that are inn
portant, and are truly part Of our work.
refer to transportation and our avowed
purpose to favor the improvement Of the
water communication between different parts
Of the country. The West looks to the Mis-
sissippi River, and demands that it's immense
channel that now is the road Of commerce
be in few places improved 30 that its use
fulness might be greatly increased. Then
there is plan to connect the Mississippi
with the lakes by a feasible canal also to
connect the waters OF the Ohio River with
those Of the Susquehanna and tide water !;
also land here is the point that interests
Burlington and all New England) a canal
that will connect the st. Lawrence River
with Lake Champlain, only 29i miles long,
and requiring lockage Of only rs feet, fed
by Lake Champlain, aud can be constructed
at a cost of only about 100000.
The benefits arising from such water com
munlcation cannot be over-estimated. Yer.
mont would no longer be an inland state, but
would be seated by the highway Of com.
merce. From all nations we might receive
the benefits that would naturally arise from
trade and traffic as the products were being
carried by into the vast interior by all classes
Of vessels and as they would return loaded
with the products Of the fertile prairies.
Burlington would he distributing point
its business would increase, its property rise
in value, and its growth be constant aud per.
manent Vermont as a state would feel the
impetus Of this new and active life thai
would change the dull, sluggish tempera
ment Of the INLAND state 10 that Of an act
i've, enterprising commercial center. Why
has not water transportation been improved
Because when a canal is made it will not be-
subject to rates, tolls or fees that will give
power and wealth to the few to the ruin Of
the many. If company could monopolizC
and own the lake or monopolize aud own thu
canal men would have been found to lobb,
EARTH heaven, and hell to get the means il
their power to enrich themselves by grant
Of money to aid them aud secure the tax OF
the products Of the earth to the end OF time
to give them perpetual heritage. But tn
water of this canal will be free to all vessel
and all men as free as our lakes, rivers, o
ocean hores
SO this enterprise Iags aud languishes
while empires of land and millions Of none
are given to railroads by government. Nov
will the people ask to be served2 Will tn
owners OF real estate in Canada, Vermont
and all New England ask for action in re
gard to the CaughnaTaga canal? Is tina
the desire Of the Patrons? 1t is so anpounc
ed in the national platform, so we teach, =
Burlington believes. Therefore some of tn
business men of Burlington belong to tn
! grange, with high hopes for the prosperity q
! the city and Vermont through this action O
the Patrons. Yet they are suspected, Sian
dered, vili6ed, because the work is so vast
so distant, and to some 30 hopeless. Blu
they choose TO suffer affection with the pee
Q pie rather than accept an easy-goiug pcpr
, larity and refuse aid to this great euterpris,
The Burlington grange may be dsappoint
ed, but they will be true to that part of III
principles Of the order that says 1--WE adoI
e it as our fixed purpose to open out the char
nels in Natures great arteries, that the lifi
e blood of commerce may flow freely" ATE
the wave Of distrust passes by, and we 4
!, oranges work out the principles Of the orde
and good accrues to all, we believe the Blu
0 lingtou grange will not mar the harmon
that should prevail in the Green Mouutai
State as it will then be, not high and dry a
inland state, but happy and serene, sittiu
by its beautiful lake dotted by the Gags
many nations. 80.