Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-01-14

diminution is due largely to emigration
westward. where, st IS imagined the re.
wards Of agriculture are more sure and re-
muncratiyc. Some counties disclose large
falling of Of The agricultural population
from this cause. And there are organized
movements going on to depopulate the
State by colonies TO the West. We know
Of many farmers who have been persuaded
to dispose Of their farms here, and omigrate
to the distant prairies Of the frontier. We
know Of many young men who have sold
out a fair business in Vermont for the
dim chance Of O better position in Iowa or
Minnesota. The stream Of emigration is .
kept flowing, both by natural and extrane-
Gus causes, until the rural population Of
the State shows IN each ten years positive
reduction.
Such an exodus Of our producing classes
can be due only to the idea, unreasonably
held, Of larger profits to agricultural labor
in the West than in the East. Men are
not generally disposed to change their hab-
itaton except for strong reason Of profit
and advantage We have no statistics on
hand to prove the truth Of what We assert,
and rest altogether upon observation in
general, and in special cases But we DO
not hesitate to assert that the idea Of the
increased profit Of agricultural labor in the
West is an absolute delusion. There have
been instances when men have taken up
large sections Of land and in a single year
paid for them and cleared expenses aud laid
up fortunes But those instances are rare
as the nuggets Of the gold diggngs or
the large diamonds Of the diamond fields.
One year, farmer in Minnesota cultivated
ten thousand acres to wheat, and owing to
the failure Of the Red river aud Pembina
crops, he made his fortune, bat there has
not been year since that he has paid bis
expenses. Once in a while there is fat
year and the staple crops Of the West give
largely remuueratiye prices. but for most
part corn is the cheapest fuel that the
farmers Of the far West can burn. The
cost Of transit to market consumes over
and over the value the production This
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II v,elds ne r,cr rrooncTs ne onr y ,n ~, GS
world Tho rank vcgetotion oe tho West
diminishes the intrinsic value Of all cereal
and of all animal nroducts Rutter choose
pork and beef are not so sweet and ex.
cellont where the grass is heavy and rank
Many Eastern men in the West imnor
from the East their butter nork cbeos,
and even their vegetables. They are in
variably Of superior quality and command
the highest prices in the market
But beside the snnerior oualitv and bot
, ter price of Eastern articles of farm pro
ducc, there are advantages in the old State
that no man of intelligence and sapacit,
would throw aside exeent on the comnul
sion Of the hardest necessity. The eduea
q tional and social and religions advantage
D of the East are at least a century in ad
G vance of the West Schools. churches an
. social institutions of all sorts are the source
of comfort aud ENJOYMENT and the means q
civilization. They foster the inteleetuo
I. and moral life of communities They hel
d the growth Of men and women and mako
a nobler as well as a more prosperous popr
! lation. 1t should reauiro a tremendou
d force to send a thinking. INTELLIGENT mar
e with family, out to the frontier of ciyi
|. lizatiop. 10 contend with MI the obstacles
IS a now country. He might 90 "a matte
r" of necessity, hardly as a matter Of choice
: 1t is as desirable to cultivate family q
e children and educate them in the forms O
J the highest civilization. rs IL il TO raise IA
hogs or thorough bred horses. The Yves
' has nothing to offer the emiprant from Ne,
England to compensate him for what h
q loses here. There is lust as much materia
a wealth to be reaped from our valleys an
, dug from our hills as can be won from tn
prairies of the West. There are far NOR
4. intellectual, moral aud spiritual riches to b