Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-04-09
GBeDermont 9Banit
BRATTLEBORO:
FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL o, 1876.
tCo nmunicated.l
Vermont and the Cesnus.

nau so low n rate OF increase, Whlle lew
other States had more reason TO expect
largely augmented population if such a
reason is found in productive soil, health
ful climate, and desirable social privileges.
A somewhat better appreciation of the
State is shown by the last census, the in
crease from 1860 to 1870 being 5000, or
about five per cent. There were seven
States falling below this ratio aud twenty
nine exceeding it. The percentage of gain
in the whole country was more than four
times as large as in V ermont. The aggre-
gate gain in half dozen large towns more
than cqualed the increase in the whole
State. In addition TO the gain in these
large towns, there has been a small but
general increasement to the population in
the villages, even townships that have lost
several hundred contain villages that have
made gains. Probably $4,000 is not too
high an estimate of the gain in the large
towns and villages of the State during the
last census decade. Assuming this it fol-
lows that as the whole gain was but $4,000,
that there was a loss of 1000 outside of
the villages and a few large towns. Thus
1t appears that there is no increase, but ra-
Their decline in our agricultural popula-
ton. 1t is difficult to account for this fact
when we consider that ours is the most fer
tile part of the eastern country. One con-
spicuous cause to which this condition of
the State may be attributed is the want of
just appreciation of its merits.
believe that it was Stephen A. Doug
las that originated the ambiguous remark
that Vermont was good State to emigrate
from. These words have often been quoted
in the sense not intended by The author,
that it was good thing to emigrate from it,
an idea that Vermonters seem 10 endorse
and act upon, as we find by examining the
reports of the last census there are in 9TH
or States of the Union $4,000 natives of
Vermont. Making an estimated addition
to these us, 900 in other States for the num-
Der probably omitted in taking the census,
and for natives of the State in Canada and
other 70 reign countries, we have the aston
ishing fact that there are nearly or quite
100000 natives of Vermont not living in
the State. The native population of the
State is 243,0O0, the total 100000, leaving
$1,000 not natives of the State; of these ST.
900 little more than one-half are foreign
ers, the remainder natives of other States.
The natives of the State outside of it are to
natives of the State within it, nearly, as 4
to . hence one quarter added to the num-
Der of emigrants would make them equal
to the native population remaining.
To say that we have lost 200, 900 of our
native population while but 243, 900 remain,
expresses but inadequately the actual loss.
1t is the young and energetic, the advent
urous and enterprising that have gone out
from us, hut had they been instructed in
Just appreciation of their own State instead
of having been encouraged in the fashion,
able depreciation of it, thousands of them
might have been to-day within its borders
adding to its wealth and prosperity. Had
these 100000 remained il might have turn
ell the tide of emigration into instead of
out of the State. Its general prosperity
would have been everywhere enhanced.
Bellows Falls might have been more like
Lowell, and Brattleboro more like Wor-
cester. Farms that now can hardly be Civ
en- away would have sold readily at good
prices, and desirable real estate would have
brought sums that no owner now thinks of
asking. Those that have left would have
shared the advantages of tho increased
value of real estate aud other property. 1t
is question whether they would not have
had more of this worlds goods than they
have in the homes they have sought in dis
tant lands. 1t would be interesting if we
could determine the average individual
,yooI,I of tboea ON mn hot bo IN al
away from the old state. 1t is question
whether, even now, with property here de-
precated, and the state crippled and en-
feebled like an old bive from over swarm
ing, their wealth is greater than that of All
equal number of similar condition in life
that have remained at home. We have
some statistics that have bearing upon
this question. In Vermont the total amount
of real and personal property, as returned
by the last census, was between 500 and
$500 per capita. In Wisconsin it was less
it was less in Minnesota. If we except Chi
cago and vicinity, it was about the same in
Illinois, the most fertile of the Western
States. If, then, the Vermonters that have
gone to these States are not more prosper
Gus than the average of people there, their
circumstances are no better, if as good, as
the average here.
By the last census the value Of all the
products of agriculture in Vermont for the
census year averaged slO4 to each inhabit-
ant-the highest of any State in the Union.
The next highest, Iowa, averaged sos. Ex-
Guiding all not engaged in agriculture, the
value of the total product in Vermont was
nearly 5000 per capita. This was exceeded
by only four States east of the Mississippi,
the highest being a little over 500. The
average value of all the products TO each
farmer is the true test of the relative profit
of agriculture in the different States. 1t is
the value of the products, not the quantity,
that indicates the profit. The average val
ne Of the years product TO each person en-
gagged in farming was greater in Vermont
than Iowa, greater than in Illinois, greater
than in Indiana, greater than in Michigan,
greater than in Ohio, greater than in any
OF the Western States east OF the Missis-
sippi river. If these statistics are correct
they are complete refutation of common
ly received ideas.
Compared with the other States of New
England, it is well known, Vermont is
ahead of them all in the products of agrl-
culture, having the most live stock, the
most mich cows and the most sheep, max
ing the most butter and cheese, and rails
ing the most hops, wheat, oats and corn.
According to population Vermont produc-
es the most butter and cheese of all the
States, the most potatoes, the most hay and
the most maple sugar. BY the census Of
of 1860 Vermont produced the most, ac-
cording to population, of all the products
here enumerated except one (potatoes,) and
The most Of one product (wool,) not enum-