Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-01-07
oambridgeport Farmers Club.

two classes of people to come under our
consideration this evening. The one COM
posed of those who own farms, comfortable
homes, surrounded with the comforts OF
life, they are well enough and should be
willing to let that suffice The other
class, the past and present fully demon
strating the necessity of a westward
movement. AS there is not one farm in
ten that will support an ordinary family
and pay the low rate of interest the law
requires, what prospect is there for any
young man, or persons with limited
means, securing home free of debt,
where he can enjoy the blessings of loved
ones and not be compelled to realize that
in few years the family must be broken
from the necessity of wider field of
labor Those fcom this State who have
felt it their duty to help advance the
genera! prosperity of the country, can be
found throughout that region. Their
wealth to-day would purchase the entire
farming interests of Vermont. Had
there been no emigration for the past two
generations and the necessary divisions
made according to farming population,
we would have on an average J acre
farms. Whence, then, comes the flour,
grain and meat. / am aware that pro-
duce does not bring as high prices there
as here. Look at the ease in which it
is raised and harvested. One man can
tend thirty acres Of corn there as easy as
one or two acres here. Have spent seven
years in the West, a portion of the time
as farmer Admit the water is not as
good there as here generally, though |
have seen as fine springs in Illinois as
New England. The West is far in adj
vance of New England in its educational
facilities You will scarcely find la village
the size of our own that has not graded
school. The State of Iowa has increased
its population upwards of one hundred
and forty thousand in the last three
years, which indicates the rapid develop
ment of the West.
SECRETARY.-S he had seen some
thing of the West, in fact all he ever
wanted to, and had it not been for the
good judgment of his better half he
might have emigrated before he had
seen it, and been located there to-day.
The farmers OF n. +. are the last class
Of people that should emigrate West, to
leave their native land, their friends and
kindred, the healthiest and finest coun-
try upon the face of the globe. What
is meant by going West? His under
standing was that it was where land was
lower than here, and that would take a
man beyond the Missouri river, where
nearly one-half the population are for
eigners. Deficiency in timber is one
great drawback on the eligibility of the
prairie region for settlement The den
izen of log cabin in Ohio, may at
times be short of meal or meat, but
never of good fuel or fencing. But the
very worst feature he found was the
want of good pure water. In places
you may ride twenty miles across the
country without finding water, and even
when found, well bred horse would not
drink it. As the genial gentleman pro.
ceeding me has remarked, the West pro-
duces large quantities of stock and pro-
duce, however statistics show that the
little State of Vermont produces more
wool, live stock, butter, cheese, hay, oats,
hops, maple sugar and potatoes in pro
portion to her population than any state
in the Union. Shall we all leave it and
60 where they don't raise as much? Com.
pare the climate of Vermont with that
of Iowa reports show the former has Is
wholly rainy days in each year, while
the latter has 101. The number OF
snowy days is about equal. Iowa has
SO clear days, while Vermont shows 115.
Need not mention the mud there, but nc
one that has not been there can imagine
the terrible winds which blow almost in.
cessantly. The weather is very change
able and uncertain, and taken altogether
it is a coarse country inhabited by q
coarse people.
Hon. A. A. WYMAN.-That farmer;
should go West | am not prepared t.
verify. The great trouble in n. e. i:
we have been inflated. We must pitcl
our scale of living just one degree be
low our means, then all will be we'll witt
US. Speaking of our dependence upor
the West, it is not necessary. N. E. al
though largely engaged in manufacture
ing, can produce everything they require
if they will but in that event wher,
would the West be. We exchange oul
productions for theirs. We need mor'
systematic manner of farming, as il
England. We have here in n. Z. pure
water, timber in abundance, markets
near, and everything for the comfort o
its inhabitants not so in the West where