Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-02-15
Decline of Rural Population In Vermont.

M. II. c." in a late number of the
Poultney Journal, comments upon the fact
that the Grand List of Vermont, for 1877,
shows falling of of g., GO, $50 from the
list of 1876. He attributes this largely to
falling off in the population Of the towns
no: provided with railroad facilities. He
says
Some of our best towns of old, and whose
soil is excellent, are witnessing the & thin
niug-out process, now going on in Vermont
in consequence of"the penny-wise and pound
foolish" practice of the taxpayers OF the
several toms, who refuse to furnish suitable
highways to make home in Vermont attrac-
tive or desirable even, and soon the PERMITS
who remain will, like those of Virginia who
brought desolation upon that State, from
another cause, soon hear. if this state OF
things long continues, the howl of the wolf,
which will have returned, after lapse OF a
hundred yeats, to sing savage requiem in
the forests new already commenced to grow
in certain cemeteries in some towns in
windham county, and over the graves of
ancestors whose descendants have been de-
citation. for which the heart yearns, and
without which life Is almost uncomfortable,
even in this pleasant land" by set OF
niygardy creatures who will not live nor
let live, and who have the legal power of
ostracizc the very best of our citizens, by
forcing them TO seek homes in Texas,
California, ard other remote regions,
while Vermont, with proper culture, can
well sustain half a million of people. Any
man, the height of whose ambition Is to keep
down to the lowest possible figure the taxes
for highways and other necessary improve
ments, is to that extent curse to any COM
munity which may be afflicted with him
be he who be may.
In certain ways, the taxes in Vermont
might be decreased in one item by lessen
ing the number Of our representatives to the
General Assembly. For instance, Burling-
ton has population Of 1855 Somerset
has 50, and each town has one representa-
tive thus | man in Somerset il eqaal $50
in Burlington in matters of representatives,
and Baltimore and other small towns follow
in the same ratio. By cutting down the
House of Representatives to 80 members,
quite a saving can be made, and NO harm en-
sue to the State.
Men of Vermont, your proudest boast and
your rightful commendation rests in your
bravery and intelligence. Your common
schools have educated your people to love
Knowledge and to move in good society.
Other States have discovered this, and have
induced many of "our number to emigrate,
by furnishing better roads, and if pos
sibe better schools and stronger churches.
and other social Inducements.
The editor of the Journal does not alto
gether agree with his correspondent lie
says
Railroads are now almost necessary con-
diti1n OF existence, and wherever it is prac
ticable to build them they should be built.
But the want Of railroads is not all that ais
the rural districts of Vermont. The trouble
| - in the rural people of Vermont, and some
thing more than building railroads is neces-
sary 10 remove it. The trouble is that these
people have lost confidence in their locali
ties. confidence and love for their calling,
ard are lahoring under the delusion that
success and Standing in society are nowhere
attained except alongside of railroad or
large village. Poultney has railroad
which has been in operation since 1852.
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i 1otna i ,Vi a iIa.'sI " ontu, "a
LOU ~ 49, NJ 'os' :" rao
I'm u " ~" -. I'm VIC 20. "e
,n''so .. o"i' 10 '"iIe 'i''es a.
az ~" a. ",..a -.,,.e,., u,iuinS VI VI.
business tina. has grown up has built up the
village Of Puultney. The gain in the vii
lage and gain along on the line OF the slate
quarrieS has ih'ue the gam "hich appears
De-, h,,iy il il in ponI,ner arav go 10
village and away from the region Of the slate
quarries' The intelligent people Of Poult-
ney can relGny answer tuaI question: ihey
-, ,n.ls.rr ,ts ,own 81 pie ~,
.'thinning-out'' process has been at work
since the ri'lroad was built and in spite Oh
Wv 'n,'' ala, Ia,r 81 -. ,ounu i" VIVA,
trade The tendency has been a. lat, ve,ys
to centIalize, to draw from the rural dis
trlctS and build up towns and cities. The
e ~ : =, - 'aoA s a4
ers and our ,oupg men that farming will nav
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