Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-03
Emigration from Vermont.

1.-TWO hundred and fifty persons from Yer
mont passed through Montreal one night last
week for the Western States. An additional
party of three hundred from Maine and Que
bee eftnext day for the same destination" To
all true patriots, the prosperity of their native
land is desirable. Prosperity may be indi-
Gated by the increase in numbers of the pop
ulation, if by their labors they are earning
and getting living. A new township with
thousand inhabitants is considered more
prosperous than one with a hundred. A
state like Vermont will be esteemed pros
porous if the next census reveals an increase
of inhabitants by twenty or thirty thousand
as shown in 1870, rather than decrease.
Prosperity is also indicated by an increase
of wealth, even though the population re-
mains the same. By the exodus of Vermont.
ers, as indicated by the above item, the
state loses both inhabitants and wealth.
Most of the persons who go West are under
the middle age, with apparently several
years more of vigorous life and productive
labor to give in their new homes. They
also carry money with them, and often sell
property on credit before they go, so that the
surplus earnings of an equal number that
remain are sent to them during several years
after their removal. All this is to the in
| jury of Vermont.
| Are there good reasons for this emigra-
ton In some European countries the pop
ulation is much greater than the products OF
the country can sustain, and the surplus
population are not to be blamed if they seek
homes where food is abundant and there are
homes for the homeless" There may be
a scarcity of work, so that muscle compete:
with muscle, until wages are reduced so low
as to be inadequate to the maintenance o.
the ordinary expenses of home. So they
seek a country where labor receives fai
reward. There may be an oppressive gov
eminent that compels the young man u
serve in the army several of the best year
of his life. For this reason many youth
seek homes in this country.
None of these reasons apply to Vermont
The population is not excessve wages ar
remunerative; work tolerably abundant, AM
there are no evils resulting from govern
ment that may not be remedied by the in
telligent efforts of just such men as 6
West. Many go to a climate as cold as Vel
mont, and find homes in Wisconsin or Mir
nesota. Vermont needs greater populi
ton and the accommodating wealth Of col
, tented people.
The reason why many leave is that O
, every postofice, depot and store, and in a
{ their newspapers are advertisements of Yves
, ern railroads and their lands, and the loci
, papers will fill their columns with corr
spondence that tells Of the success OF tn
a Western settlers. Vermont railroads chare
' unjust local freights, giving Partially
: Western freight and Western traveller
! Wealthy Vermonters invest capital in Yves
@ ern lands more largely than in Vermont 81
Z terprises, and discourage in Vermont whit
4 they approve in Kansas that is, farmer
!. meetings, the work of board OF agricu
!. ture, the work of the chemist, the geologis
!. the fruit grower, and the enthusiastic e
A perimenter and writer, who works TO NAL
!. known the capabilities of the state. I'll
n Vermont papers are very generally in accol
o with their Western correspondents that al
n man who is contented to till farm in VI
. mont is but trihe in advance of naturi
N born fool. 1t is time that Vermont farmer
m her business men, and her press, begin ear
r. estly TO build up Vermont.