Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-03-29
Tho Use OF New England Winters

But God sends wintor TO these northern
climates for other ends. lie sends il in
order TO educate some races 10 sternor yir.
tues than ever came to the children o
eternal summer. Winter Is a great teacher
to men, first of prudence, forethoupbt
economy; next of benevolence and syste
matte charity; then of freedom and inde
pendence in the state and church. All
northern races arc capable of these virtues
tho southern seem less capable of them
Hero in New England, ,amid snow and ice
amid storms and the rigors of nature
there grew up race of men who know
how to live on little, to live without luxu.
rios, to take care Of the great interests OF
religion and knowledge. to SEQ that every
child was taught to read and write. that
every soul was taught to know God and
Christ; who made out of economy virtue,
and of wastefulness and idleness chief
vices; who trained up thoughtful, indus.
trious, conscientious men and women-6t
for freedom, and able to help others to be
free. Behind the New England character
stands as a stern background the New
England climate,,its long winter evenings,
when by the light of the fire children and
parents talked together of God and virtue,
and studied in the ftful fame of the crack.
ling log the elements of knowledge and
religion. Let us thank God to-day for
having, in his wisdom, given as the long
winter of our climate, for by it In part he
has developed the strength Of character
which enabled New England to be the
leader of the nation in it's great arony.
During the civil war, New England in the
cabinet, New England In the Senate, New
England in the field New England pour.
ing out the accumulated treasure OF her
long cconomy-everywh was the in.
spiration and strength of the national mind,
and no small part of the power to do this
was given her by the harsh discipline OF
her Arctic winter.
think winter also tends to promote all
systematic benevolence. In southern conn.
tries there is more alms-giving, but not Sc
much benevolence as in the north. In the
south. if yon give poor man a copper OF
two. he has all he wants for the day. for
he needs only food. In the north, in win.
ter, he needs also clothing, fire and shelter
so at the north we have not merely to sat.
isfy momentary sympathy by giving a
few coppers, but to think about the poor
TO consider their needs and to try TO dc
them permanent good. Hence such insti.
tutions as the associated charities, to pro
vide friendly advice for the needy. and to
be the means of communication between
those who need and those who have: thf
provident association to furnish helm the
industrial associations, TO supply work m.
homes for the children the hospitals for The
sick, and a thousand other institution :
which have grown up under our severe
northern skies. We provide men and
women with work; we learn to build pron.
er lodging-houses for them we inyesticate
the problem Of pauperism. 1t is true fhai
as yet little has been done thoroughly. In
community like ours we ought to abol,
ish pauperism forever. Poverty will re,
main, but it is not necessary that pauper,
should exist in New England. There il
enough already given in benevolenco tc
put an end to all real want if only Il were
systematized. Tho thing to be done, and
that which is now boipg donc is: First, &c
500 that all mon and women who car
work, and are willing to work, shall have
work by which they can get modest bul
adequate support: second. to see that ali
who, from age or sickness, are unable tC
work, shall be provided for in way moi
only comfortable but respectable. Then
there only remains tho class of pcrson,
who can work, but will not, who prefer
vice and Incidence 10 honest labor; and
for them there are appointed by the laws
OF God and man restraint and hardship a,
a cure. By this I mean, not three month,
In the house OF correction. and then liber,
ty to proy on society again, but permanent
restraint and education till they arc cured
Our long winters have educated us, and
are giving us the opportunity to take up
one by one, the great social questions, and
do something cffectual for their solution
We shall do 1t all In time. Hitherto il
New England we have not been vexed by
this question of poverty, for the New Enc
land people, as such, though never rich
have never been poor. We have beer
obliged to import our paupers from abroad
In many New England towns there is still
not q family to be found who need o.
would accept aid from their neighbors
But here, in tho great cities, misery col