Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-05-24

ment than he has been able to find in tho
Great West" The most desirable things
OF life are never found indigenous TO any
soil.
III the working man and farmer OF Yer
mont would work rs hard and debsr
himself aud family the same Injuries. the
same comforts and conveniences of life
that tho western pioneer docs in bis cabin
or dus-out, will it not pay him as well
Nay, more, is it any stretch of the
Imagination to see wherein it will pay him
I even better?
! But the west great as it Is. IS only
/ part OF our vast country. let our dis
contented friend extend his explorations
further let him go to the sunny south
where our freezing northern blasts are
| tempered with tropical breczes that land
I Of magnificent distances where the ambi-
| tious Anglo-SaXOn, ever anxious TO secure
| land in his own right, can spread his
wings over so many acres that he must
needs mount his horse and ride for miles
to see whether he has any neighbors or
not the land where cotton is king, where
northern cereals and tropical fruits grow
| 'ANS ~ 9AaO Abh MN uOlt All lut
lngs and influences carefully; let him Off.
set the malaria against the fine, health.
giving air of New England and decide
whether he prefers to spend his DAYS and
rear his family there or in Vermont.
| / would not be understood as saving
anything in this paper disparasing of
the west or any other part of our great
country. Each part possesses advantages
peculiar to itself. and each has its disad.
vantagcs also. And it is a fact always to
be borne in mind that these advantages,
these desirable conditions of different
! localities are ncCcr dU combined in one
place. 1t is thus in great measure a
matter Of choice which combination of
natural advantages, what kind and condi-
ton of society, what sort of social rela-
tons one prefers, and then if he wishes TO
change his home let him select the locality
which nearest represents the combination
best suited to his taste and wishes; that is,
if he can afford it. Often there is
formidable ii in the way OF unrestricted
choice, for the moro desirable the condi.
tions the moro money they represent, and
ones financial ability is always an inn
portant factor in making the selection.
The question, "Will it ray?" is ever
present.
ltwas the remark Of a distinguished
foreigner who had travelled extensively
over this vast country, that it was god |
send that the Pilgrims first landed on the |
rock bound coast and forbidding soil of
New England, for had tho valley of the |
Mississippi and the rich country contigu-
GUS been first settled, New England would
have remained to this day sterile, unin-
habited region.
However much of truth there may be |
in this, in higher sense than was meant |
by this stranger gentleman, it was, indeed. |
god-scnd, for, save only for the influence |
cxerted by New England ideas and char
scter, that great empire of the west
would never have become what it is to-
day. Character in its best and noblest
sense is never of spontaneous growth.
No man has so much inherent ambition
that he ever docs his best unless spurred
onward by adverse circumstances and
surrounding obstacles.
1t nCede6 fierce conflict with the stub
born soil of New England TO bring out
and establish those elements Of industry,
frugality and sobriety, that stern sense Of
Justice and love for the right, that well
balanced Judgment and noble patriotism |
which have always in so marked manner
been tho distinguishing features Of New !
England character, and which have per-
mcated the western empire with the |
human tide and been in all that tremen-
dous growth and progress the guiding
star and the mighty ruling force. and it is !
only the porpetuation of these same essen
tial clements of New England character
and institutions that will give security and
pcrmancnCe in the future. VIII it pay,
then, to speak lightly or dispnragin.ly of
those things which have formed the
groundwork socially and politically of the
mighty west? 1t certainly will mol pay
to forget that the same original influences
and Institutions are as potent to-day in
Vermont as eVcr--a consideration not to
be lightly regarded in deciding where one
shall make his home and rear his family.
We have thus far mado these remarks
general. Let us be more specific: We
will assume that the young man has not
yet chosen his lilc.Work that he is depend
cnt on his own eXertions. The aVocations
of life arc numerous, different localities
present diversity of attractions, mean.
of communication arc easy and rapid and
in his general summary of the various
fields OF labor he is sometimes led to
regard farming rs somewhat mental and
waiting in great opportunities, and is
little disposed to look upon il with feel
ing akin to contempt. We assume that
he has average natural abilities and fair
education; that he is thoroughly temper
ato (clso his work and life will be fail.
ure, whatever locality or circumstances
may be-: What shall he DO? Will he en- !
ter one Of the professions He must re-
mombcr that either Of these require but
limited number, and are always full that |
after years of close mental application |
and anxictya reasonable degree of success
is attained by few. Tho merchant some
times becomes wealthy and he is inclined |
to think that his is an easy way of obtain
ing a livelihood. He must rCmember that |
the merchant has his full share Of cares
and porplcXiticS. Let him consider care
fully his reasons for hoping for success.
If he has capital sufficient for his business
the chances are oven against him-with-
out capital his probability of success is
mcagre enough.
VIII he be mechanic Is the muscu-
lar labor any less than on tho farm2 Will
he labor any less hours? Arc his chances
Of securing home Of his own as good,
and is the remuneration any better than it
might be on the average Vermont farm?
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