Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-09
Agricultural.
The Movement, toward che cities and
villages.

The Movements toward che cities and
villages.
A writer in the American Cultivator, over
the signature ~ Weathersfeld, Vt. J." says;
with the advent Of spring the great army
Of agriculturists begins to prepare for the COM
ing campaign Surely no army Of occupation
ever planned more cautiously, weighed the
odds against them more carefully or planned
for a hand-to.hand fight with the enemy more
thoroughly, than do the rank and file Of our
Vermont farmers. To wiring bread out Of the
rock bound soil is warfare requiring energy,
perseverance and economy. We have done
it ia the past aud triumphed gloriously so
shall we expect to do in the future, even
though the times may be against us. The
present generation has passed through sea-
son of inflated prices, and hence does not
know how to accommodate itself TO the pres
ent low standard of values, hastily concluding
that there is no chance to live upon the farm
Such individuals are ready to sell out their
places at ruinously low figures to go West or
to engage in other occupations, never once
stopping to think that there is depression
everywhere. After all, who is any richer for
initiation All the real property in the com
munity is merely the representative Of small
gains and frugal habits. Following in the
wake OF abundant money come luxurious hab-
it's, increasing from time to time until nothing
is left One Of my neighbors who has made
a competence at farming says that in years
gone by he has sold good cows at 81 apiece,
feeling grand if he could get $40 or S12 each 4;
yet in such times men have lived, brought up
large families, and saved money, in peace
with their neighbors aud the world
When a farmer has good farm, 1t makes him
and his family just as good home now as
under the rule of initiation and higher prices
Nl.aff l. Al 10 .N.a ID,
dustry, and contentment will follow there
with. 1t is true that such is not the DISPOSE
ton OF the average Yankee. He wants to be
on the move was reading lately that under
Van Buren's administration, when there was
tranquility and prosperity throughout the
country, census taken near its close showed
that eleven tive lfths of the entire population
lived outside the cities and larger villages.
How would it be to-day, when such dwellers
are striving to hold themselves within these
centres, and the agriculturists striving to
! crowd themselves into those charmed districts
also 2 The facts show the steady move Of the
rural people towards the great commercial
and manufacturing centres Of the country.
1t is hardly possible for the people of cities
and towns to enjoy more of the real substan.
tal blessings of life than those who dwell In
the rural districts"
To the writer's question, How would i
be to day, when all such dwellers are striving
to hold themselves within these centres, anC
the agriculturists striving to crowd themselves
into those charmed districts also ?" it may b,
replied that each United States census, from
the first, taken in 1890, to that of 1880, ha
shown the proportion of city and town resi-
dents to the country population. In l79t
only one-thirteth OF the whole population
lived in cities or towns of 5000 or more in
hsbitants in 1900, one twenty fifth in 1871
and also in 1920, one twentieth in $780, on
sixteenth in 1910, one twelfth in 1850, on
eighth in 1860, one sixth in 1870, NOR
than one fifth. In the census Of 1880 all tn
inhabitants of cities and large towns havinI
a population of 1000 or more were aggregat
ed, making a total of nearly 10 600, 600
more than one fourth of the whole popula
ton. The present number of urban inhabi
tants may be estimated at 10, 00O, 600 out Of
total of 80, GOO, 600. or p per cent of tn
whole With the limit of 5000 or above class
ed as city population, as in the eensuses pre-
vious TO the last one, very near one fourth O
the whole population are now living in cities
and probably more than one-third of the re
naming three fourlhs live in villages.
The increase of population in the villages
both small and large, is not less marked tina
that in the cities. In many of the towns G
this state, where there has been loss of POI
ulation as a whole, there has been q gain i
the villages, large share of the village pee
pie being farmers, who have sold, or move
from their back farms without selling then
and taken up their residence in the village.