The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-04-04
OF Interest to VermOnters.

There was a somewhat singular edi-
torial in a late number of the Rural
Vermonter, entitled 1.-The Depopula-
ton of Vermont" 1t opens with the
assertion that there are less Yankees in
Vermont to-day than forty years ago,
the slight gain in population being made
up of Irish and Canadians who find the
state good enough for them to live in.
This statement may be correct, as forty
years cover very important period in
the history of this country. Within
that time California and the great West
have been opened up for settlement,
and the native sons of Vermont, as well
help build up and develop this extensive
domain of our country. The great at
fractions of this new territory, with the
glowing promise of success-sometime
illusory-have drawn so largely from
the population of Vermont that we are
to-day weakened to certain extent by
this exodus. But it is not probable
that this drain upon our numbers will
continue in the future as it has in the
past. The West is rapidly filling up, and
there will not be the same Opportuni-
ties for adventure and enterprise that
have characterized the past. 1t is not
always found as expected, and, when
too late, some find they made mistake
in leaving their native state and would
gladly be back ,ain.
The article is continued thus: " Who
can doubt, knowing the popular uneasi-
ness and the small gains of Vermont
industry, if it were easy or possible to
realize the money on Vermont property,
even at its present low valuation, that
before the year is out thousands would
leave the state, with no desire to re-
turn?" If this be true it is certainly a
deplorable state of affairs. The writer
does not state whether these are all
farmers or not, but we will suppose
them to be so. There is one term used
in the above paragraph that means a
good deal. 1t is the popular uneasi-
ness" There is a certain class among
the farmers--and probably no more
among them than men of other oc-
nate trait of character, uneasiness;
but that there is so much of it observ-
able as to really make it a popular char
acteristic we had no idea. Perhaps this
may be the case in some portions of the
state. but we think not in this upper
most corner. We will admit that there
are some farmers-too many of them,
tits true-who are never easy anywhere
They are migratory class. If they pur.
chase farm and move upon it it is with
no intention of remaining longer than
until some other opening that seems to
promise better presents itself. They
make little or no attempt at improve
ment, the neighborhOod has no attach
ment for them, and is better off when
such occupants of the soil move on,
if only some one with more stability of
character and purpose will take then
places. If man who has a fail
chance-an average one, we will say
on Vermont farm will get rid of this
uneasiness, make up his mind to stay
and make home for himself anC
family, content with reasonable gains
we believe he will be as successful here
as elsewhere.
Why this extreme anxiety on the
part of thousands to leave Vermont
with no desire to return? A little
further on we find the reason why anC
the antidote for this evil. 1t is this
/" 1t may be said with truth that the tax
ing off of the export duties levied upol
Vermont farm products by excess o
freight rates, above what similar prod
ucts are carried for an equal distance
from competing states, would make
Vermont as desirable home for tn
farmer as any state in the Union
Here, then, it is the railroad that is re
sponsible for this state of things. Well
if this is so it is a great responsibility
and this excess of freight charges, what
ever it is, will have much to answer for
In another place we find the follow
ing: Forty years ago, without rail
roads, Vermont was better state t
live in, in the opinion of its people
than it is to-day" Itappears the write