The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-14
Points for the Lawmakers.

Editor Of Waterman Many Vermont
farmers wear long faces this fall. The early
frost hurt the corn, potatoes have rotted
badly, the rains greatly injured the grain
and straw, and, worse than all, there is no
sale for stock. In some towns, it is said,
there is a third more stock than can be win
tered, and many kinds of feed will be high.
A few years ago our farmers supplied the
home market with beef and shipped a great
deal of live stock to Boston. Now not only
are we almost deprived of the Boston mar
ket, but western competition comes to our
very doors. 1t would be a great object
lesson for the Lawmakers, especially the
committee on agriculture, to visit the
Chicago dressed beef building in Mont
pelier, and then think of the time when the
cattle buyers used to come around and pur-
chase great drOves of cattle. They will
realize the changes that are driving Ver-
mont farmers to the wall The legislature
can do nothing to stop the tide of change,
but they can do something to help the
farmers meet 1t. Within few years
science has come to the farmers aid, and
the farmer of the future must make science
his ally, or fail. He must use brain as well
as hand, and needs skill in using both.
Where shall he get all this? In an institu-
ton founded and sustained by the state for
this very purpose. Go where you will in
enlightened countries and you will find
such institutions The great needs of farm
ers are scientific knowledge and skill in
performing the operations of the farm, and
these needs governments are striving to
meet The needs of our farmers in these di-
rections are imperative. and the state has far
too long delayed to make adequate provision
for them. The Board of Agriculture should
be more literally provided for, the Dairy
mans Association be aided in its work, the
experiment station looked after, and more
especially for the coming farmers, school
of agriculture established. 1t is utterly
useless to appropriate money to the Agri-
cultural College with the expectation that
the farmers will be helped thereby. For
twenty-three years this precious institution
has been doing next to nothing for agricul-
tural interests. On the contrary, it tried
two years ago TO destroy the one agency
that the state had provided to aid the farm
ers, and now, utterly disregarding the press
ing need for agricultural education and
means therefor, it seeks to obtain twenty
thousand dollars for a building that will be
utterly useless so far as the good OF the
state is concerned. If the legislature really
wishes to really honor Senator Morrill, let
it incorporate a school of agriculture and
appropriate twenty thousand dollars to
build "A hall to contain lecture room, class
rooms, and rooms for library and museum
and call it the Justin S. Morrill, Hall
Such building would not only honor
Senator Morrill,, but would be an honor to
the state, and a blessing to agriculture
But the proposition of the managers OF
the college betrays how little they really
care for the interests of the state and its
chief industry What will the farmers say
to being taxed to build military hall foi
the University of Vermont? There is 6
delicate and beautiful appropriateness IN
asking money for the college to use for sucl
purpose, which can not fail to deeply move
the beholder, especially when he considers
that said college has no appliances whatever
for imparting agricultural education Be
hold with what tender love and watchfu
care and unselfsh devotion does the grea
sympathetic heart of the university treat fol-
the tillers of the soil! Verify it is a grea
privilege to be a farmer in such state al
! this. PLowMAN.