The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-06-19
Vermont and New Hampshire.

In his recent message to the legisla-
ture Governor Goodell of New Hamp-
shire spoke of the Frightening pros
poets of agriculture in that state and
gave the farmers some sound advice.
For the benefit and encouragement of
the people of this state we publish so
much of Governor Goodell's message
as related to agriculture
" l am exceedingly gratifed to be able to
announce, with perfect confidence, that the
tide of emigration from the farms of our
rural districts, which seemed to be setting
so strongly against us a few years ago, has
been checked. Our agricultural population
is certainly growing in wealth, and be-
lieve it is in numbers as we'll The value
of the live stock in this state has increased
more than one million dollars during the
past two years. That excellent farmers
organization, the Grange, together with the
State Board of Agriculture, has been largely
instrumental in bringing about these ex-
cellent results. For many years we have
been sending entirely too many of our best
young men and women to other states, to
help build up cities and towns there. l
have often urged upon my fellow-citizens
the importance of looking about them to see
the good things we have at home before
risking their time and energies in distant
and unknown places. Some of these de-
serted farms to which have referred are so
sterile, or so badly located, tn they may
wisely be devoted to the growth of wood
and timber; but many of them are capable
of yielding, to him who will till them in
diligently and industriously, more of the
comforts of life, larger measure of moral
and mental development and a greater
margin of profit in money than any that
can be obtained at the same price in the
| newer states and territories. If the facts in
regard to them could be made known to
| those who are seeking new homes, they
would be resettled and restored TO some
| thing of their former importance among the
resources of the state. Then we have in
our northern counties broad acreage of vir
| gin soil that is rich, mellow, comparatively
accessible to market, and only needs to
be well cultivated to support large and
| prosperous population. The marvellous de-
velopment of the West, which has been in
no small degree at the expense of New Eng
| land, Is, to great extent, due to the sys-
tematic, persi tent and untiring work Of
state and railroad agents, who have been
charged with the duty of painting in glow
| ing colors its advantages, of bringing its un-
occupied territory to the attention Of mmi-
| grants, and OF making it easy for them to
| purchase farms in their respective neigh
borhoods. Nearly all Immigrant railroads
have supported such agents, and through
|
man who has been discontinued by tales OF
the wonderful fertility of the praries and the
concealment of their many disadvantages
but the thrifty foreigner, who comes TO our
shores to labor hard, live frugally and wait
patiently, in the hope of owning home of
his own, has been able to purchase quar-
ter-section before he began his journey
towards it. BY appointing state land
agent and authorizing him, under such
rules as may be deemed necessary, to col
lect information as to the number, charac-
ter and price of the farming lands for sale
in each town, to place such facts before de-
sirabe classes of immigrants and others
who Inay be looking for farms, put would
be purchasers in communication with the
owners of these lands, and assist generally
in bringing about their transfer to capable
and willing farmers, l am convinced would
result in staying the depopulaton of our
rural districts and in retaining hundreds
Of farms that are now tenantless."
The situation in Vermont and New
Hampshire has many points of resem-
blance, particularly in its unfavorable
aspects. Agriculture in Vermont has
been-if, indeed, il is not still-at as low