The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-03-21

turned properly filled up, and then in
bulk forwarded to me at Bennington,
Vermont
The Listers schedule of agricultural
and manufacturing interests will contain
answers to these questions How many
abandoned farms and acreage OF same
Reasons why abandoned? Forests, wheth-
er on the increase or decrease What
acreage, il any, formerly cultivated, is
now grown up to forest What kinds OF
timber and approximate proportions ?
What facilities for transportation to
market? Valuation of quarries and
mines, of granite, marble. slate, iron,
magnese and other metals Water
power, improved or unimproved Is it
the disposition of your young men to
settle in or leave the State Have you
anything to suggest by way of legisla-
ton to induce our citizens to remain in
this State or to encourage immigration
From an interview by the Free Press
we take some explanatory excerpts
which are important in this connection
In relation to the blanks Commissioner
Valentine said : THE law provides that
returns shall be made on or before the
first of June by the Listers, who are re-
quired to collect the blanks thus filled
out together with much other informa.
ton as the Listers may be able to fur
nish IN answer to interogalions address
ed to them. A compilation Of the re
turns will be first in order, which by law
must be compared with obtainable data
IN relation to the resources of other
States, and the inducements offered for
immigration and the taking up Of unused
land. The results of the Investigations
will be embodied in my report to the
next Legislature"
"What will be the outcome of your
labor 7" 1.-The law calls upon the Com
missioner to formulate law providing
for the establishment of a permanent
bureau relating tn the agricultural and
manufacturing interests of the State. !
fear that the results will be disappOint-
ing at first as it will require several
years to experience the benefits of the
Commissioners labors; but have faith
In the realization by the State of great
advantages from the effects to be made
to secure immigration"
"Have you appointed a clerk yet p
asked the reporter. "No, have not and
right here want to say that a mIsap-
prehension exists in regard to the Com
missioner's clerk hire. The act provides
that the Commissioner compensation
is to be IS a day, and he is to provide his
own clerical assistance. The sum OF
$4,000 is appropriated to be used in ex-
perimental work, but l doubt if Will
be able to use much of that amount be-
fore the next Legislature meets. Mr.,
StillsoD, editor of the BANNER, will prob
ably assist me in getting together the
facts for my report, but | will depend
upon someone else for the merely cleri-
cal work"
what means do you think the State
should adopt to invite immigration Z"
II have moi reached that point yet but
have in mind the operations of rich
Swede in Nebraska. He buys all the
unoccupied land along the railroads that
be can lay his hands upon. He then
goes TO his native land and forms small
colony to whom he sells this land bring
ing them back with him. He lends them
money with which 10 buy machinery
and tools and thus makes a handsome
profit, Perhaps the State could not do
this, certainly it would not want to
make profit out of settlers, but the
plan of working think a good one"