Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-10
VERMONT IN THE DUMPS,

That is very curious state of affairs that is reported from Vermont where an effort is being made to stock up the vacant farming lands by colonizing Swedes It is very singular commentary upon the economic system that has made farming unpro itable in so old and long settled and fertile state as Vermont.
 According to the estimate of Commis- sioner Valentine, who has taken the mat ter in hand, there are 200, ,OOO acres of farming land that are now growing up to wilderness where they were once under successful and profitable cultivation. It is proposed to people these lands by the introduction of @ colony of fifty Swedish families, though why it should be neces- sary to go abroad for a farming community when we have plenty here in New Eng land who would be both able and willing to settle upon the farms is a mystery It is mystery, too, why there should be so large an exodus from the farms of the green mountain state if, as we were told by Hon N. D. Sperry and other republi- can stumpers last fall, the high tariff sys- tenn is fraught with so much prosperity for the former. We have very vivid recol- lection of the fervid.. ..eloquence with which that apostle of high taxes pictured the delights of farming life and the prosperous nature of the farming industry under the benefcent egis of protection. He had of course nothing to say of the demoralized condition of farming in our own state where many farmers would be unable to- day to dispose of their farms at any thing like the values set upon them by the tax -gatherer. He had nothing to say either of the depressed outlook for farming generally in New England and of which we have only a sample indication ill the colonization scheme that is now re- ported from Vermont. It would not have | been polite for MT Sperry or his fellow stumpers to tell the truth on this point. The fact is that protection gives no pro- lection to the farmer. He has to pay higher for the clothes he wears as a result ot the tax bonus granted to manufacturers, higher prices for his household goods, higher prices for his farming utensils, higher prices for the blankets with which he protects himself and his faithful steeds from the icy blasts that blow from the rock-bound shores of New England during the long winter months and while he pays higher prices for all these necessary articles ln his domestic economy, he must sell the products of his farm at such rates as he can command with no artificial in crease of value imparted by the tariff tax,
 The manufacturer and mine owner, the tariff barons of Pennsylvania and Ohio reap the benefits of protection, while the farmer of New England scratches grave to pay the interest on his mortgage. The i former build castles abroad, take presi
 dental candidates on coaching tour.
 through England and scale down tht
 wages of their workmen, while the farmer,
 hoe corn and thank God if they are able tt
 meet the demands of the tax g.therer anf the money lender. What can we expec
 with such an economic system but tha
 farmers will give up their lands and mor
 of the rich lands of our New Enplanf
 states will go to waste and be looking fo Swedes or other cheap living foreigners t,
 reclaim them
 , Unless there is change in the tarif
 system of this country we will have otbe states than Vermont looking for co1o,;s,
 to stock up their fa1ms.