The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-18
STAY IN VERMONT

The question of home is, or should be,
of the greatest Importance to us all. The
sooner the Individual, old or young, set
ties down to this conclusion the sooner
the ground work Of real life and happi-
ness will he laid, This should be DON.
sidered the first object among men, and
the person that conc udes otherwise
will sooner or latter have cause to re.
greet his or her decision. The person
who reasons from this standpoint and
brings every force to contribute to il
will be happy in his successes, except
in the line OF his duty to others, is to be
made miserable.
Where, in all the world, are better,
pleasanter and purer homes to be found
than in Vermont, and where have great
er sacrifices been made by the parents
for their children The state is young
really the latest settled of any in New
England. 1t was settled by people from
Massachusetts,, Connecticut and Rhode
Island principally, whose objects were
to obtain homes. They were not mere
adventures, in pursuit of wealth, their
purpose being almost identical with that
of the Puritans who landed on Plymouth
rock, hence Vermont from its earlles,
history has never laid claim to excessive
wealth. The settlers who came here
found the most productive soil in New
England, as its forests attested, every
foot of which was covered with grow.
ing timber and its mountain sides even
being green with verdure. The farms OF
Vermont had produced in abundance
long before they were reclaimed by civil
lization, and to day no stronger natural
soil can be found.
Time has wrought its changes in our
country, and while these revolutions
have been in progress, the Green Noun
tain State has lost nothing, being "a de
sirable for home now as ever, and in
comparison with the whole country more
so. With the opening up Of the "Great
West the tide of emigration set in from
this state to populate it, and the drain
has been constant. The question has
often been asked why this should be 80
but no satisfactory answer has been Civ
en-. Perhaps it is because the spirit OF
emigration Of the fathers is the inheri
lance of the children. The moving ones
no doubt had expected to better their
SObultiOu an hutll uGlb Ddu Dul
the mass have been disappointed in real
izing in the same measure.
The emigrants from Vermont to the
West had read the fairy tales of the
prairies, but few had ever been there to
see for themselves. They heard of the
wide fields open to the pillow in their nor
NAL condition, but what superior advan.
tages do they offer people settled upon
better lands cleared up by their fathers
If the present generation of Vermonters
were to begin anew where their fathers
did, the open fields of the West might
offer great inducements to some, bu'
these lands have their serious drawb cks
which can only be realized by expert
ence. The praIries OF grass which
seemed so productive at the outset and
promised so well for the future, have
been found to be no more substantial
than the land of timber. The same fer
tilizing process must be resorted to there
as here in order to obtain crop. The
only advantages offered are greater ease
of cultivation, and these are more then
Offset by lower prices and greater cost
of transportation to market. Besides,
nowhere in this broad extent of country
are field crops more certain than in this
State, and there are few sections where,
from one cause or another. they are 80
reliable. There is nothing produced by
the Vermont farmer but finds a ready
cash market. At no time is he cor
strained to burn hay and corn for fuel
on account of their cheapness, or Of nee
essity,
There is no State that affords better
homes and habitations for its people
than this, or furnishes means in greater
abundance for their maintenance. No
State furnishes more desirable neighbors,
better or more economical Government
or greater facilities for the development
OF business, all in all. 1t is claimed for
Vermont that with the same productive
soil and equal advantages, farming lands
may be obtained here more cheaply than
elsewhere, and that the farmer cannot
improve his condition by selling out and
going away. The desire to change loca-
tons must have Its origin in faulty in
formation or discOntent. As rule I 10
not to be doubted that the person who
would be discontinued here would be in
the same mood anywhere else, with di =
appointment added. The great mass of
Vermonters to day live in luxury and
ease in comparison with their ancestors.
of whatever occupation, and upon much
less labor. The same comparison, be-.
yond doubt, will also hold good be.
tween those who remain here and those
who have gone West"
These conclusions are not only our
own, made from somewhat extensive
observation, but from the testi-
mony of unbiased travellers. Among
others, we had talk with Rev. E. W,
Culver recently upon his return from
trip to the Pacific coast. Said he 81
am satisfied with Vermont and the adj
vantncra " "tfers. have ffeu r-i
in al r &c it's superior. nn - A,y.
communities fnr Lrs, drrlrabie."i Speak-
ing Of visiting old acquaintances IN Kan