The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-10-09


reared noTp than hef share % thu elass u ns,n
and the result hss bccB tha' they have taken
advantage uf the opportunities offered, and
u all porriaass II our land busiiiess and pro
fessions eiTries have bean snrichcd by the adj
ditiou 81 yanng men With sound rainis in sound
bodies whom We have -oni out. The extent to
which Vermont has ministerud 10 the wealth
81 other states 10 Indicated. 10 some extent, by
I the census Of isRas by which u appears that, of
I her native-b,an SONS, there were then residing
| IN Connecticut a,sse; in New Hampshire.
4 l8,t,ia 10 Massachusetts. = AS IN New York.
- ,yli the ma iofiiy Of whom think il IN safe
\ 20 say, ger. Ia be found in the cities aud vii
Z lagos 81 those states The same source of ip-
formation reveals the fact thai 81 natiye-boin
Nerfnani.rs there we're then residing in Penn
sylvsna. 500, in Kansas, lrsl; in Ohio, 1904;
I in Minnesota, T.sta, in Iowa, l2.-Yl; IN Michi-
\ gan. i2,iss in Illinois, ii.T1. and IN far-of
California. 4,iNl, that. comprHhensiyely
stated. there were then residing 10 the United
| states 4s,N4i persons who had been born IN
! Vermont, and Of this whole number only 25l,-
/ Ita, about ~ per cent u the whole, were
then residing IN Vermont. That this exodus
proceeded from the more purely agricultural
towns is, think. generally admitted but il
proof were needed. a glance At the census tables
since ls.D would probably satisfy the most
skeptical mind OF the fact. la the county Of
Addison, one OF the finest for agricultural pur-
poses IN the state though her villages increased
in population and importance. there was be-
tween ln'a aud leSl a decrease in her popula.
ton Of about No. In isiA bennington county
had n 40 inhabitants 20 years later, in ls5d,
only 1857, but through growth in manufac-
lures and the opening up Of quarfies her popu-
lation IN 1870 had come 20 be 2l.a'N. In
Caledonia county the population. which in 1850
was 4,,S1, had come IN 1870 10 be 1907,
gain largely accounted for in the growth of
two or three Of her larger villages. In 1890
Chittepden county bad a population Of 2l,5,5
in iSsl, 22,'f1I; and in $50, ". 792. a growth
largely attributable TO Burlngtons prosperity
In Orange county, which is peculiarly an agri-
cultural region, but which possesses several
prosperous and growing villages. the popula-
ton decreased between 1870 and lssU from
q ,2s5 to 23.52i. The population Of grand old
Rutland county also decreased IN the 70 years
between lS'D and lS5o, but the opening of
her quariies and the establishment Of manu-
featuring industries her population began 10
increase. and between 1880 and 1850 she had
made gain OF about ll,u1. la Washington
county the gain of 1900 between 1880 and 1850
was largely in the villages, aud the gain during
the last ten years tthe greatest of that of any
county in the state has been mainly in Barre
and Montpelier, and is the direct result Of the
opening OF large number Of granite qnarres
at the former place. Notwithstanding the
growth and pro perity Of Brattleboro and Bel
lows Falls, the loss OF population in Windham
county between 1880 and 1850 Amounted 10
1855. while IN Windsor county. with some of
our finest and most prosperous villages in her
midst, the falling off during the SANS period
amounted to more than 300. All Of our
counties have suffered from the removal 10
other states Of young men from the ranks of
our farmers, and the impression which has
generally prevailed, that only the back towns
have been affected. is, in my judgment, UNI
founded am strongly Of the opinion that
the exodus began from the towns more fa-
III.
other great th2rcuehfarcs, but was not so no.
ticeable rs itwould otherwise have been for
the reason that Immigration from other states
and countries poured in to take the places of
those who had gone out. Connected with the
building OF our early railroads large irnIn-
grafton from ireland was induced, and as these
newcomers became acquainted with the exist
ing condition Of things, and saw the facilities
here offered for obtaining homes, they had the
courage and foresight to buy and cultivate
lands and TO encourage their friends abroad to
immigrate TO Vermont for the same purposes
and in this way il has come about that in many
of our best towns our Irish felow-ctizens have
become the owners Of a large proportion of the
farm property and are highly esteemed for
their intelligence and success. With the in
crease of manufactures in larger towns.
and the development OF our lumber interests in
different sections Of the state, there have also
come to us large numbers Of industrious per-
many OF them have purchased land and are en-
gagged in its cultivation. il is probably true that
the greater number of them are gathered in
the business centers.
But for the introduction Of these new ele-
menis into the state, apprehend that the CON
dition arr called upon To face would
have appeared much earlier; and the fact that
in the ten years intervening between 1870 and
lsaa the number OF foreign born residents in
Vermont decreased from a. li5 to 3uI1g ind-
Gates that the tide upon which we had come to
depend, and which had ministered so much to
the prosperity of the towns affected BY it, had
ceased to flow. The extent to which these and
other depressing influences have operated is
shown by this statement Of the commissioner
that nearly tenth Of the acreage of the
state Is either unoceupied or indiiferently eul-
tiyated, though large portion Of the soil is
good, not worn out. and can be made as fruitful
as other lands lying contiguous which are now
successfully cultivated. Tie towns where
these lands are mainly found are what are
known as back towns, or, from their situation,
are at some distance from the railroads or
centers. Aside from the value
Of their real estate, there is, comparatively
speaking. little personal property with which
10 swell the size f their grand lists, and as
values and population have gradually lessened
the rate ut taxation has corrsspondingly in
creased, until now. in many places. il has come
10 be- a serious burden TO our farmers, and
grave INDUSTRIAL problem has been presented
for solution. This condition Of things can not,
in my Judgment be attributed either TO free
trade policy in the past or 10 the protective
tariff OF the present, nor is II to be presumed
Tor instant that the lands in question are
poor OF yalueleSs. They are ~ stated by the
Of good quality and not worn
,ut. Many Of them have buildings in fair
state Of repair. and at the price at which they
IAN be purchased are undoubtedly ms good an
Investment for those desiring 10 make homes
rs can be found in any part Of the United
states; but the fact exists that IN a nation
.iiording 80 many avenues 10 wealth AZ are
'f@n in The United States. and which offers 30
many temptations 70 young men Of enterprise
md ambition 10 engage in more femuneratiye
pursuits there Is Tendency on the i,art q
american boys IN every part of onr land 10
Ihandon small farming. 80 far Is this true
hat almost every state IN The Union has been
blieed to look TO foreign fields for material
With which to make ~ or repleniSh is farm
opalztnn.
II is csiden, to my mind that the suterptis-
ag yoath whose exodus from our state helped ,
o produce the present condition of affair !