The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-07-10
The South.

Editor SITTER, The people in our ticin'
ity but slightly realize the tremendous
force, capital and energy that Is, dt tile
present time, being used III the develop
ment of the South. Nothing in the ex-
traordinary growth of the West, in times
past, at all approaches it, either in point
of volume or of solidity. Whole trains
of investors, from haf-dozen different
directions are hurled upon single spot.
Complete cities are put under full head
way inside of a few weeks, while millions
of dollars are staked upon the issue of
their success. Unlike many of the quick
rising places of the West, most of these
towns have a solid backing, and success,
often beyond expectation seems thus far
to have accompanied the undertakings.
The natural advantages of coal, iron, and
other minerals, in rich abundance and of
the freest access. with soil finely adapt
ed to the culture of cotton where cleared,
and, where uncleared, covered with a
heavy growth of hard pine and oak, to-
gether with climate unexceptionable for
healthfulness and comfort, offer such solid
inducements as men of nerve and enter
prise cannot fail to grasp.
Now am not writing this in order to
belitte New England by comparison.
She stands upon her own merits, solid
and strong, and rejoices in, rather than
envies, the prosperity of her sisters. The
point am trying to get at is, how can
we gain personal advantages from the re-
reply let us become infused with some
thing of the spirit which we find there
developed. First, to become united in
the desire and purpose to act in concert
for the public benefit. You would be as
tonished to go down into some of these
Southern places and see how they are
acting apparently not for their individual
benefit but for the benefit of the place.
:" What can do for this town seems to
be the all important question and they
seem fully to realize that the part is de-
pendant upon the whole. All personal
effort is united in one grand purpose. and
tell you, friends, it is worth travelling
the two or three thousand miles in order
to get into such an atmosphere. You i'm
mediately seem, Yourself, to be lifted up,
and | verify believe that it represents, in
many respects the ideal Heaven. Plenty
to do with full encouragement from all
your fellows to do it, and when one sue
ceeds, congratulations and the best of
wishes to advance us still further.
Now, friends, will put the question
to you calmly, is there not cause for
great deal of reflection in these points
Do zoe join hands for the public need
Are zoe eager for the glory and welfare of
our town? Do ,ve honestly and truly re-
joice in our neighbours success and truly
say in our hearts "God speed ?" Or are
we hanging back, a clog and hinderance
upon every noble, manly effort advanced,
meeting with sneer every project for de-
velopment, and filled with envy when our
neighbor succeeds, especially where we
fail.
These are subjects full of food for
thought and which can but come up in
the mind of one who visits the rising
places of the South. The fact is beyond
dispute that our back towns in Vermont
are crumbling to pieces. But l verify
believe it is through the spirit of envy.
back-biting and jealousy, more than any
other cause. Who has heard, of late
years, of an enterprise that has been push
ed along by public spirit What ancour-
aeement do ,re offer for immigration
Nay more, what do you do with the young
man who comes among you with capital
or enterprise, perhaps from abroad, to
settle upon the old farm and help his pa
rents through their declining years, en-
courage him, or light upon him like
flock of crows upon dead horse ? And
town meeting time comes around, do a
few old fogies stand by and suck in every
thing there is, or do you start in some of
the young ones just coming up and en-
deavor thus to both encourage and edu-
cate? What we need is to encourage and
keep the young people. My friends, go
down South, not to stay, but to get en-
thused, and then come back and work
with will upon broad, liberal, public
spirited scale, for "Old New England"
NJ. J. Hapgood.
Peru, May 1890.