The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-06
THE DESERTED FARM QUESTION.

1t IS really interesting to note how
writers in different localities and under
diverse conditions regard the Vernon
immigration scheme. Few of those WIN
have come under our notice seem Ia
have given il any serious thought before
taking up the pen, amt "firing away" AZ
it. The Hartford, Conn., Times agri-
cultural editor, a sensible man, but one
who seems to pride himself upon taking
bizarre view of every subjrct--murr
dtsiI Gus, apparently, of aD odd point OF
view than of correct one-thinks there
has really been no other depreciation
than such as has taken place in large
cities on account of changes in the rest
dpnce quarters. Perhaps, if we take the
| United States as whole, there may b.
truth here. But each StaIe is regarded
by its people as distinct entity; and II
IS far from being satisfactory thing Il
those who remain at home to see The de-
sired West End" whittier our emf
grants have departed, so very, very Ia,
West.
Our intelligent Brother Cheever of tn
NelC England Farmer sees little more j.
our Vermont en- erprIsps than he sees II
his town of Dedham," where, as il
other suburban towns, there is con.
stant effort to attract immigration ant
"boom" real estate. A correspondent
OF the same journal undertakes to dis
cuss the subject, apparently out of th'
depths OF his own moral consciousness
with little know edge or care about th'
true state of the case. He PROFOUND
two questions () Is it of public in
teresI that these abandoned farms shOul,
be occupied. (2) Il it to be regretted :,
the extent of forcing population there
on that these abandoned farms AT,
among us? This writer lives in tn,
densely populated county of MiddleSrx
Mass, He does not say how he wuul
regard the emigration of twenty five pr
cent. of the people of that county west
ward or snuthward. beyond the bUunua
rIes of NJ M4ssachusetts.
The truth is that decline of popula-
tion IN any State, county or town mean,
and can Only mean, a decline of every
thing which makes life pleasant auC
profitable for those who remain; whll.
exactly the reverse takes place in tn,
towns towards which population is at
tracted. In the one case churchp-
schools, highways and all kindred thing
decline, and Encouragement spreads H.
81 II over those that remain to an pXten
which soon shows itself even in the yer,
landscape. In the other case, not onl,
are all improvements kept up, but new
ones are continually heing introduced
On the one hand the old church an
school house go to decay with llt'le hop
even of necessary repairs, while IN th'
her, new, larger and better publ
buildings are designed and carried for
ward, even while the old ones are stl
tolerably serviceshle. The farms al
''slicked up" and look prosperous in tn
growing town, while in the dec iDinl
town fences, houses, barns and shed
begin to lean this way and that, All,
their owners hardly think 1t worth whil
even to prop them up.
1t would seem TO be one of the mo-.
silly things possible in America to ~
que this subject. when everywhere Tn
question OF growth is considered pars
mount and decisive one. OF cuur~
there IL a choice in the character of in
migration. but men are men, and iheI
are good men in all countries. A. Il
Vermont, her case is simply this Grow
ing by immigration at a rapid rate fu
the first five or six decades of her Stat,
hood. this immigration was suddenl
diverted Westward by new cIliries 10
movement toward n wilderness of chea
and good land. That wilderness bein
now to great extent occupied, we wis
to call the worlds attention 10 the fac
that our territory is yet but very thlnl
settled, and that farm lands are - b
-, found within our borders which wi
furnish good homes for at least 3O0,0 90
more people. We have the same rIgI
to advertise our State that the individu
, has to advertise his farmland no maj
7 ter what crit'ts may say, we mean to 81
u.-Dr. T II. HOskins. in Wdtchmdn