The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-27
Too Many Farmers in Vermont -?

We regret to see our usually level
headed East Warren correspondent ac-
cepting the fallacy that there are
already too many farmers in Vermont,
and that the movement for repeopling
the abandoned farms of the state is
therefore ill-advised and senseless. The
census returns show that in the last
decade Warren has lost about one hun
dred. Presumably this loss represents
decrease in the number of farmers.
Surprising Warren had held her own,
or assume that she had gained one
hundred, and that reasonable share of
the gain had been farmers, does our
friend believe that he would have re-
ceived, by reason of increased produc-
ton in Warren, cent less for his but
ter, eggs, pork or beef? If Warren's
neighbors, Waitsfield and Fayston, had
also gained in farmer population,
would the resulting increase in farm
products lover the market price the
smallest fraction of a cent? If the
farming towns of the state had " held
their own" instead of losing some
10000 had they gained 10000, would
the market price of farm produce have
been appreciably depressed by increased
production in Vermont? Not at all.
But our friend feels the burden of in
creased taxation. Does a decreasing
population tend to tighten those bur-
dens? Does an increasing population
tend to make them heavier? Was the
aggregate highway tax or the school tax
of Warren any higher for the ten years
ended in 1880, with population of 951,
than for the ten years ended in 1890,
with population DISCO? Would it cost
any more to keep up the roads and the
schools for population of 1851 than
of S66? The more there are to carry
burden is the carrying thereby made
harder? Is the cost of school for six
pupils materially less to the district
than one of twelve? Or one of twelve
than one of twenty-five? The opposi-
ton our correspondent makes, or rather
the ground of his opposition to the state
policy of recovering farming popua-
ton, he must himself concede is not
well taken. Put thrifty farmer on
every one of Vermont's abandoned
farms, let him raise all the butter,
cheese, eggs, wool, pork, beef, mutton,
horses, hay, grain and vegetables he
can; the market price could not be per-
ceptibly affected by such increased pro-
duction, but the aggregate wealth of
Vermont would be immensely increased
and the burden of individual taxation
in the farming towns would be relieved
of a large share of its oppressive
weight. 1t should be clear that while
encouragement to manufacturing may
help class of towns that are already
fairly prosperous, or are abundantly
able to help themselves, it could do
little for the recuperation of the "hill
country" from which, during the last
decade, some 10000 people have gone
forth to the villages, the cities, the
West or the South. We believe the
state began two years ago wise and
far-sighted movement. We believe
the bureau of industry and immigra-
ton should be made a permanent ar
ticle of state furniture, enlarged and
amplified in its capacity for real useful
ness and supported by appropriations
that shall be all-sufficient for the sue
cessful prosecution of its work. Very
largely through some such agency the
regeneration of agricultural Vermont
must come.