The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-29
STILL THEY COME,

Mr.. W. II. McMullen of Crete, Penn,
writes to the eX-COmmissioner OF lmml-
grafton of Vermont, giving names OF ten
people who wish to secure homes IN
Vermont. He says:
''YOur report regarding the vacant
farms of Vermont received. Farmers IN
this vicinity are interested. | read part
of the repol at Farmers League meet
ing, and several farmers requested me to
write to you, for your report and State
map They want information, with a
view of bettering their condition in life. "
This was the report made to the won
derful body known as the Vermont Leg
islature of 1890. After giving the names
and postotfice address of the persons re-
fclred to. Mr.. McMullen goes on to ex-
plain: 1--WE have several land buyers in
this county. Lands sell from $50 to $40
per acre. / am fully convinced that if
your lands are brought before the young
men who are leaving for the West, they
would buy. as the hard times in the
West have driven many back to this
county. If the way is clear ] would act
as agent for buyers, as / really know it
would be a God-send for many of our
Young men-who are shaving to make
both ends meet as cropper or as mort
gagers for their lands, to take hold of
farms of their own. have not received
a map of your State as you advertise in
your report. Please send me map, and
any further information you may have in
regard to your State"
The map alluded to is the famous"
red one that called out so much criticism,
but that really was the very best means
Of letting people know where to look for
homes. The edition has long been eX
haustcd, and as the commission is abOl'
ished whether private enterprise will give
n second edition of the map remains to
be seen.
Mr.. McMullen writes further: "There
are hundreds of farmers like myself, who
would like to better their condition in
this State. What are the inducements fol-
a colony? Please give full information
also, state why these lands are deserted,
so near good markets. There must he
something wrong. You have not surely
iarmed them out raising tobacco, like
the waste lands of Virginia. How about
raising merino sheep and grazing?'
This is only one case of a thousand of
correspondents, and we are glad to say in
this connection that Gov. Page has had
SEINE correspondence with the late Com
missioner about the possibility of devils
ing a way to save to the State the adj
vantages accruing from the extensive adj
vertising Vermont has had of its So
called abandoned farms and facilities for
the establishment of manufacturing in
dustries during the past two years.
From thousands of letters like the ones
we have quoted above there appears to
bea tide Of interest setting in toward our
State that should be utilized for our
material prosperity.
1t is too much to ask or expect that
the Governor can, from his busy life,
spend a great deal of time in the promo.
ton of this cause; and yet, his well
known business capacity, his executive
ability in organization, and, above all,
his love for and pride in his native State
makes us confident he will see his way
clear to accomplish the object sought
despite the absence of appropriations,
and legislative shortsightedness.
The plan of organization by towns has
been explained at length in previous ar
ticles. Possibly these would respond to
an invitation from Gov. Page to organize
and try to induce such men as Mr.. Nc
Mullen and his associates to come to
Vermont rather than to go West. Evil
DENLY they will do the one or the other,
as they are men of some property.