St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-12-31

" challenge comparison with the
senatorial delegation of any other
state to show so important con-
structive legislation as has been
formulated and carried through by
these two strong and true sons of
Vermont Long may they live to
serve and honor their state and our
common country. Though my pre-
decessor felt compelled for personal
reasons to surrender his official trust,
you all know that he is not the man
to ever lose his interest or cease his
labor for the public welfare.
I'VE may justly claim for Vermont
that no other state so purely repre-
sents the old New England blood and
stock. Settled as it was originally
by good families from Massachusetts
and Connecticut, we have been freer
from outside admixture than any
other OF the New England sta ties. 1t
is true that Vermont, in common
with all New England, has many
sons in other fields. We are sorry to
have them leave, but we wish them
success wherever they go. We are
glad to have them return as they are
now doing more than ever before.
But they rarely return as prodigal
sons, in fact the conditions are often
er reversed. They have enjoyed rich
erpastures than ours, and they bring
back the fatted calf with them and
ask US to partake. But, however
they come they may be sure of a
hearty welcome to the old home.
You may have heard of abandon
ed farms in Vermont. There was
never much good foundation for the
cry, and am glad to say that there
is already a great change for the bet
ter. Fewer are leaving the state,
more who have left are returning,
and there is great increase of conf
dence in the future, and we'll
grounded belief that we are entering
a new era of prosperity. The seem
ing depression in the past has been,
not because the soil was not. good,
for it is, but because there was bet
ter demand for good men than for
any other crop.
AN actual example will illustrate
with how little reason we lose good
men by this outside demand. l re-
member that in my native village-a
little hamlet of 400 or 500 inhabit-
ants in the foot hills of the Green
mOuntains-forty years ago there
was young physician settled, we'll
read in his profession, well liked and
in good standing in the community,
and who had started upon what
promised to be successful career as
a country doctor. Had he continued
he might have had a good practice
among the hills for twenty miles
around, and by economy and atten-
ton to business he might have accu-
INFLATED a competency for that local
ity-a house worth $1,000 or $500
and $4,000 or $4,000 laid up against
old age or a rainy day. He would
probably have been president of the
county medical society and perhaps
a member of the state board of
health, both very honorable, but not
high salaried offices. But he gave
up all these fattering prospects. and,
taking young man with him who
might have had CORRESPONDENCE fiat
tering prospects as a lawyer, and
been county judge and member of the
legislature, except for the require
ments of the constitution that they
shall be selected from those citizens
most noted for wisdom and virtue,
went off around the country, run
ming railroads, and finally settled
down in this city making locomo-
tives. The redeeming feature of the
case is that they make good locomo-
tives and great many of them; and
that they still love their old New
England homes and remember them
with wise and generous benefac-
tons"
FAST TRAINS AND THE ENGINEERS.