News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-02-26
VernnOnt'S Centennial,
WELLS, Vt, Jan. 81, 1891.

WELLS, Vt, Jan. 81, 1891.
Editor News and Citizen =
One hundred years from the fourth
of next March, on the last day of the
second year of President Washing
tons administration, Vermont was
admitted into the family of states.
After having formed a state consti-
) tuition in 1777, she petitioned and
struggled for fourteen years before
admission to the union, being kept
, out by the influence of New York
} which state claimed to own the ter
ritOry by virtue of a grant from
Charles L., after it had been char
tered by New Hampshire to its then
occupants. Washington had large
infiuencein promoting her admission.
The early settlers We're robust and
enterprising, and sat themselves very
earnestly at work to make for them
selves homes in the wilderness state.
Many of them were fresh from the
battlefelds of the Revolution, com
inglargely from Connecticut. Soon
churches, colleges, and schools were
established Slavery, which was per-
mitted in all the other states, was
interdicted and never gained a foot
hold in the state
Vermont, next to Maine, is the far
ming state of New England In her
virgin state she was densely clothed
with timber of all kinds common to
the latitude. She was foremost in
introducing improved breeds of hors-
es, sheep and cattle. The improved
SnaOiCh rnoripn w q in, T,rouo5 inf n bo
American merino, the finest sheep in
the world. The Morgan and black
hawk horses originated here. All
the cereals, fruits, and vegetables of
the middle zones flourish here. YER
mont makes more maple sugar than
any other state; her butter and
cheese command the highest price.
She has ever been prompt and patri7
otic to do her duty as a member of
theUnion
This has been the birthplace of
many of the brightest men of this
nation, both of those who remained
and those who emigrated. Notwith-
standing this splendid record, a
shadow seems to have settled on her
i'll recent years. All the other New
England states are getting ahead
! Massachusetts has twelve times the
| population; New Hampshire and
| Rhode Island have more people and
! twice the wealth. Vermont lacks the
| advantages of a seaport, but has
water communication with Canada
and New York city. She has i'm
mense deposits OF marble, granite.
lime and slate, iron and copper.
Then why has she fallen back in the
procession? If there is any good in |
stringent prOhibitOry laws she has |
had the benefit of it, Surrounded as
she is by states in which liquor is at
tainable, Vermont seems to have all |
OF the disadvantages of the liquor
trade with little corresponding bene-
tit, as immense sums go out of the
state in profit to other states for IL
quors consumed in that state.
A few years ago Vermont enacted
a Just law to equalize taxation-so
that personal property should pay
Its share of the taXes-bUt this seems
to have had the effect of draining
the state of its resources, as many
people have left or invested their
money elsewhere, to evade taxation.
But little pension money comes here.
as the soldiers who have left the
state are now drawing nearly a mill
ION of dollars, which, had they re-
would have added so much
to the wealth of the state. Another
drawback to the wealth of the state
IS the excessive charges on freight
imposed by our railroads, it costing
as much to ship goods from the east
line OF the state to Boston-one hun
bred miles,-as it does from Chicago.
one thousand miles. The villages of !
the state, what there are, lie mostly !
On the borders, and all put together
DO not constitute larger market !
than one interior city of Massachu-
setts. They derive a large share of
their supplies of farming products
rem other statss. Again, there are
lulXotlc movements spreading all,
over the state, to build up the farm
ng interest to the exclusion of the 7
manufacturing aud all other inter /
'sts. The farmer is the natural rival \
u every other farmer raising the il
same products, and it would be more v
sensible for him to bend his energies il
% build up other interests so that n
he may have customers for his pro- u
lucts at home, Then there is a o
leavy drain on the resources of the s.
,eople IN the custom OF many to buy Il
heir supplies directly from the dis r
ant cities so that the city merchants N
cap all the profits of this trade a
men should go to the home mer- a
hants. There may be possible ex- a.
options, but the home merchant if bl
atronized would supply most goods 81
S cheaplyas the city merchant does. vi
ur little state is peculiarly situated. al
is long and narrow. 1t has been bl
lshlonable for couple that are to w
e married to pay five or ten dollars til
nd sometimes more, and a large b;
laJority OF these young men are al
comparatively poor; but these poor co
0ys think they must pay as much OF
one OF their rich neighbours bows to
d or be thought nothing of. Even al
he justice or the minister is looking ca
T 1t. Those contemplating matri- sh
ony think it over, and a large ma nc
rlty of our marriages are soIem- Ell
zed over the line Why not stop no
is IN measure? repeal our mar br
age law, then let the state furnish or
e town and city clerks with blank no
ntracts between parties, have them sh
IN this and the clerk record it. and DO
at be lawful marriage, fee one eel
liar, and fine of ten dollars for VIII
king more, unless called to the ing
use, when the fee need not be linn the
d. think something of this kind an
'uld keep thousands of dollars in &c
state, and then it would be hon Jos
able for the poor boy to pay one hat
llar. Vermont seems to be drifting ide
o the condition which Ireland is in her
va purely agricultural state. bul
is may suit other states but it is her
18th to Vermont interests. No peo- VIII
IN the world ever fourished on dec
age OF the soil alone, and Yer bat
mt, singular as it may seem, buys wo
gely OF cereals, vegetables, fertil- iml
rs, fuel and fruit which she might Ba
Sc within her own limits. With
these drains and drawbacks is it
wonder that Vermont should Y
We hundreds of thousands of acres oat
lands? The effect of 4 n
se it must be obvious is to cripple N
state and hinder investments in can
nutacturing. Had she manufac- inst
ing villages like the other states j
would have more of q home mar for
for her perishable products which rise
not be sent to distant markets. s.
ought to raise her own corn and or,,,