Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-10

tendency during the last forty years, IN
Europe as well as in this country, has been
away from the farms to the villages and
cities. just what originated this move
ment no one appears to know, but it has
been and continues to be fact. Those
who did not or could not go with the cur
rent, but were left on the farms, mourn
their lot, which they falsely look upon
as hard. The consequence, locally, is
that the character of the farming popu-
lation has changed. and not for the bet
ter. Time was, and it was not long ago,
either, when the farmers were the bone
and sinew of our county. They were
thrifty, industrious, economical, intelli-
gent, hard-headed men, who thought
themselves the equals of any men of any
occupation or profession in the country,
and as a class they were. They had a
pride in their pursuit and devoted TO it
the best that was in them of mental and
physical powers. There was then no
wailing over the unprotitableness of
farming, nor was there cause for it, as
the fortunes many Of these men left tes-
tify.
What is needed by the farmers of Ad-
olson county is not pap in the shape OF
agricultural college bulletins on COM
mcrcia fertilizers or the comparative
food values of cOtton-seed meal and corn
stalks as COW fodder; it is not lectures by
boards of agriculture, or granger legisla-
ton designed to better the quality or in
crease the number of farm labOrers it
is waking up to the nobility of their
calling, to an appreciation of what it is
of itself and as compared with other oc-
cupations, to the possibilities of it in IT.
self and to its possibilities for them.
Men, and young men especially, are anX-
ious to leave the farms because they
think that otherwheres are all the chanc-
es for a competence, for development,
for an opportunity to exercise their mus
Giles and their minds. They do not see
the other side Of the picture at all. III
they could be brought to a knowledge OF
that and to a clear apprehension OF what
good farmer is and what he may be-
come and accomplish, it would not be
long before the existing evils would dis
appear. In their stead would come the
personal virtues mentioned by Mr.. Stew
art. and in the train of those, in turn,
handsomely-kept farms, wide-awake ag-
ricultural communities, good roads, and,
best of all, contentment.
The amusing feature of all this discus
sion is the apologetic tone of the State
board in making its criticisms. Its mem
bers evidently consider their principal
mission to be the avoidance of expires
sions of unpleasant truths. They are
like missionaries who should preach only
of the delights of the redeemed. But thai
will never do. The Jesuits who carried
the gospel to the HurOns of Canada, il
the early days of which Parkman has Sc
charmingly and graphically written
took with them for the spiritual enlarge
ment and Improvement of the aborigin'
brightly-coored and realistic pictures o.
the damned in torment, nor were they
afraid to show them. So also did thu
fathers of Professionalism dwell quite al
much upon what would happen If people
were bad as upon the joys which woult
be theirs if they were good. In old hymn
books stan2as like these are not infre
quent:
"Submit to the gospel
Upon Its own terms,
Or you'll burn forever,
Like poor dying worms"
"In vain tor mercy now they cry;
In lakes OF liquid fire they lie:
There on the flaming bllows tost,
Forever, o, forever lost"
We trust the brethren of the agricul
tural board will take courage and speal
the truth. 1t can do no harm. and ough
to be of benefit.