The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-01-15
AGRICULTURAL.
Vermont Dairymen's Association.

The annual meeting of this associ.
ton began at Rutland on Tuesday of
last week. In his address of welcome
Mayor Sheldon dwelt particularly on the
subject of transportation and good
roads, Mr.. Sheldon said: "The average
distance from the farm to the market in
the Eastern and Middle States is twelve
miles, and out of 1900 counties which
have been heard from the average load
for two horses is 1000 pounds, the cost
of hauling which is twenty-five cents
per mile. 1t is estimated that the whole
yearly cost of transportation by public
roads in this country is S946, Ala ,665,
which allows a cost of $13 for every
man, woman and child in the United
States. 1t is further estimated that
two.thirds of the total outlay in trans
portation is money wasted. Such is
the excellent character of the roads
suburban to Boston that the difficulty
is not much felt in that vicinity, but in
the interior, where the country roads
are of an inferior character, the cost OF
transportation is a serious drawback to
the farmers in bringing their produce
into market. No stronger argument
than this for the improvement of our
common highways could be presented"
Mr.. Sheldon dwelt upon the impor-
lance of good roads as attracting to the
state persons wishing for summer
homes. The larger the influx of sum
mer visitors the larger the home market.
The legislature, in its wisdom, has en-
acted a law laying a tax of five cents on
the grand list of our various towns and
cities, raising annually about $SS, 900.
OF this amount six towns and cities pay
nearly one quarter, while they receive
in return about one-fortieth. For in.
stance, take Rutland-it pays into the
state treasury the sum OF 81 ,09S, and
receives from the state treasurer S26S.
The city OF Montpelier pays 81 $40, re.
ceiving only $167, and the four other
towns and cities in about like proper.
ton.
The objection Mr.. Sheldon had TO
the law was not on the score of any
inequality, real or apparent, but that it
did not produce money enough for eff
fective work. The highway tax of
twenty cents ard the fve-cent tax weld
S437 ,S32 annually. II this sum was ex.
pended properly the state ought TO have
good roads. But is this money prop.
erly expended? The ive.cent tax does
not accomplish The desired result. The
amounts returned to the different towns
vary from 500 to 500. Neither of
these amounts, even the largest, can
accomplish much. S me other plan
should be devised Mr.. Sheldon would
authorize the state to issue bonds for at
least 81 100000, the bonds to become
payable in thirty years, with interest at
four per cent or less, pay able semi
annually. He would use the present
tax of five per cent to pay interest on
these bonds, as well as to provide a
sinking fund for their redemption at
maturity. The interest on the bonds
at four per cent per annum would be
100000 annually, leaving balauce of
$2S, 900 each year 10 put in the sinking
fund. This, if investt d 80 that it would
draw four per cent interest, leaving the
interest upon interest to accumulate
during the thirty years, would be ample
to pay the bonds g. maturity. The
amount realized from the present tax
ot five cents upon the grand list in
thirty years would be $2,626 $780,,
which, if used as at present, in drib-
let's, would make very little difference
with the highways during that time.
Whereas, if used TO procure the 81 ,500,-
600, this entire sum would be applicable
at once. 1t could be apportioned
among the different towns, as at pres
ent, according TO their mileage of high,
ways, but let the sum received by each
town be properly expended in building
and repairing permanent highways for
the maiu thoroughfares, unGer the di-
rectiou of good civil engineer. The
roads thus permanently built would be-
come an object lesson to the towns
which, still having their annual eXpen-
diture of the twenty cents highway
tax, the town authorities would be very
apt TO eXpend large portion of that in
like manner.
In his annual address President San
ford reviewed the history of dairying in
Vermont. The removal from the house
of the labor incident 10 dairy work has
encouraged cooperative dairying. Five
years ago it was estimated that six
sevenths of the mix of the state was
handled in the old way of setting in
shallow tin pans. One year ago there
were 100 dairy factories in the state,
representing constituency of 100, 900
cows, and several more creameries have
been built during the past year. The
largest and best creamery on the globe
is at st. Adams, operated by the Frank
lin County Creamery Association, where
eleven tons of butter were made in a
single day the past season. The
change from summer dairyiug to all
the-year-round work is very beneficial.
The winter feeding improves the farm
in productiveness, the farmer has a
constant monthly income and the ex.
penses and fluctuations in the price
of butter are not 80 irregular. To
this good result this association, the
agricultural press and the agricultural
department of the University had
contributed. The president dwelt
upon other facts and incidents of the
farming industry, touching all with a
practical hand and showing in his treat
ment of all his usual good sense ard
sound judgment.
NJ prnnaop of uar1 mi rao1 N M