Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-16

OF our lOOu ptOuucinB CldSStS ndX nOt rs
yet been over-taxed, every State in the
Union undoubtedly has It's communities
that show Enthusiastically the disastrous
effects of the flow of population cityward.
Various remedies have been proposed, but
no plan arbitrarily devised has yet fur
nshed a satisfactory solution of the prob
lem.
But while students and theorists have
been vainly seeking to stem the tide of
population from rural communities to the
large cities, indications are not wanting
that natural causes have already begun
to furnish the desired check to this mi
gratory movement. We believe that one
of the strongest influences in this direc-
ton is to be attributed to the rapidly in
creasing tendency on the part of residents
Of large cities to flock to the country dur
ing the heated term of summer. BY their
actions as we'll as by their words, summer
visitors show that the rural community
Is not without its attractions, as the city
and especially the large city, is not with
out Its serious disadvantages as a place OF
residence. The mingling of city folk ir
rural communities not only tends to lead
residents to introduce new means of en-.
joyment and cultivation, and to make
their surroundings more attractive, but II
also helps to overcome the spirit of self
depreciation. which is one of the mos
crying evils affecting rural communities
and especially the farming class.
| On the other hand it Is evident thai
many business and manufacturing in
terests in the larger cities are showine
signs of restessness that are as not eworth,
as they are suggestive. While provincial
communities have become more desira bl,
places of business through improved ,rans
portatiop facilities, teegraphc and tele
phonic communications and other i'm
provements, enormous rents labor t-ou
bles and other embarrassing conditions
have caused not few enterprises to leav,
the larger cities, while manufacturing
capital is largely prejudiced against tn,
big centres of population.
Residents of Burlington have recent,
come into contact with this movemen
in a manner that disclosed two distinc
phases of the labor question in this con
nection. In the first instance Investor
the giant labor organizations in large cit
les, and in the second, branch establish
ments were contemplated for the purpos
of securing labor which could not be oh
tained in the larger centres. That we ar
not basing our remarks on purely loca
manifestations OF supposed genera
movement is indicated by q current para
graph calling attention to the fact tina
two of the most widely circulated month";
magazines are abandoning New York
one moving to a suburb and the other to
smaller city.
1t is evident that the time is at han
when the greatly enhanced cost of Twin
enormous values of land. excessive rents
the arbitrary exactiVns of labor organize
tons and other considerations of this ma
ture will cause manufacturers and othe
investors to hesitate in seeking the large
cities, even If the smaller community
not selected; and the building up of tn
provincial cities and towns means bette
home markets and greater prosperity fo
surrounding rural districts covering q wild
radius.
These influences have, Of course, onl
begun to operate but their effects are a
ready so evident as to point to an earl
solution of the problem relating to tn
flow of population from rural districts I
the larger cities.