Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-01-15
THE SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

plication of the principle underlying
this adage to communities has not been
so clearly discerned. In the matter of
Investments Vermont in past years has
furnished conclusive proof that provi-
dence does not help those communities
that do not help themselves. For over a
decade previous to the financial crisis of
1893 the people of this State generally
acted on the apparent belief that Yer
mont was a good place in which to save
money, but not a good field for invest
ment.
Large rates of interest upon loans in
other sections of the country drew money
from our people by the hundred thous-
and, but high per cent of Income was
not entirely accountable for the drain of
capital from our State. While our own
natural resources were remaining un-
developed and the projectors of local in
dustries begged in vain for few thous-
ands, our capitalists fairly tumbled over
each other in their eagerness to invest in
some big land or bonanza scheme in the
South or West, and in many cases
scrub lands or sand lots stand as the
sole monuments of their financial wis
dom.
As a natural result outside capitalists
and manufacturers accepted the Yer
monters estimate of this State as a field
of investment as that of an individual on
the spot and fully Informed. They ar
gued, and with reason. that NermOnters
would not be so foolish as to send near
ly all of their surplus capital out of the
State, If there were desirable Opportu-
mites for investment at home, and as a
result our industries languished, while
our capitalists sowed their dollars in
"stony places
Vermont has not suffered so severely
as many other States from the effects of
the business and financial disaster of the
past four years, and it is not impossible
that the losses incurred by our capital
lists in outside investments may prove
to be blessing in disguise for the peo-
pie of the State as whole, if not to the
ginning to appreciate the fact that there
are grand opportunities for investment
at our very feet. They are coming to
realize that our State Is rich in its miner
al deposits and that there are fields of
industry open of which they had rot
dreamed. There. is, scarcely city or
village in the State which might not be
made to boast of new business and in
dustrial projects. There is hardly
town of considerable size in our borders
that can not easily be provided with
electric power generated through the
agency of some convenient stream. The
line of possible new industries is almost
endless, and special projects will suggest
themselves to the live citizens OF different
localities.
A considerable number of towns in
different parts of the State have already
felt the grateful impetus of the new era
in Nermont's industrial and commercial
progress. During what we have called
the hard times in our State even various
new industries have taken shape, and
new lines of business have been estab-
lshed. Some of these are individual en-
terprses, but it is encouraging to note
that considerable proportion are the
result of the cooperation of local capi-
tallsts in the formation of stock COM
panles. 1t IS also matter for congratu-
lation that outside capitalists are seek.
ing investments in Vermont more han
ever before, not only in the development
of quarries and in electric projects, but
also in business and manufacturing ell
terprises.
This movement has in all probability
only fairly begun, however. As manu-
facturers learn of Inducements offered bv
our State as a field of operation they
will be more and more inclined to take
advantage of the facilities that we offer. |
Our rates of taxation are low. Our |
legislation is favorable. Our communi- |
ties are disposed to welcome new in
dustries and to promote them in every
reasonable way. Our natural facilities |
for manufacturing are not eXcelled and
so far as transportation is concerned
anything can be sent anywhere from
Vermont Burlington Free Press.
WHAT WILL THE PROSECUTING Off.
GERS DO7"
To the Editor Of the Free Press The
query at the head of brief article in
recent issue of the Free Press, "What
will the prosecuting officers do, is sug-
gestive of reply, and some reflections
germane thereto. l venture to predict
that in general prosecutors will follow
the methods which have prevailed in
criminal proceedings in this State from
the beginning. If they shall be spurred
by the recent legislation to voluntary
action, such action will be spasmodic
and temporary. In practice, hitherto, in !
every department of criminal admins