The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-06-19
A Comforting DelusiOn.
Says the St. Johnsbury Republica

Congressma Foss Is prominently men,
toned as Hon. William &c. Mason's sue
Cessor as Senator from Illinois. II Foss
wins, Vermont wins, too.
The Messenger cannot concur in that
conclusion. What Mr.. Foss wins Illi-
nois wins. The Republican is voicing
again the old, old reasoning that 80
long bade Vermont extract sunshine
from cucumbers, that 80 long flattered
her into the notion that che was hold
ing her own when these very same
Posses were all the time leaving her
borders to work out fame and fortune
in other States. Vermont claims
great many successful sons scattered
all over the Union, it is true, but their
success does not react to the benefit
OF Vermont, but rather to the benefit
of the States in which they live. II
Congressman Foss wins the senatorial
toga (and we all hope he will If he
wants iO not a living soul outside of
Vermont will ever associate this State
with his success. He will be "the Sem
ator from Illinois," Public acclaim
and congratulations will be showered
upon the "young Illinoisian." Illinois
will have the benefit of his brains. He
will be identified in the eyes of the
nation even more prominently than he
is now with the great Prairie State.
Where does Vermont get any benefit
out of that?-St. Adams Messenger.
Gospel truth, spoke with winged
words. Such food for people is about
as fattening and satisfying as the east
wind to citizen hungering to see the
State grow, materially, in population,
in every direction in which expansion
10 desirable.
With an area greater than any other
State in New England except Maine,
Vermont has a population that is much
the smallest, which has remained prac-
tically stationary for half a century.
Vermont soil is fertile. Vermont min
erals are among the most extensive
and important of the entire country.
Vermont rivers abound in valuable
water powers. Vermont climate is
healthful. Physically Vermont is far
the fairest of all her sister States. Yer
mont today is the handsomest piece of
real estate on this continent. To the
south, the east, the west, are populous
cities and communities which ought to
afford market for Vermont products.
Geographically Vermont's situation is
favorable to advancement and develop
ment. Railways connect Vermont pre-
ducers with markets within short and
easy connection.
Nevertheless, Vermont's native pop
ulation, Vermont's farming population,
has been steadily decreasing. Each
recurring census shows that the farm
ing towns are being steadily drained of
their inhabitants. A glance at the
face of the State shows that the area of
profitable production is being yearly
lessened. A competent judge estimated
recently, when the matter was called to
his attention, that Vermont's unproduc-
tive area was 100000 acres, which is
one-third OF the States aggregate acre
age. Worn out pastures, regions ruth
lessly stripped of their forest growth
and consigned to devastating fires and
the washings of the storms and melting
SHOWS, constitute the bulk OF this un-
profitable asset,--and greed, improvi-
dence and sheer vandalism are yearly
adding to this Sahara.
1t is the task and business of govern
ment to check this condition OF retro
erosion and change its direction, but
the last things under the sun to inter-
est Vermont lawmaker are these
fundamental things in States growth
and prosperity. The citizen of Yer
mont, deploring existing conditions,
turns with loathing from the record of
Vermont "Solons"-the irony of the
terml-in recent Legislatures. He has
often lifted up his eyes in hope and ex-
pectation to the body which the funda.
mental law of Vermont demands shall
be chosen from the citizens most noted
for virtue and wisdom, to turn in dis
gust from an aggregation of men con-
spicuous for its folly and the absence
OF civic virtue, eminent for its infinite
capacity for infinitesimal things, for per-
sonal and selfish things, for fool things,
for its reactionary spirit; and equally
distinguished not only for it's inability
to rise knee high to the imminent needs
of Vermont, but for any earthly interest
in such things or in any matter OF far
reaching importance to Vermont.
So "the mild-eyed lotos EATERS" sur
rendering themselves to Incidence and
daydreams, whom the editor of the Mes
senger pricks with the sharp point of
his pen to recall them to realization
of an inglorious subsistence on unsub-
stantial and demoralizing fruit, are ev-
er babbling of the fame men of Ver-
mont have won, or are winning, in
other lands and therefor ara oroun