Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-12-13


more anxious we are to see you extri-
Gated from the meshes of the net in
which YOU are now caught. 1t Is terrible
to think of the pitifulness of the whole
thing and of the loss suffered by uni
versal humanity owing to the placement
of England for two years and the con-
sequent absence of her influence from
the side of Justice and progress.
The government of the United States
is appealed to daily unoflicially, so the
cabinet officer states, by representatives
of European powers to take some step
to end the Boer war.
The practical placement of England In
the field of diplomacy is one of the seri-
Gus things about the war, and we doubt
If representatives of powers that are
rivals of England are urging the United
| States to interfere. Owing to the fact
that England's hands are tied Russia,
| for instance. has been able to absorb
more territory and push her aggressions
more effectively during the past two
years than during any decade for many
generations. Russia will not distress
herself in efforts to induce America to
interfere and thus break so good situa-
tIon for the czar.
Doubtless we will hear of more feelers
like that of the Nineteenth Century ar
ticle. Englishmen have hesitated to
express their views in public and openly
discourage farther prosecution of
war of determination, on account of the
uncompromising attitude of the ministers,
who denounce as traitors and copper
heads those who suggest any kind of
romse.-Rutland Herald.
Aoo>
READJUsTMENT OF ABANDONED FARMS.
1t is not very long since the mere men,
ton of an abandoned farm in Vermont
sent cold shivers chasing each other up
and down the spinal column of some of
our good people, who feared that the
publication of the knowledge that some
of our farming lands were deserted might
inure our interests with the public.
Fortunately for the interests of all con-
cerned, however, that time has passed,
and the press can discuss the subject of
abandoned farms freely as well as ex-
haustlvely. 1t is now recognized that no
single state in any one section of the
country has monopoly of these possess
ions, and that the surest way to secure a
remedy for the evil, if it be an evil, is to
let the light of publicity into the ques-
ton. We have not seen so much on this
question summed up in short space as
| by writer in the new publication, Coun-
try Life;
"Viewed as an economic question:" says
Mr.. Bailey, "the abandonment of New Eng
land farms sho uld not disturb us more than
other shifting of population. In the present
! day, most of the lands that are now abandon
ed would not have been settled They would
remain in timber; and now, by the inexor-
able power of economic forces, they re-
turning into forest. The first flush of the
settlement of the West has passed. Manu-
featuring industries have attained stable con-
ditions. People are looking again to the
country. The better farms are being farmed
On the hills of western Massachusetts | found
a COW puncher from Oklahoma settling on the
| abandoned farm to make his living by farm
ing. Farmers are buying up adjacent lands
and extending their business. Near the rail-
roads city people are building cottages and
retreats on the sites OF old farms, to find
respite and peace. The remoter places are
passing back into forests, and numbering is
again an industry in old New England
There is ground for hope for abandoned
farms as well as much sound sense In all
this. If the farms of our hllsides that
can no longer be probably titled, which
are fortunately few in number, can be
converted into country home for some
flourishing summer visitor, as has occur
red in a number of Instances, the benefit
for the community in general will be
much larger than would the cor tinued ex-
traction of infinitesimal grains of wealth
from such soil with the pick and the
crowbar. Moreover, it would be better
to devote such land to forestratiOn about
which the public is hearing so much and
deservedly at the present time, partlcu-
larly, if prices of lumber are to continue
at their present altitude, or even higher,
as is not impossible, in view of the con-
stantly increasing need and the diminish
ing of the sources of supply in all parts
of the country through the encroachment
of the tiller of the soil. But be all this
as it may it is generally recognized that
the possession of an abandoned farm is
no reproach to state, whereas the pub.
LEGATION of the fact may be an actual
beneflt.-Burlingto Free Press. =
Some people fall In love so hpfd they
fall clear through and out ot>it before
they stop.