The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-04-30
TALUE RAISING.
A Minnesota Mans Views on the Duty
, of Fostering the Natural Beauties of
Vermont.

|
ing Vermonter by birth, and one
who deeply cherishes the memory of
the dear old State whose welfare
dwells most earnestly in my heart
have come to express my appreciation
and gratitude to you for the able and
aggressive article appearing in re-
cent issue of your valuable and up.to-
date paper, on "Arbor Day and Its En-
vironments" liked that article for
it's clear, Jacksonian declarations, its
unique rhetoric and significant refer
ences to facts concerning the subject
in question. To use your word
| screaming" it was loud success
in shrieking the truth, even though it
exposed to view the skeletons which
no doubt were recognized as playing
the dual act in the great drama of
"ArLor Day and its environments.
FROM root and branch you have so
fully treated the subject that there is
nothing left but to endorse your every
sentiment and by sympathy and in
terest help to emphasize, if possible,
your good words and work. 1t was a
bomb thrown into camp, which went off
with BANG-,a and its flying missiles
ought to hit hard indifference and in
activity, in the degeneracy Of what
should be one of the most cherished,
| respected, and devoutly observed days
of all the year.
Very near the front would place
| Arbor Day. outrivaling many of the
holidays we celebrate, if indeed it
were live issue in the hearts of the
people for the betterment of the State.
With unity of purpose and systematic
effort how much could be accomplished
in a single day to adorn and beautify
the whole State, if entered into with
spirit of determination to make it a
day worthy the name g. rbor Day"
and to immortalize it by lasting monu-
ments of beauty and refinement, which
would not only be enjoyed by the pres
ent, but admired and appreciated by
generations yet to come.
For an object lesson let one walk
through State street of your own city,
under the canopy of those stately elms
whose record is told only by the lapse
of century. No man who is not
entirely devoid of that God-like ele-
ment that distinguishes man from the
woodchuck can fail to be inspired
by their grandeur and magnificence,
and feel within his own soul the duty
he owes to himself and to the world
around him, not only to adorn and
beautify the face of nature but also to
protect against the assaults OF enemies.
| read between the lines of your az
ticle and spy you putting "leaven in
the meal l suppose it is for ris-
ing influence and development which
in due time. unlike Banquos ghost,
will be manifested by naturalization
for, unless misjudge, can foresee
that the next Legislature that con-
venes under the shadow of those tow
ering elms will be asked to seriously
consider and pass some Legislative en-
actment to prevent the vandalism and
destruction of the trees and shrubs il
the highways. can hardly conceive
law too strict, or too severe in pen
atty, for such degeneracy and lawless
ness.
1t was my pleasure to visit Vernon
in 1901 and 1902-for several weeks So
journ on each occasion-and a large
part of my time was devoted to driv
ing about the country. Consequent,
l visited many towns around TIN
"capital city of the State. I wa
surprised in two things to see s.
much dissertation and heartlessness il
the cutting of trees along the high
ways in some places. and in other
such protection and care, not only t.
the trees but to the entire ground be
tween the fences, which was kept fire
form all kinds of debris the grass be
ing clipped and as we'll cared for a
, most lawns in the village.
n Total depravity was one of the grea
9 pillars of the Orthodox church, an
was promulgated long and loud by tn
preachers when l was boy, sixt
i years ago. l did not believe in til
doctrine then. and maintained my III
4 belief until my recentfvisits to Vel
mont. While visiting an old schoo
mate he took me for drive, and whe
not yet mile away from a beautifu
and prosperous village we came to
scene that caused feelings of astonis
ment and amaZement which words ia
to express, and forced my convictio
and conversion to the old time tene
For a quarter of mile there stood
line of stumps on which a row of beal
tiful naples once reared their gracefl
tops, at least half century old, bl
now laid low by villainous assassi
murder accomplished by the hand
man, but at the dictum of a woman,
second Luoretia Borgia. Ye gods,
- or m.