The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-08-16
S738,368.05
the net state ex-
peBses were


The peoples money had
been thrown away almost in
proportion as the people
have increased Republican
majorities.
III 1892 the valuation Of the state was
Sl49,334,069 and the population census
Of lss0l 332 .2S6 In 1908 the valuation
was SlGG074Tl0 and the population
census Of l000l 343,64l.
Increase in population 3l.2 per cent
Increase in property II IL per cent
Increase in expenditures $50 per cent
No other state in the union makes 50
bad showing. Maine, with her pro-
hibition and her next largest and steadi-
est Republican majority, comes next to
it. But Names increase Of population
in the same period was Z II per cent, or,
over twice as great as ours, and her in
crease in taxable property ~ per cent,
or over four and one-half times ours,
though her bloating of state expenses,
from the same disease Of Republican
misrule. was about the same as ours.
Yet this grand little state, where
comes such a sorry showing from Repub-
lican policies and Republican legislation
and administration, was IN the first
quart,r Of the last century. under the
Democratic Governors Galnsha. Butler
and Van Ness, the III Dorado Of the
union, developing faster, proportion
ally, in population, wealth and resources
than any other
She was then what Nature and Ma
lures God intended her to be, and what
she will be again when blessed with
Democratic ideas and Democratic
methods. with her peculiarly good md
quick-renewing soil whose products are
everywhere recognized as the choicest
in the markets, her pure air and water,
that not only give such advantage in
dairying but make her the Switzerland
Of America in deIightfulness Of resi-
dence, her vast resources in mine and
quarry and timber-land and the we'll
nigh limitless power afforded BY her
mountain-side streams.
Some shallow pates in the class Of
politician economists not political
economists have sought to explain this
condition Of things by the fact that Yer
mont is without seaport. The truth Is
that the states wonderful development
under Democratic rule was in times
when ocean commerce was large ele-
ment in the nations prosperity, The de-
clineAs ii may fairly be called, in COM
parison With other statesh has come in
the era Of neglect Of ocean commerce and
direction Of American energies to inter-
nal development In the former era
Vermont prospered greatly in spite Of
the disadvantage Of lack OF seaports
from which other states proited. in the
latter era she has Jagged far to the rear
Of the procession among the states in the
kind OF development for which she was
by nature fitted best Of all
How far she has Jagged the census
shows. In the 20 wears from 1880 to
1900, while her wealth increased only
III ~ per ccnt--or but small fraction
Of what simple interest should have
added TO the capital with which she
started the wealth OF the nation as
whole has grown, in round numbers from
S44.O00.000,000 I'd s95.000000,000. OF rs
per cent Or II ~ times faster than
Vermont
Others of these shallow pates say the
trouble has been the rapid development
Of the West and the drain Of our popu-
lation and energy to 1t. Iindeniahly this
has been large factor; but so it has
in the Other New England states, whose
progress has been several times greater
than oufs.
The simple and TIE whole truth is-
and there Is no escaping it that it is
mans folly that has so sadly MARRIED
what Nature intended for Vermont.
and that folly has expressed itself in the
tremendous Republican maiorities that
have taken AWAY all sense OF political
responsibility, all the stimulus to good
work which political competition would
grouse have lodged petty politics where
tateWpanship should be have brought
-ersara' intrigue and caucus manipula-
ian where real appeal to the people
'F heipg broadening and invigorating
"a progressive policies have brought
stsgnation and decay where in other