Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-05

ervation Of the American Union. Vermont
may justly have credit and take pride
In the fact that its battle flags mt tho
State House symbolize the dOngs and the
vaIor the sacrifices and the deaths of II
regiments, three light batteries and three
companies OF sharpshootcis in all 3lGN.
But, alas, all this made a most signii-
cant difference and ii was hard and cruel
task To readjust the work. the loss OF
income. the added burdens of taxation,
the contraction in farm values. and, above
all. the loss of mon. killed or wounded.
l5ut 10 all this was added the call and the
response for an emigration from Vermont
INTO other States both in New England
and throughout the West. You educated
the best mon you had in your own state
universities and academies and they took
themselves to other markets for the cx-
crciso OF their capacities and u CORES
ponding opportunity. You reared the
finest women in the world and either your
own sons took thcn off with them or they
were woocd elsewhere until for half a
century the population Of tho State stood
sun and even now 1t is only beginning IL.
enjoy a favorable growth under the infu-
ence OF new industries and arts and tho
immigration due to tho development Of
special industries NJ certain points Yet
1t is lust and true verdict that the period
which followed Vermont in the civil War
was as good repetition of reconst ruction
as that which followed it's admission as Il
state, different in the character or the
forces at work through the world at large.
but alike in its demands upon the pcopla
Tor thrift, FOR economy for courage for
loyalty, FOR indiNidualism for persistcncv
ana Tor rugged character. II was "A great
and noble period. out Of which by the at
tritions of time and death We arc now
passing and To which we will soon h.
yielding our memory only. for its actors
Will have passed away. But when all else
has been said and told in song and verse
IN story and address upon which YER
mont's claim to a star in the flag will he
pied. the doings Of tho soldiers in tho Civil
War and OF the mon. women and children
behind those soldiers will pass IN review
once again and all voices of all men born
here or born again here will join in say
ing God bless the star that never .ets"
MONTPELIER CENSUS.
There was recently taken a census of
Montnclier by order of it's common coun-
times greater than it was IN lsoj 1t con-
tains LIS houses and LII, families II Is
further reported that of this population
l.21o were born in foreign countries and
az were born in other States. a total of
2,2i or 80 per cent. OF the whole The
nationalitics rcpr, sented by this census
arc 10 in number. classifying as Americans
those who were born subsequent To the
which the Americans amount TO 3.Gl3. or
20 per cent. tho Irish to l,lSo or Is per
cent. and the French to l.0I. or II per
cent. IN largest number. These figures
disclose the great shift in the character
of city population now going on in differ
ont parts of Vermont. 1t serves to remind
us that. in spite of time and in spite of
these changes in the character Of populn-
ton, this has all transpircd so lcisurely
ns to have resulted to date in II reason
able assimilation although some changes
N recent political conditions may partly
he accounted for as due to Il lack Of per-
feet assimilation. When too We think of
many villages and towns which have from
natural causes diminished their popula-
ton when We consider how many values
have shrunkcn while that Of labor s
is u tendency to live moro closely up to
earning capacity than formerly, when We
see thai the dairy has supplanted sheep
culture and that The milk-pan churn and
cheese press are displaced by the cream
lcry, when. too, We note that the spinning
wheel gives place to the loom, when we
remember that our mineral wealth has
come to save values and increase our
population. when we note that the pine
tree and wheat shcaf have practically
disappeared, and when. as Robinson said.
the quaint individuality Of the earlier
people is fast dissolving into common
place likeness. We may perhaps he IN
duced to feel anxious and long again for
the good old times: for the good old folks
in the days of youth, yes and always; Tor
the simple virtue and the peace OF nom
competition, perhaps; for the hard years
the hardshps of life. the riGours OF WORK
and the small return for service. no. a
Vermonter is always Ncrmonter nut
that is no reason for decrying tho actual
advantages which We ENJOY to-day and
have in prospect, largely because OF our
heritage from the past. Vermont is bel
ter to-day than ever. better travelled. bet'
ter heated better lighted. better fed. bet
ter transported. better educated, hettcf
served with news. and has a better market
IN which to trade and to which to sell
At points there are reverses. due t" loca!
causes. but. as a whole our people are to-
day enjoying as large and pleasant a pros
perty as in the past Neither vermont
nor the country at large is evolving back
ward. but forward. and this mean TO ap'
ply to character. ability and performance
as we'll as to material things. There is to-
day in the nature of things Gred'er
amount OF action and a greater and moro
diversified distribution of that action, and
So at the close Of the century OF thii
capital. I, for one, am now looking for
ward to the next hundred years and for
assuming Its burdens and its opportunities
in tho spirit OF gratitude to the past ana
of hope for and absolute confidence in III"
future.
At the close Mr.. DeBocr was greeted
with the most hearty applause, The exer-
ciscs were closed with selection by the
Glcc club.
THE PARADE.