Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-23

Bradford Aug. 22.-Six IT, =. / people
welcomed Fletcher d. Proctt " 10 great
Bradford fair. The manage learned
of his presence In this Wien =. nd in
Nited Linn to visit the fair. 1t H. that
about all the Orange county "a urned
out to welcome the next gov - when
he drove on to the grounds shortly after
eleven o'clock. Barring the excessive heat
the day was ideal and with every thing
at It's best, the people made in their
business to make the visit Of the popular
candidate a pleasant and profitable cc-
casion. As he was escorted to the stage
from which he spoke the Woodsville band
played. Hail to the Chef and great
waves OF applause swept across the
grounds as when MIR. Conant in nicely
worded speech presented Mr. Proctor to
the great audience. Mr.. Proctor's speech
was in excellent taste, admirably adopted
10 the occasion, and was without the
slightest suggestion of politics or political
matters. In delivering his address Mr.
Proctor held the closest attention Of the
vast audience being interrupted only by
frequent and long continued applause. He
said in part.
II thank you for this kind reception
j. Is very gratifying to meet so large
and representative an audience and
not be compelled TO talk about politics
such an affair as this is typical of the
very best environment. We have grow
ing towns and small cities but Yer
mont IS essentially a rural state. nc
are rapidly developing manufacturing
and mining industries. but we are pri-
marily farming community. one of
the instruments for helping the state
to progress, and it is a fact some times
overlooked. is that the state is really
making quite a remarkable progress
in many ways.The United State CEN
sus bureau has recently published some
Interesting comparative figures as to
the Industries of Vermont in 1905, COM
pared with what they were in 1900
They show that in these FIVE years the
capital invested in manufacturing en-
terprises in the state has increased
s20,ooo,o0o or "A per cent. The value
Of its manufacturing products has in
creased S1l50O.00o or 22ia per cent
and it's total of wages paid in indus
trial enterprises s3,S0O,00O or 33 per
cent. Although it is generally sup
posed that growth in these directions
is chiefly in the cities in Vermont the
Increase has been greater in the rural
than in the urban districts
But more suggestive thing than this
Increase in our industrial life is the in
crease in our farm products. The pro-
ducts or our crcamcries and cheese factor
les in the state in 1900 WAS over S. 400 oOo a G
against &,50o,N0 in 1900 an increase or over
100000 or 167 per cent. This is simplv
the butter and cheese from the factories
hnd docs not include dairy butter and
milk.
Notwithstanding the great size Of the
rranlte marble and slate industries of the
state, dairy products are to-day the great
est product Of Vermont, and IL is for the
interest or tie State that they always
continue so. The best part OF the life
'f the State is built upon the life of its
tmallsr communities and for one would
rather see Vermont remain essentially a
great farming. rural section with all Of
the blessings and virtues which go with
That. 1t certainly is not easy to wrest a
living and much less a competence from
sff these green hills even to dig II out
" the ground and yet in some way here
Vermont our savings bank deposits for
his same five years, that Is from 1850 10
sos increased from s3s, ,OOO, 600 to over $40 =
10000 or 20 per cent. Such is the spirit
VI progress everywhere that If We would
iold our own with other States we must
% progressive. We want the best of all
hngs and especially those things which
make life the better worth living.
Two things which are especially i'm
portant to rural community are good
| schools and good highways. About all
the average man can give or leave his
children is an education and certainly he
Should have the opportunity to do that.
With this end in View It is the duty of
Vermont to provide the best possible
public school system.
Speaking OF automobiles Mr. Proctor
said that of course they had come to
stay but that he thought We might well
consider whether they should not be
limited by law to the use of certain of
the highways. He suggested that they
might we'll be kept of from some OF our
narrow hill roads, where the passing of
automobiles and teams was impossible
with ono great danger to the occupants
OF the teams He said that in time our
horses would without doubt become used
10 them and much OF the present trou-
BILE done away with, but meanwhile he
did not think it right that the men,
women and children who summer and
winter in Vermont should be disbarred
from their natural and rightful use OF
their roads because OF the machines. He
felt sure that the regular use OF ouI
highways by the people Of Vermont both
for business and pleasure was at pres
ent greatly interfered with When even
he saw an automobile and a horse meet
his sympathy always went out TO the
horse.
He said we have beautiful and at
tractive State and It's beauties and at
fractions are not so well known outside
as they ought to be. The speaker thought
We should Systematically advertise our