The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-10-28

From whatever view point we approach
the matter, / believe we shall reach the
conclusion that Vermont will act unwsely
if she surrenders this class of taxation tc
the general government.
THE PROSPERITY OF OUR STATE.
l listened with a great deal of interest
to the messages of Governors Prouty and
Mead and was much pleased to observe
the spirit of optimism which characterized
them. 1t is true, as shown by the recent
census reports, that the agricultural
sections of our state do not make a salts
factory showing. / confidently expect
to see a change in this respect during the
next decade and find several reasons
which appear to me to warrant this
prophecy. Our chief agricultural indus
try is, of course, -dairying, with poultry a
close second and there has probably been
no time in the history of our state when
these two products paid better returns to
the farmer than today. If the interest in
better and more intensive farming shall
increase in the next decade as it has in
the last, and believe it surely will, am
not without hope that we may see a ma
terial advance in the value of our farming
lands, and a probable rehabilitation of
many of those hill farms which for the
last forty years have been allowed to
deteriorate.
The general government was never
expanding so much for the betterment of
the farming industry as today and there
is no more enthusiastic member of the
Cabinet than our Secretary of Agricul-
ture, Hon. James Wilson, who by reason
of his zeal in the cause of farming has
been kept at his post of duty so long that
he outranks, in term of service, not only
every other officer of President Taft's
Cabinet, but every other officer holding a
position in any Presidents Cabinet since
the foundation of our Government.
The farmer who does not have his
farm journal is today an exception rather
than the rule, while the Grange is coming
to afford an opportunity for a mutual
of experiences that cannot be
otherwise than immensely valuable in
applying to the practical side of farming
the scientific and theoretical views which
he finds set forth in his agricultural
journals. With better methods of farm |
ing comes that added love for agricultural |
pursuits which must exist if Vermont is
% keep her sons at home and keep abreast
IF the times in her leading industry. A
better understanding of the laws of
resulting in a more intelligent
reatment Of the soils, together with
'astly increased knowledge as to the
more profitable strains of cattle, horses
md poultry, is fast making of the progress
i've farmer Of Vermont a thrifty, well,to
10 and independent citizen.
But it is not in agriculture alone that
We find evidence Of progress. Better
Dads, better schools, a greater measure
{ interest in public affairs, and last but
ot least, the phenomenal growth Of our
all combine to make us
thoroughly enterprising and progressive
The rural free delivery is
much to our advancement
nd as an educational force can hardly be
The daily paper Is now
,und in the homes Of a hundred farmers
here twenty-five years ago it was found
one. As a result we have vastly more
itelligent electorate and woe to that
snatOr or Representatives, or Nation
, who predicates his conduct upon the
opposition that his constituency does not
loroughly understand the extent Of his
ithfulness in safeguarding the public
cal.