Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-20

hand, the county showing the greatest
growth in the past 20 years is ono OF
the toughest or most mountainous OF
the lot-Washington county. which has
advanced from 29.6O6 in 1890 to Al 7O2
in 1910, Notwithstanding the loss of
some of its territory to Caledonia
county between 1890 and 1oOo rho
rise of Barre and It's great ouorrvirg
industry explains much of this coun
tvs growth. Nearly all of the apr,-
cultural towns OF the county have been
losing population right along"
Tho Republican sees hope ahead for
Vermont, however. and in this the
neighbor is unqucstionably correct.
It says: compared with those 1O-year
periods the last two make a decidedly
good exhibit. But IT is not enough
not what it should be, and not what
may fairly he expected of the coming
10 years under tho influence Of factors
now at work. The swingback of the
westward agricultural drift lately OBJ
servable is Just beginning to reach
that state, under the influence Of high
prices for farm products. The water
| powers are likely 20 come into greater
use through storage ana electrical
| better roads must moro and more have
the effect of increasing the number of
| those who seek rest and recreation and
quiet retirement among the hills of
! this most attractive mountain state.
Beyond this. Ncrmontcrs should look
for advantage in the lowering of those
! tariff bars which turn commerce north
and south away from the state in
stead Of letting it pursue its natural
course through the state northwest
erly and southoasterly between Can
| ada and New England"
That the Springfield Republican Is
not alone in It's sanguine view of Yer
mont's outlook is evident from wha,
some of our own papers are saying
The Bennington Banner casts the horo-
scope as follows:
Ten years is long time to wait fol-
the fulnilment of a prophecy but q
prediction that the next decade will
not show such a decrease in the rural
population of Vermont as Is revealed
| ~
| turns will, 1t is believed meet the
| views of men who are better posted on
general conditions in this State than
the writer. The figures Just received
from Washington how that the farm
ing towns of Vermont. with compara-
lively few exceptions have lost in pop.
ulation and yet there is evidence of a
| movement back to the soil in this
state. The trend toward agricultural
pursuits did not begin in time to make
| the impression on the census figure
that some of us had hoped. but IL Is
| the advance guard OF Il small army
that will find It's way in that direc-
tion during the next ton years we
nave got TO have more producers in
Vermont Just as we have got to have
more of them In the whole country
Heretofore the tide has been towar-
the lig cities where many of the means
of livelihood consist in the handling Of
| those things which other men have
taken out of or off from the earth
The men who handle the raw products
| or convert them into finished articles
for the daily use Of the rapidly grow
Ing millions have increased in num-
Der until the proportion is unequal and
n reaction must result. This crowdinu
| Increased cost of living of which 81
much has been written during the pa (,
year. 1t is a case of too many people
who eat and not enough who create
and the reimbursement Of this condition
that must take place during the next
few years will have It's effect in Yer.
mont"
The hopeful tone thus reflected is II
| and Of itself n reason for cncoura 90.
ment over the outlook for Vermont
development during the new decade
and II our people bear in mind thai
they have the fortunes of our com.
monwealth largely in their own hands
gratifying results will he assured.