The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-02-17

clearings, or building operations, this
year than last year, or the year be-
fore and for several minutes the
Governor talked in this strain, until
interrupted and asked
But you don't mean to assert that
the New England country has reach
ed its possibilities in development"
Not at all; there is just the point
am not speaking of the possibilities.
Rather, am telling you of the actra!
facts with reference to comparative
extension of business-extensioa
mind you-eXtension, not possibilities
Then it is a matter of improving
present opportunities, Governor /
suggested.
That's it exactly" he asserted. 81
suppose we will have to send for some
of you Western fellows to show Us
how laughingly he commented.
That interview suggested to ne
that | should improve my present OPP
portunity to make Investigations Of
conditions in New England and deter
mine a feasible plan for further d..
veloping that beautiful country, so
much of which is the cradle in which
our great American republic was
rocked from infancy to the strength
of a world power
10 Il nipxr i,.ev
enough.
| said this to q Vermont farmer and
he looked az me in surprise. He was
sure he had one on me.
Vermont and New Hamspshirc
have every natural advantage for
great dairying interests and get they
do not make their own butter. They
send their milk to New York instead
of manufacturing it into butter al
home.
Not long ago, a gentleman IL Al
bany picked me up in his machine ana
took me eight miles down the west
side of the Hudson to his country
place. At luncheon we talked of this
very subject of dairying and my
charming hostess remarked, do YOU
know the butter you are eating cam.
from Minnesota? We buy 1t in Al
bany, where It is handled extensively
by wholesaler"
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
Hampshire and Vermont should rot
only make their own butter, but should
make enough to exchange for at least
part of the wheat and corn whic
these States buy from the great West
ern States.
This is the agricultural or rather
arm produce-the dairying side.
No excuse that New England makes
machinery for the world.
The point that the Governor made TO
me is that the great West is thinking
and speaking in terms of comparative
commercial growth this year over last
year and the year before. So is New
England in its manufacturing bu,
New England is almost entirely for
getting the possibilities of the farm.
The present writer recently discussed
this neglect of New England farm de-
yelopment with an official of the Boston
Chamber of Commerce, which has am
bilious plans for New England farm
ers.
The West Keeps an eye on farm and
factory and chat is what the Governor
ton Chamber of Commerce man had in
mind.
Do not listen to those stories of alb
andoned farms in New England. They
are very misleading They are re-
ferred to more frequently in romance
than in statistics. The farms of New
England are not abandoned.
But they are shapefully neglected.
Nobody appears Comparatively
speaking) to devote any attention to
how farms may be put to better use
and made productive-made more
valuable-made the magnet for more
money for the New England country.
And this is what:
New England should get busy or
its farms,
People say you cannot make a living
on New England farms. Tommyrot.
My old father made a comfortable
fortune on a poor Kentucky farm
than which New England never had a
less productive one. | happen to
know that there is no farm so poo
that a working, enterprising well
managing man can not make Q living
on it.
New England farms are among the
most beautiful sites in America for
summer homes.
But summer homes are not especi-
ally productive investments IN point