St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-02-08
THE GREATER VERMONT. (
A Rousing Letter by Olin Merrill
to the New England Homestead.


There is no more ''dry rot' in Yer
mont than in western Massachusetts,
northern New Hampshire or Maine,
and you might continue clear
through New York state. This is true
of all the older rural sections ,of the
United States, also Iowa, probably
the finest agricultural section in the
world, where IS per cent of it's
$4,000 square miles of territory is
tillable, and the soil is Of such char
acter that crops can be raised from
that per cent.
We might turn around, and from
financial standpoint ask what is
the trouble with Massachusetts?
Why is it that Boston and Massa-
chusetts have lost control of all the
Gibson and Topeka, the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy? Where
have they gone? Why was it neces-
sary for the Boston and Maine to go
into the hands of New York f1nan-
ciers. 1t is we'll known that all of
the great financial interests which
used to be controlled by Boston cap
italists have been transferred to Wall
street in New York. OF course, this
is not abnormal SO far as it relates
to Boston, as the centralizing ten
dency Of financial interests in New
York touches the whole country.
Why is it that Massachusetts al
lows Detroit, Mich, to make 60 per
cent of the automobiles of the coun-
try? Why is it that the Stevens
Duryea and Knox companies are out
classed in the manufacture of auto
mobiles by firms in Michigan, while
the facilities for manufacturing au-
tomobiles are equally as good in
Massachusetts as in Michigan?
Vermont Nation Maker.
''Water seeks it's level" So does
everything else The young men
and women that are reared in YER
mont, after finishing their educa-
ton naturally turn to those avenues
of business which afford the greatest
return. The census just taken
shows, beyond any question, that the
centers of progress and prosperity
are those dominated by manufacture
ing interests. You feel the effects
of this in Springfield, also in Hart
ford and all through the Connect
cut valley. We can match our
chusetts of the same population. A
large number of criticisms that
are passed upon Vermont are wholly
without warrant.
I have just been reading a book
entitled Expansion of New England.
1t shows how the great west has
been populated by New England peo-
greater vt 2
pie You will find that Vermonters
as we'll as other New Englanders
:. have been the bone and sineW of the
west and have performed enduring
service in the building up of these
western empires, whose power
wealth and influence are of inesti-
mable national benefit.
Vermont never was more pros
porous in the world. The people
were never so well housed; the saw
ings banks never began to have the
amount of deposits they have today
never have had so many fine school
houses; increase in libraries in the
last decade has been phenomenal
$50 towns out of 247 towns having
libraries today; and the benefits tina
the people of Vermont are enjoyin;
are equal to those of any common
, wealth of the country.
The Sterile Bay State.
To be sure, the birth rate is low
but we would suggest that it is no
good taste for anyone in Massachu
sets to read the riot act to Vermont
ers on the birth rate. Unless stat
istics are misleading, the America
+. element is just about as prolific il
/ Vermont as in Massachusetts. w
: might suggest an explanation or rea
: son, why New York city gained 1