The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-17

state has not progressed along the
same lines followed by other common
wealths. In Vermont the traditional
vocation OF agriculture has been
principal means of livelihood More
over, the state has maintained reason
able purity of stock in the face of ex-
tensive racial changes elsewhere. In
the increase that occurred in the state
consequence of these policies Vermont
has contributed during the past cen
fury large share of strong men and
women to the upbuilding of new com
monwealths. but In doing so has lost
large element which in other states
would have remained at home.
Like Phenomena Elsewhere
These population conditions are not
confined to Vermont. Over the North
and West appears of late to have
swept great discomfort with the
farm, its dull routine and seemingly
limited opportunity. The 18th census
reflects the change evidently in pro-
gress in many states. Iowa, Missouri,
all the New England states, central
and western New York. parts of Penn
sylvania and much of the middle West
show the same tendency.
Maintenance Of Public Needs
In Vermont. one sixth Of all the
towns and cities have decreased in
1910 to half or not much more than
half the population they possessed
about the middle of the last century.
Geographically areas, however, have
not decreased and the demand for
good roads and for good schools Is
now even more insistent than in the
days of population prosperity. Hence
for many of these decreasing commu-
mites, the problem of maintenance of
public expenditures must have be-
come exceedingly serious. If the de-
crease in population shown from 1900
to 1910 in 166 towns is to continue at
the same rate by 1850 a considerable
number of he states civil divisions
will be reduced to less than 100 inhab-
itants. But 1t is probable that there
will not be many towns from which
population will completely disappear
For all practical purposes, however,
from the economic standpoint, town
becomes almost blank when, having
once been of some consequence IL is
reduced to a condition in which the
community can barely sustain itself.
This is the result to be feared in many
instances in Vermont Statistical an
alysis OF population conditions in Yer
mont strongly suggests that the state
will reach crisis in connection with
this subject within a few years-if
II has not already arrived.
Loss of virIle Natives
| When the number of inhabitants in
town at length has become reduced
from more than 1000 to few hundred
and when those who have gone by
their very going, create the presump-
ton that they were the more virile
and energetic element, then to the
small remaining population each new
| departure is like pillow in the face,
and the community is proportionately
more and more crippled as the next
useful citizen dies or departs. Possib.
ly this condition is reflected to some
extent in the failure of Vermont of
late years to become prominent in
manufacturing. At the period when
the Vermont small towns were in their
population prime, agriculture was
Everywhere the principal occupation
1.-THE subsequent drain of strong and
resourceful citizens to other states
near and far left large numbers of
Vermont communities i'll equipped to
venture into manufacturing enterpri-
ses.
Furthermore. over community
which is thus steadily losing strength
tharp craans on afrnoanhara of dico0ur
Iagement and hopelessness and the
boys and girls who are born to matur-
ity with the settled conviction that
their home town is dead" and that
their own claim to progressiveness is
dependent upon departure. Often
such persons have sunk into slack and
unhealthful ways of living, and in con
sequence in their families the rising
generation shows distinct decline but
more often nature DEGREES that they
shall have no successors.
Hope for the Future
While it is true that the population
returns for Vermont offer to the stu
dent perhaps the gloomiest statistical
picture to be found at the present
time in the United States, the state is
still very far from material or popula-
ton catastrophe, and unquestionably
lstill possesses in her own people the
lremedy for many ills. The population
in 1910 is more than six fold greater
than it was in 1885; the number of
present day Vermonters possessing in
full measure the fine traits of the faith.
ers is much greater than the number
of those who shaped the early destin.
les of the state. A recently issued
publication presenting biographical
sketches of more than 1900 Ameri
cans who are considered to have at
tained greatest eminence. Vermont is
near to leading in the proportion Of
persons as included to each 1000 per
sons born in the state.
The modern Vermont problem diff
fers sharply from the earlier one. The
state is naturally fertile; waterpowel
abounds; forests with proper conserve
tion should be a source of continued
wealth. The scenery is beautiful, the
climate, though severe, is most health
full and invigorating. Hence in this
period of rising prices for staples o.
food and of congested urban popula
: ton seeking the pure air of the hills
is not the opportunity of Vermont a.
hand? Elsewhere in this paper 1t has
been pointed out that measured by sta
tistical change, definite increase oc
Cured in Vermont in but two particu
lars; In one element of population
because of the fertility of the foreign
born and in manufactures-shown by
the value of products. The pathway
to population and wealth by utilizing
tl,.. % k., Lan1,