The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-07-15
VERMONT
Complete Recitation Of a Thoroughly
Libelous Article Printed
Several Weeks Ago

OH AUIll 10 all EikHGQ it-
viewing a paper by William S. Rossi
ter, formerly OF the Census Bureau,
printed in the Journal OF the Ameri-
can Statistical Association, in which
he analyses the returns OF the census
of 1910 in Vermont and draws some
most disheartening conclusions from
Government figures. Indeed, he does
not hesitate to say that these Yer
ment figures offer perhaps the bloom
lest statistical picture to be found at
the present time in the United
States"
II is sometimes easy to read into
any analysis of census statistics
preconceived theory OF their mean
ing without consciously deviating
from the truth. This appears to be
what IS" has done in his hasty and
superficial generalization, based on
Mr.. ROSTERS figures. He does not
emphasize at all the creditable things
that even Mr.. Rossiter is careful to
show He emphasizes only the
gloom that he reads into his figures
and has helped to spread broadcast
once more the cruelty unjust and
mournfully misrepresented report
that ut has now been officially dem
onstrated that Vermont is a retro
grade State" And he continues.
This announcement is all the more
interesting because Vermont is the
only apparent exception TO the nor
NAL progress OF the normal American
State. And Vermont has backslid
with a vengeance. While it is not
| true as in the case of Iowa that the
actual population of Vermont has
decreased, yet such serious and fun
damental economic changes have
been working as to warrant the an
nouncement that Vermont is in the
immediate need of a policy of conser-
walton OF the most radical and far
reaching sort-conservation and de-
yelopment of its resources, natural
as well as human"
This Is a most serious indictment
of State. and one not lightly to be
| framed, much less to be lightly circu-
lated from one end OF the land to the
other in the certain knowledge that
irreparable damage to the reputation
OF region and the people that dwell
| in IL can be the only result of such
publicity
But after all the statistics OF popu-
lation that the Census Bureau can
muster have been scrutinized and
analysed with the most expert skill,
the simple, fundamental fact re-
mains that the esprit and morale Of
the social order of any people never
were and never can be reduced to
figures. And the true test Of the
condition OF any State. the only true
guide to the social status of any peo-
ple-whether they are prosperous and
progressive, whether they are OF
standard intelligence and average
| human ambitious-is not the number
of white, cOlored and Indians not
taxed" that the census adding ma
| chimes will show for them but how
they are living, what they are doing
and how much better they are plan
ming to live and how much better
they are hoping TO do. II is not a
question of numbers, but OF quality.
and one does not have to invoke the
! doctrine of Nautilus to prove that to
any sensible reader.
The Bright Side Of Statistics.
There are several ways OF making
effective refutation of the conclusions
of IS" because there are several as
poets OF the situation in Vermont
that mere census figures cannot show.
Perhaps for the purposes of this ar
! ticle II may be OF interest TO review
briefly how the progressive spirit Of
NermonteTs has manifested itself
through their laws in recent years.
Let us take the very same ten years
covered by Mr. Rossiter's figures. Let
us glance at few OF the evidences Of
the constant evolution OF higher
social order in Vermont as expressed
in the acts OF the Legislature during
this period. And. doing so. let MS re-
member at each step that the Legisla-
ture OF any State is always the last
and most reluctant agency TO voice
the progressive thought OF the com
munity units that make up that State.
Let us keep in mind that the growth
OF more ambitions and loftier sense
OF social responsibility ana desire
must start with the people back IN
the towns and develop to the point o.
tremendous pressure before IL finds
expression in the Legislature. Let
US remember that. however progress.
sive n State Legislature may appear
to be az times. Ii is almost always be
hind the standard at which the rank
and file OF its constituencies have
already arrived even at that.
First OF the achievements of Mr..
Rosters gloomy decade. because
the most radical manifestation OF
progressive thought and purpose,
comes the adoption OF the local op.
ton liquor law For half century
previous TO 1902. Vermont was pro
hibition State. socalled. and genera.
lions OF her people had grown up un'
der a regime that, catering to what
was once a high moral purpose OF the
multitude. found In the growing laxi
~ OF popular sentiment opportunity
|, to make a fetish OF the statute ioI
, political purposes and eventually
came to tolerate the utmost hypocriti
cal losseness and actual corruption
and fraud In the administration OF the
law. In the period covered by Mr.
ROSTERS mournful speculations, the
habits OF thought of half a century
we're uprooted and a local option law
very similar to the Massachusetts
law was enacted. This change was
made by Vermont while New Hamp.
shire and Maine were still joined to
....Atltst.., tl,ta N.Vu IlanaN.