Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-06-07
vERMoNT'S OPPORTUNITY.
Has It Within Her Power to Be One Of
Leading States.
(From the Providence JournaD

(From the Providence JournaD
A movement which promises to be-
come of much Importance has been
started by a group of influential citi-
zens in Vermont to increase the enter
prise and prosperity of the Green
Mountain state. The purpose of the
Greater Vermont association is to en-
courage certain classes of manufacture
ers, improve agricultural conditions and
product, aid in finding markets, induce
high-class immigration, and increase
summer tourist patronage.
There has been an impression voiced
from time to time with unjust emphasis
by some of the yellow journals, that
Vermont was not keeping pace with
the general advance in prosperity and
wealth of the nation. This condition, so
far as 1t really exists, arises from the
rather marked exception which Vermont
presents to the tendency toward indus
trial development long in progress in
all the other Eastern states, and of late
in most all the states of the Union.
Vermont affords a very interesting il
Illustration of the influence of environ
ment upon population. The state was
settled principally by natives of Con-
necticut and Massachusetts,, and al
though the former state was the pho.
neer in American manufactures and the
sons of Connecticut have become fam
Gus throughout the world as the en-
bodiment of Yankee ingenuity, theiI
blood relations in Vermont have not
developed these characteristics in ag-
gressive fashion. There has been, it is
true, a modest proportion \of manufac-
lures in the state, in some instances
very successful, but the growth. of in
dustrial operations in Vermont has been
slow. Indeed, at the last census the
value of products of Vermont shops
and factories showed an increase of but
X Der cent in five wars tho cna1laCt
increase shown for any state in the
Union.
Experience seems to indicate that it
would be a waste of energy, and per-
haps of capital, to endeavor to increase
textile or similar classes of industrial
enterprise in a state which has never
taken kindly to manufacturing in gen.
eral. The waterpower of the state
should, of course, be conserved and
utilized, and to that extent manufac-
lures of the specialized and ingenious
sort could be p%roftably encouraged. The
returns of the last industrial census re-
veal the interesting fact that almost
half of the entire power generated in
the state was secured from water
wheels. Maine alone among the states
exceeded Vermont in the proportion of
waterpower utilized for industrial pur.
poses. When this natural advantage has
been properly exploited and utilized,
Vermont should advance the value of
manufactured products from a meagre
S per cent to a figure indicating a more
normal growth
If the Greater Vermont associa ton
is to accomplish it's purpose most et-
fectively, 1t will bear in mind the ten.
dency of the state throughout its long
and honorable history, to remain prin-
cipally agricultural. Vermont should
turn her attention to the opportunity
which exists today to a degree never
before known of catering to the enor>
nous urban population almost at her
doors. Within scarcely more thar /:
hours ride of st. Johnsbury, 14,OO0, 900
people reside in cities exceeding 5000
inhabitants. The general movement from
the country to the city, never more
marked than at the present time, in.
creases the demand for staple articles
of food almost to urgency. Many of
these products Vermont is pre-eminent-
ly qualified to furnish.
The increasing tendency of the nation
toward Industrial operations upon an
enormous scale carries with it the ever
present possibility of periods of depres-
sion, uncertainty and lack of employ
ment. There is, moreover, the tempta-
ton, so clearly revealed in the recent
labor oubles at Lawrence, to import
aliens of a score of races, ignorant of
American ideals and traditions, and thus
to increase in some of the states the
possibilities or unrest, poverty ana dis
tress. Agricultural states like Vermont,
although they may possess less aggre-
gate wealth, have 1t within their power
to secure stability, excellence of pop
%ulation, and individual prosperity.
These may in the end far surpass the
highest achievements of industrial COM
munities.
the new movement In Vermont
shall lead to intelligent and progressive
agriculture, to conservation of natural
resources and scenic charms, to the i'm
migration to the state of a high quail
ity OF citizens-tired of the servitude
ana excitement of the cities and of in
dustrial hfe-and to a determined pur-