The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-07-20
FOR A GREATER VERMONT

Association by Levi p. Smith, AS
sociate Editor of the Burlington
Daily Free Press, at Rutland, July
II, 1912
Whatever publicity may be it is
more than advertising. We may as
well make up our minds at the outset
that Vermont is too big and too ven
cradle for ordinary advertising. We
will work to develop the old state in
every rightful way. But we are not
inclined to put Vermont in a class
with patent medicines and stove pol
ish
Two needs of this state have been
reiterated in the past few years so
often that we have come to believe
them, and on such good authority
that we think our belief is right.
First, it is said, that we must make
life here interesting enough, full
enough, and profitable enough to
prevent the young blood from leav-
ing Vermont And next in impor-
lance is said to be the need of so
developing Vermont and so making
its attractions known beyond our
borders that new blood may be drawn
into the state to AXE the place OF
the young blood which for the past
fifty or sixty years has been steadily
streaming out to people OF the west
to manage the business OF our great
cities, to lead in the politics OF many
states and generally speaking to mo-
nopolize the nation.
Here is Vermont the ground is sell
enriched and fertile for the growth
we wish to produce Our newspap-
ers have done that: Everywhere in
the state they nave been full OF
fine confidence in Greater Yer
mont
Our field here in Vermont is not
only already fertile, it has also been
pretty well stirred up, ploughed some
and narrowed just a little, The
Rossiter report did a good deal of
that And Mr. Barss and a number
of other good servants of the state
have carried on the work They are
benefactors of Vermont And when
We heaped them with abuse and talk
ed about the Rooster Libel" and
about "defamng Vermont" we ought
TO have been whipped for our ingrat-
itude. They never detained Vermont
They never showed a Vermont of
the present which is discouraging.
There is no occasion for dismay
but there is a call for action
The Greater Vermont Association
can do a great work as a sower of
ideas
1t must be the work Of this assoc
iation to seize upon sceh IDEAS and
plant them where they will bring a
harvest If a new industry is start
ed in some part OF the state the fact
so put as to bring out the idea and
suggestion which it involves should
be given to every newspaper i'm the
state backed by the request of this
organization that it be published or
commented on editorially. or in some
way put before the readers.
There is other work in the nature
of publicity that this association can
do. II may be able to cooperate
with other individuals and organiza-
tons who are doing work of this kind
for Vermont For there are others
an tNsF anu Ahfe are uuluE NUltu-
did work. Il is needless to tell Yer
monters of the original and remark
able work which has been done sin
gle handed and with almost no appro-
priation by our present secretary OIL
state, Guy w. Bailey. Along certain
important lines of this subject of
publicity he has been a pathfinder
for Nermonters. If we can in any
way supplement his work. il will be
a proud thing for our association.
II we can advance the interests of
Vermont by stirring up activity and
initiative so that II will be a better
place for our young blood TO remain
in and by availiug ourselves of every
opportunity TO make Vermonts at
fractions known to the world outside
just how are We to set about doingI
it? Among the means more or less
al our command are first and fore
most, the publications within the
state. Then there are newspapers
and magazines outside our borders
which can be prevailed upon to pub
fish material sent them from time
TO time For the gathering in of ma.
terial, we should be able to rely up
on local branches in the towns and
cities of the state. Such are the re.
sources with which we will in all
begin our work.
1t would seem that these resources
might be employed to the best ad-
vantage by establishing central
publicity committee.
So much for definite plans. What
are the policies to be? They may
well be bound up in impressing and
increasing the distinctiveness of Yer
mont and everything connected with
Vermont and in promoting the kind
of openness of mind which we of to-
day call progressiveness. and encour-
aging initiative and activity. We
must strive to preserve and impress
the historic distinctions OF Yer F,
mont
Prosperity is generally the result /
NJ conditions which required thinking
on the part of the inhabitants of a
region and forced them 10 mix brains 4
with their soil. Imagination with /
their craggy slopes and mountain |
peaks and mechanical skill with their
torrents. The most gen.
orally prosperous and enlightened |
people of Europe do not inhabit the .
sunny slopes OF Italy or the once
fertile plains of Arraeon and Cas-
lie. They live tn the forbidding
country of Switzerland. and in the
)cean-hattered. waterlogged. king l
iom Of Holland Vermont is not
by nature; nature is
merely sivinc her the kind OF intel /
eCtual shaking out and waking up
which has been the one thing which I
las really advanced men IN any eli
nate in any nation through an the \
lres