The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-24
CURRENT COMMENT
More Truth About Vermont.

The Age welcomes Maxwell Evarts of
Windsor to the agitated ranks of mis-
taken readers of Mr. Rossiter's historic
cal and statistical study of the prog
ress of Vermont. The appearance of
Mr. Evarts-iawyer, farmer, mainstay
and handspring of the state fair-is
emily one more bit OF evidence that Mr..
Rosters compilation of census figures
and his conclusions have done more to
stir up the state as to what it hadn't
been doing and what it should do at
once, for its salvation, than any other
business production in half century.
Mr.. Evarts belongs to the influential
and able element in the state" whom
Mr.. Rossiter calls upon to address them
selves with unity. energy, money, and
enthusiasm" to the task of encouraging
native Americans to settle in the more
fertile areas, to seek outlets for their
products, develop resources and start
new industries. 1t is reasonable to sup
pose, he says, that the state would
promptly respond in population and
prosperity in proportion 10 the effort"
u is well for the state, then, that
Mr.. Evarts has run across a copy of
Mr.. Rossiter's paper, has perused it in
terestedly, and has written piece about
it, which appears in the current num-
Der of The Vermonter. Like other hasty
critics, however, he has chosen to serve
his state by assuming an antagonism
on the part of Mr.. Rossiter-an unjust
assumption which has upset others who
have fallen foul of Mr.. Rossiter's fig
ures under the delusion that they were
championing Vermont.
Mr.. Eyarts has made use of certain
returns of the census of 1910 which
were not available when the Rossiter
article was prepared. The agricultural
returns make, says Mr.. Evarts, "a mag
nificent showing" which is well and
good, and no one doubtless would be
more pleased to offer congratulations
to Vermont and to Mr.. Evarts than Mr.
Rossiter himself. As review, however,
of conditions in Vermont for half a CEN
tury up to 1900. the Rossiter article
wa complete, and its conclusions UNI
biased, It is a fevered brain that inn
putes to him the slightest animosity to-
ward Vermont and her people No bet
ter stronger tribute to the manhood of
the state has been written; stump
orator is louder but less sincere.
Mr.. Rossiter says:
while it is true that the popula-
tior returns for Vermont offer to the
student 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 population ca
tastrophe, and unquestionably still pos
sesses in her own people the remedy for
many ills"
The Age has maintained and will say
again that it is the people of Vermont
the men in control of the state
who have been responsible for the con-
dition of things-who have kept Yer
mont at standstill for so many years. !
Again Mr. Rossiter says: "The num-
her of present-day Vermonters possess
ing in full measure the fine traits of |
the fathers, is much greater than the |
number of those who shaped the early |
destinies of the state"
VIII Mr.. Evarts stand up and be
Is there anything "defamatory" in |
these paragrphsl Rather. isn't there |
much hope and confidence in the flu
turc of the states The latest census |
figures exhibited by Mr.. Evarts show
1.-THE increase of manufacturing in
terests and the return of Vermont to
her own as an agricultural state.
Mr.. Evarts Is doing a good deal for
the state; but it might not have oe-
,urred to him to rise up and shout ex
'ept for Mr.. Rossiter's inspiration. Hon
1rs are about even. Woodstock Spirit
of the Age.