St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-11-06

7EMBER 6, 1912
good farms at such low prices. A
low fat rate of tax, or, better still.
no tax at all on farm mortgages
would greatly help the development
of this section, just as it would every
other rural district in Vermont.
Chelsea is the county seat of Or
ange county and is, l believe, the
only shire town in the state not
reachable by rail. 1t is one of the
cleanest and incest villages in the
state. There isn't a really poor house
and apparently not a needy family
in town. The Orange county build
ings are much better than those of
Bennington county and the town is
this fall erecting a handsome new
high school building. The village
has no manufacturing enterprise ex-
cept two sawmills and a small bobbin
shop, but it is a great center of coun-
ty trade from the good farms of
Chelsea and neighboring towns If
the present legislature does its duty
and properly revises the tax law re-
lating to mortgages on Vermont real
estate, l shall be greatly surprised
if Chelsea and vicinity does not show
a splendid renewal of prosperity dur
ing the next ten years.
The tax rate of the town is $2.15,
but the property valuation is only
about 55 per cent OF the actual value
so that the real rate is exceedingly
low on real estate. The village in
it's general clean and thrifty appear
ance reminds me of Stowe, Waits
field, Newfane, Westfield, Townshend
and other similar communities that
are credit to the rural sections of
Vermont.
FRANK E. HOWE.
Montpelier, VT, Oct. %, 1912.
High Cost of Living
Spellbinders may spiel about the
tariff as being responsible for the in
creased cost of living, red fires and
torch light professions may light up
the spelling places; but a five min
utes perusal of Uncle Sans 18th
Census Bulletin of Agriculture, will
tell the story. Less than a dozen
lines will do-all the evidence any
intelligent person needs to decide
why things cost NOR now than they
used to-
All Farm Crops
(19O9 as compared to 1897
Increase in acreage 3.5 %
Increase in bushels (bulk) ITO
Increase in value, 1857
Increase in value of all farm
property, 1905 %
Increase in total population, 21.0B
Increase in urban population, 34.8%
Increase in rural population, 11.2 %
The city (consuming) population
is increasing more than three times
as fast as the country (producing)
population. The demand (popula-
ton appetites) increased 21.0%
while the supply (farm crops) only
increased 1.7To. When the demand
increases faster than the supply,
prices go up always.
In 1880, 7O.5 % of the population
lived in the country; in 1890,
$685.; in 1900, 59.5%; in 1910,
only 53.7% lived in the country to
supply nearly half of the population
-46.396 that lived in the city-an
ever-increasing demand on the con-
stantly decreasing proportionate
power of the rural population to sup
ply that demand. 1t is frequently
said that farming doesn't pay.sf In
1900, the average farm was 1862
acres in size and worth $3,563-
$24.37 per acre; and ten years later,
1910, the size of the average farm
was less 1881 acres, but had a value
of $6,444-$46.64 per acre; 5000
increase per average farm. Farm
ing may not pay, but it almost |
equals working in the city for $500 |
per week where it costs $65 per
month to 1ive.-[ Bookkeeping of To-
lay.
The Money in This Campaign
With the publication of the sworn /
statement of the cash receipts of the |
republican, democratic and progress
i've national committees, it is evil
lent that this presidential campaign
it from the national
the cheapest one the
has had in generation.
Up to the time the reports were
made, the democratic national COM
nittee had received 1925, 188, the
national committee $685.
i25 and the progressive national
Committee $333,682. The total for
he three parties is $1,457, 095 and
While there will be more receipts
because there will be more expendi-
ureS before the campaigns enQs IL Is
that the combined receipts
f the three party committees will
run in excess of $4,000
90. if they equal that sum.
This is an astonishing small total.
he republican fund alone in 1908
yas ST, 655, 518-more than thus far
as been raised for three parties in
912. The republican fund alone in
9O4 was some $2,28O,OOO, or about
alf as much again as the three par
les this year have received. The |
epubIican fund alone in 1896 was at
east s6,O0O,000, or four times the
0tal for the three parties in the
resent campaign.
The prime cause of the small re-
sipts by party committees in this
is not far to seek. The pub
city law has caused the shrinkage
funds. This is concIusiveIy proved