Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-07-10
VERMONT s RURAL
LIFE CONFERENCE
American Civilization Threat
ened by Forces That De-
strOyed Roman Empire.

Middlcb,rv. Ju,v s-The ororine or the
first rural life conference in Vermont
was held Mt tho college chanel Monday
evening. President Thomas IN introduc.
ing thc sneaker of tho cvonirp showed
tho particular need at this time NJ YER
r,onters rosnonding TO . ch,uonuc that
has bocn rcccntlv mt forth that the
rural churches of Vermont arc dccadcnt.
Professor Robort / Snror7,c of Nossa-
,busctts Agricultural ColIopc was then
,-,roduccd rs the leader Of the confer
ruce and the sneaker NJ Pho evening
Professor Sprague smoke on the import
ancc of the rural problem and said in
part that normal rural life is generally
more natural and well balanced than ur-
ban life. The pcoulo are healthier live
longer. commit less crime. have a higher
birth rate and a better type of citizen
ship A larger part Of the pcoplc are
propertv owners and taxpayers in the
country than in the city and there is an
,ycner d,strihrtion of property. The
sneaker then used ancient Rome as an
illustration of how a race may die ont
and a civilization decline Inv the destruc-
ton of its rural citizenship the con-
rontration Of wealth and intensified ur
ban life Rural wealth was concentrated
tho middle class farming populatlon driv-
en- Off and attracted to the CITY. white
their place was taken by slaves and
wage earners Tho Romans died off
through extravapant living. race suicide
divorce. the decline of industry and the
fcar of hard work. and the shel of their
Old civilization was occinied bv the moro
natural and democratic races of thc
north.
"Tho Arr'o-Saxon ci,iIizo.iop il, Amer
lea" he said, has some of the same
forces working in it that destroyed the
Roman people However, we suIl nave
great ana well distributed farming pop
ulation which Is preserving sane h'Iance
OF conditions IN vitality and wealth The
AnEIo-HaNon as "A race does no. thrive
under city conditions ana he declines In
phESique' vitality ana numh'r rs IN the
American urban industrial NE. Inc
MASSACHUSETTS, native STOCK Is ia'hns on
every No'r through excess o' deaths over
blrths' while the foreign l'ods are IN
creasinB rapidly by excess II births over
deaths rms Is due in 'trt 10 the I'M
pracucaI school system Which "ducates
TOT WhIte collar ne rather than Tor
strenuous nara work. I'' American Anglo
saxon as race thrlNS in the country
MAINTAINS ms nufnnerS NlrliltN ana power,
ana II ne can he ina ''ed to stay on the
lana he VIII continue TO rNl" the nation,
hut II nc gives UP the farms he Will in
few generations disappear by race
suicide under urban and industrial condi-
lions. The southern States. the Middle
lana constantly produce surplus popu-
I"Ioh "h'ch Is uralh'd OH 20 the cities.
MUST MAKE LIFE PLEASANTER. |
Rural work must be made more profit /
able and rural life must become pleasant /
cr and fuller of the best things that
count for human hnnpfnoss. We must
have Agricultural education. scientific
practice and co-opcration in marketing
of goods. We must have the reformation
of many Of the social forces such as the
church and the school There must come
the organization OF rural athletics. games
theatricals. libraries. conventions neigh
horhood associations and many other nc
tivit,es for ,,lokirr farm life ts attroc-
tive as city life. To work out these
social activities for tho church ,rd othor
"a tho vo,,,, ,r tbig corfer-
enco Mako tnc rrral ura nro0toble
scieptific and nro,,rossivo. and there will
no NO further nrohIn,n ~ raco decllne for
rural life will anr.al n rho hrainv and
strone man
Tuesday morning the prorram onened
with an address nv Stunt I y Rorss
~ the state Industrial school Mr. Barss
csIIed attention 70 the difference he
,,.,ar dorIo,i,, l,o,l.,a,. odd 1ooo,,