The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-02-19
MouID IN A had PRECEDENT

.
With Vernon, endeayoflng 20 in.
daec outsiders 10 come TO the state
ina nay farms /, l. doubly unfortun.
49, tha, thoee ncw cometa should
iall victims TO the cunning of real
ssaie agents Who seek 10 sell them
pieces OF property al excessive rates.
II Is still more unfortunate when
ghe prop,fty thus disposed OF ~ al
most worthless aud ought not 10 be
put TO farming use al all Abandon.
ed farms IN Vermont Is a topic that
has caused no little isSHssiun. hut
II Ii au extremely good thing THAI
some farms have been abandoned
for they ought never 10 have been
made farms Ia the first instance.
And II this be true, II IL wicked 20
sell 10 the new comers farms which
in the very nature OF things ought
70 stay abandoned.
la this connection il Is interesting
10 note that the state Is showing
a lively interest In the so-called
Sandgate case IL appears that
some German farmers, an excellent
type and just the kind Vermont is
reaching out after, purchased
through New York agent some
farms in Sandgate. The result was
unfortunate for all but the agent. II
seems, and he may live to regret
his action. That the state has in
telceied and is trying to see that
Justiceis done, Is most eommenda-
Bile.
I For II would be fatal to all hopes
OF building up rural Vermont II IL Is
TO be permitted to real estate agents
TO exploit those who would come
into the state and do their share In
the work. 10 disappoint two or
three foreigners OF an excellent type
is to keep away large number OF
the same kind, for those who have
been burned by the fire will tell
theii. fellows OF their experience and
that stream of immigration will be
dried up. But, If the other course
is followed tas in the present case)
and the state shows am interest in
those who come into its territories,
and seeks to see that full justice
and fair opportunity is given them,
then the effect will be exactly the
opposite and the new comers will
! spread the word that Vermont Is |
the place to which to come. Ii Is !
because OF this that II is well that
the commissioner of agriculture has
terested the governor In the sand |
gate case, and that the governor IN |
turn has spurred the attorney-gen- |
eral TO action II
But when justice Is done In this |
way, and when the state has given |
To real estate agents the lesson |
lhaf they can not deal In Vermont
lands In an unjustified way. ii |
seems that the state has done all |
that can be reasonably be expected
of it. IL Is suggested In the Sand
gate case that the state should 20 |
farther and pay to these honest i'm
nave been robbed Now it Is grant
ed at once that this Is a piiful case
which makes a ready and strong
appeal TO the sympathy. but 1t Is
difficult In the extreme to see the
ldgic OF the state making amends
for the misdeeds of individuals, In
the way suggested Even IL 1t were
the common feeling that il would be
well to reimburse these immigrants,
the fact that to do so would be 8s-
tablishing dangerous precedent
ought to make check on these
generous impulses. For obviously the
state cannot undertake the work OF
rehabllitating those who have been
panched. There are hundreds OF
good. loyal Vermonters, undoubted-
ly, who have been caught In unfor-
tunate schemes formulated, launch
ed, and ruined right within the con
fines OF the commonwealth. Those
who have been caught in these un-
fortunate enterprises have received
the sympathy of their fellows, but
the state has never moved to FIJI
up heir pocket-books again. Nobody
expected that the state would take
such action. for 1t Is generally ad-
mitted that the state Is not involv
ed In the affair more than to pro-
vide the machinery by which justice
can be obtained In other words, IL
y private rather than public .
matter. SO. while there may be
generous approval OF what the
state Is doing IN the Sandgate affair.
there may also be disapproval OF the |.
suggestion that the state should
shoulder the loss. For II this were
lone In this case, and the precedent
were established, would not any aud :
.very man who was caught In an
Unfortunate transaction have the
light to appeal to the state to make
food his financial loases?--St. Al /.
,aus Messenger. 2