The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-25
Says 1t Would Be a Bad
Thing for Vermont
Farmers
SPOKE AT BANQUET
IN BURLINGTON
Guy w. Bailey Elected Pres
ident Of Greater Vermont
Association

Burlington, Feb 25--At the annual
meeting of the Greater Vermont asso-
citation in the city hall yesterday after
noon, the following officers were elected
for the ensuing year: President, Guy w.
Bailey Of Essex Junction; vice-presidents,
Timothy Bronson of East Hardwick, Red
| field Proctor of Proctor; treasurer, G. III.
forbush of Springfield; directors, Fred III.
3abbitt of Bellows Falls, G. III. Bickford
OF Hardwick, C.. p. Cowles of Burlington,
w. RI. Crockett of Montpelier.
| Last night banquet was served at
the hotel Vermont to more than 400 peo-
| pie from all parts of the state. Max L..
Powell president OF the Burlington Mer-
chants association, presided
Among those seated at the head table
were: Howard Elliott, chairmaR of the
Board OF directors of the New York, New
Haven & Hartford Railroad company;
Col. George Harvey, editor of the North
| American Review; Charles A. Prouty,
chairman of the division of valuation of
the interstate commerce commission;
Theodore N. Vail, president of the Amer
lean Telephone & Telegraph Co.; ex-Gov-
ernors John A. Mead and G. III. Prouty;
L. s. Brigham of st. Albans, state com
missioner OF agriculture; Fred J.. Davis
OF White River Junction. state cattle
commissioner; G. w. Gates of Franklin,
state highway commissioner.
t. N. Wallis Beliefs.
In the course of his speech, L. n. Vail
attacked reciprocity, saying that YER
mont's agricultural products now com
Inand profitable prices and have opened
up opportunities for Vermonters at home,
while it has lessened them abroad. "If
this is not to be destroyed by the fallaey
OF reciprocity, by the opening up of our
markets to another and foreign West
with its virgin soil and cheap production,
and allow its products and the products
OF its border land of cheap labor to COM
pete with our products, there is perma-
nent future to the agricultural interests
OF Vermont.
Home products for home consump-
ton and "spend our money for the prod
ucts of the labor that consumes our
products should be the slogan of Ver-
mont, he continued.
THAT policy was the source of our
wealth and prosperity in the past and
will be the source of the prosperity of
the future, or so soon as the ears of the
deaf are opened by the cries of distress
which are bound to follow any other
policy.
Mr.. Vail declared that Vermont never
win be manufacturing state in broad
sense, although special industries will
thrive. This is because the state is not
well situated as to the supply of raw
materials or with the market for the fin
ished product, in order to compete with
other states. Moreover, while Vermont
has much water power, it has no more
than it will need for itself, he said.
Therefore, thought Mr.. Vail, Vermont
win have to depend upon her agricul-
ture, her quarries, her forests and her
chances as recreation ground for the
whole country.
Tide Turning for Farmer, Says Prouty.
Charles A. Prouty thought things were
turning in favor of the farmer. He said
that Vermont no longer fears competi-
tion with the West.
"1he cost of furniture in the farm
house was three per cent greater in 1913
than in 1900 and the cost of farm i'm |
plements four per cent greater but the |
cost Of farm products is 80 per cent
greater. IL is evident that in the next
25 years the people of this country must
change entirely their manner of living
and the economic trend is all towards |
the farmer. 1t is in favor of the Yer
mont farmer, particularly, owing to the |
situation of the state. To the Greater
Vermont association Mr.. Prouty said
chat the thing to do to advance the !
farmer is to get at him and teach him,
and that means to give him the things |
OF life he has not heretofore enjoyed. |
1t means dining room for him, fur |
mace in the cellar, electric lights, amuse-
ments and recreation"
Harvey Defends Higher Education.
Col. George Harvey's address was in
large part defense of higher education
in Vermont, and he said he was not in
sympathy with the apparent inclination
of the Carnegie Foundation investigators
to do away with higher education in the
state. He limited that consolidation of I
the institutions might be advisable, add
ing as follows:
"0ne fact is certain: If you are go
ing to do big things for Vermont, YOU
have got to do them in big way. Pet
tiness of spirit, neighborhood jealousies,
and even material advantages to some
degree must give way to broader COM
prchension and true cooperation or you
will get nowhere, and the movement
which you have inaugurated will pres
emily begin to wonder what, if so soon
done for, it was begun for But l have
no message TO deliver or suggestion to
make along lines familiar to you and
unknown in any practical sense to me.
In any case, the recent advancement both
here and at Middlebury seems to indi-
cate very clearlys reawakening not only
in appreciation on the part of the peo-
pie, but of a sense of duty on the part
of the state. Because it is duty,
real duty, of this proud little common
wealth to give to her sons and daughters
her very best and then, if occasion re-
quire, as we hope it may not so insist
entity as in the past, give even the sons
and daughters to other communities
which have greater need of their brain
and brawn" 4
Howard Elliott expressed his opinion
that the rise in the price of lands which I
had come with the filling of the West
must surely mean an increased prosper