St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-11-04
DeveIonment Of Vermont.


Now that the membership of the
next legislature has been determined
attention naturally turns to the ways
in which it can be the most service
able to the state of Vermont. Many
suggestions come to mind but we
wish to consider methods for the de-
velopment of the material interests
of the state. Good work has been
done in the past in the development
of good roads, in the establishment
of board Of health for the protec-
ton Of public health, the establish
ment of a public service commission
to properly control public utility cor
porations, for the protection and de-
velopment Of forestry and for several
other lines of public business; but
tive plan for the development of YER
mont farms.
1t cannot be denied that Vermont
has a large supply of good ia. ming
land, that it has the cheapest farm
ing land of any state in the union
and that the land already under Gull
tivation can be prottably brought to
a much higher degree of production.
Farming is the largest single indus
try of the state and any move that
promotes the development Of it will
be more wide spread and more gen
orally beneficial than any other line
of development. This fact makes
the question of what can be done to
develop Vermont agriculture a most
important one.
The expenses of. the state are al
ready as large as can be cared 70.
with it's revenues. The revenues o.
the state cannot be materially IN
creased without imposing burden
some taxation upon its citizens.
Therefore a careful consideration OF
the expenditure of the states funds
is necessary to decide whether o.
not the farming interests are getting
a proper share of the money the
state is spending for public purposes.
We believe that such consideration
by a body of practical business men
will show where economies can be eff
fected and a considerable sum that
is now used for other purposes can
be saved and proftably applied to
development of agriculture. This is
our suggestion for securing the nee
essary funds for the work.
The proper methods of eXpendi-
ture is the next question and we
would suggest that a part of the
$4,000 which have been expended
for the past two years for advertis-
ing can be used for an agent to rep
resent the state at the great immi-
grant ports OF this country for the
purpose of directing desirable for
eigners to Vermont for employment
on Vermont farms or as purchasers
of the same and properly man the
field. A general survey of the soils
of the state placed on record with
the state agricultural college and |
the farm agents of the state should
be made so that these agencies can
intelligently suggest the necessary |
changes in the fertilization of the
soil to bring about the production of |
larger and more profitable crops. A |
limited amount of advertising should |
be continued for the purpose of win
ming a proper share of the tide OF |
farm seekers that is beginning to |
turn from the West to the East.
Without suggesting more at this
time, we submit these propo- |
sitions, confident that, if wisely |
and prudently carried out, they would |
make a safe and permanent founda-
ton for greater development and |
prosperity in the state of Vermont.