Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-23
VERMONT THRIEI TYPICAL.

| VERMONT THRIFT TYPICAL"
once upon a time It was possible to go
to almost any western state and hhu
where Vermonters held mortgages on
realty in both city and rural region. IL
came to be proverbial in many secuons
of the West that Vermont always had
money hence the not infrequent ar
ranEement by western promoters or spe-
cial passenger trains to induce our capt.
talists to visit different States with the
idea of inducing them to either lend or
Invest,
This characteristic thrift has stamped
itself upon both our State and people,
and to say whether the commonwealth IN
this respect has gradually nodded the
Individual or individuals the state. is
much like trying to say, which was first
the egg or the hen.
BE this as It may t::ere 10 q notura'
relation between the thrift Of the typi-
cal vermonter and that of the common
wealth or in othry words Of the people
of Vermont in acting in their collective
capacity which statement may make
palmer the natLralness Of the thrift Of
the State itself.
Ono Of the chief ways IN which Yer
mont has manifested thrift has beer
by keeping out of debt II has not been
an easy task to accomplish this at all
times. Occasionally we have been sorely
tempted to borrow a large sum OF money
for the construction Of ar expensive
system of highways. and the spectacle of
wealthy neighbors doing this very thing
has made 1t all the more difficult for lit
tie Vermont to keep her head. At
other times we have been similarly
tempted to indulge in costly structures
and various expensive playthings, but as
time has elapsed we have found we were
on the safe side in sticking to our
traditions of thrift and care in state ex-
penditures.
An excellent idea of Vcrmonts thrift
is afforded by synopsis of a bulletin
Just issued by the census department
dealing with this state's funds and In
vostmonts for the past thirty years, OF
beginning with 1880.
According to this showing Vermont hat
an outstanding Indebtedness of $4,000 il
1850 ana from 1891 to 1913 the state has
had no bonded debt The special obliga
ton to public trust funds amounting t.
s847 ono remained unchanged during tina
period.
In the case Of funds and investment!
the securities remained unchanged unit
1903, when s352,O00 was reduced to $4,000
but subsequently, and largely through tn
establishing of the permanent schoo
fund the amount was materially in
creased the total held In securities il
1913 being sl,2ia,ooo
The population of this State increased
from $4,000 in 1880 to 100000 in 1918 Il
1891 1t had advanced to s1.56. Following
the fluctuations of the total debt, the pc
capita debt rose to 500 in 1899 and fel
to the minimum, 90 cents, in 1909, while i
1913 the per capita debt was sl5S.
In contrast with the state of Vermont
We find that, taking the entire debt. les
sinking fund assets, for the As State.
the per capita debt. according 70 tn
latest report. is SS.52, or s19i more tina
tho per capita debt for Vermont, Con-
pairing the movement Of the per capt.
debt OF Vermont and the 4s States, fc
the 3O-year period We find that So
fell to $3.50 in the average for the
states, and IS cents advanced to 81;
in Vermont.
At the present time about o. pc
cent OF the total population Of the In
ted States is found in the state OF Vel
ment, and OIL per cent Of the total deb
less sinking fund assets. is attributed
this state.
The States floating debt has change
from year TO year. but j; has shown
gradual tendency to Increase, startir
with $4,000 IN 1891. for example AMI ri
ing to s2?3oOO in 1918
WhilA Vermont has every reason to
proud of the showing for thrift thu
appearing. we ere reminded by tho graz
ual increase in the floating indebtedne
thai the tendency prevailing everywher
in Staten as we'll as cities toward II
creased carclessness regarding finance
Is at work in the Green Mountain Stat
More careful! economy should be OF
OF our watchwords, not only in OF
political platforms but also in our legt
lagive halls as we'll as In various depar
ments. For example. it should be lor
time before Vermont again spends 500
for detective services in a single peril
and IN various other directions not
worthy examples might he cited.
A NOTABLE HEALTH BULLETIN
The range Of the stimulus which t
work Of the educational commission al
- Of the investigators who served und
NJ them has done for Vermonts comm
on, schools is illustrated by the fact tn