St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1919-01-22
B0UCE0IS GAIN AT THE POLLS
MAJORITY SOCIALISTS IN LEAD
WILSON GUEST OF FRENCH SENATE
FARM LANDS FOR
RETURNING SOLDIERS
Vermont Can Offer Land That Ought
to Appeal to Returning Soldiers

10 appear to Returning Soldiers
Last October Governor H. +
Graham appointed L. $. Brigham
State Commissioner Of Agriculture
end i. II. Biclsford, State farm Labor
agent, to represent Vermont on ;
New England Committee to prcscn'
to Secretary Of the Interior Lane
the opportunities which exist in New
England for returning soldiers. Tho
New England committee arranged
with the Interior Department for {;
hearing i'll Springfield, Mass, Janu-
aly 4, and Willis N. Cady of Middle
bury, E. N. Connal of Newport, f. W.
Dunklec Of Vernon and O. L. Martin
Of PlGinficld were appointed as ad-
ditional delegates to this confer encc.
The question Of interest to the poo
pie OF Vermont is: Glow does Yer
mont fit into the plan Of Secretary
Lane" Tho plan outlined in the
accretary's report contemplatcs that
the Federal Government and the
state Governments, in cooperation,
will purchase tracts of waste land in
5000 acres or more, including swamps
which need drainage, cut-over lands
and arid traces which need reclama-
tloN; that these tracts will be reclaim
ed ond made into small farms so that
soldiers may be colonizcd thereon,
having about 100 farms in each col
ony. 1t was the opinion .of, the YER
mont committee, and so commnicat-
cd to the Federal authorities, that
we have no tracts of 5000 acres or
more i'll one block which would lend
themselves readily to this plan of the
Secretary, but that Vermont does Of
fer to the returning soldier the best
possible opportunity for acquiring a
home on the land. During the first
year OF the war, q census was taken
of two blocks OF six towns each in
two sections Of the state, one being
located in the Champlain Valley and
the othcr in more hilly section. The
question was asked of each farmer,
SIS your farm for sale?" An aver
AGE Of 20 per ccnt replied in the
affirmative. This illustrates that we
have in the state many farms which
lrc on the market. An investigation
has shown that the prices Of these
farms will lot exceed, in many cases,
what it would cost to replace the
buildings now built. Therefore, the
soldier may find in Yer
nont an opportunity to acquire a
arm ready TO occupy, with land
cleared. which may be bought for
cs, money than it would cost under
present conditions to make but a
portion OF the improvements which
ave already been made. The com
nittce believes that the best proceed
Ire for Vermont is TO take a census
If the farms which we have for sale,
preferably through the listers next
April, and to have the agricultural de-
,urtment investigate such farms and
.sccrtain such fact, about them as
prospective purchasers would desire
o know. Then the publicity depart
lent Of he state should advertise
hcac 'arn!5 in such q way that they
ill be brought to the attention Of the
cturning soldier and such assistance
4 the way of advice cn the part of the
:ate should be given to the return
1G soldier so that he may secure a
ood tile TO his land and so that he
ill be located in such Il way that
ncro will be Il possibility for him to
uccced. Not only should this oppor-
unity appeal to returning soldiers,
III also TO young farmers in the
vest, where land has now reached a
cry high price. Land in Iowa sells
II from $50 to $500 per acre. Land
. Vermont can be bought for much
,ss, yet an acre OF potatoes in 1918
as worth $170.40 in Vermont and
ut S95.76 in Iowa; an acre OF oats
a; worth S36.90 in Vermont and hut
1888 in Iowa; an acre of barley was
orth $l7.13 in Vermont and but
26.73 in Iowa; an acre of corn was
orth $64.GO in Vermont and but
1902 in Iowa; although Iowa i; To-
ltcd in the famous corn belt Of the
nitcd States.
Vcrmont's cheaper land, its greater
oluc of farm products per unit, bas-
on nearncss to market, should APP
cal to the returning soldier or to
nyone else seeking an opportunity
n the land and it is the opinion of
,e committee that Vermont has but
, make known its opportunity in Or
,r to attract many people to buy
,c farms which she has for sale.
Because it is Of SO much more inn
ortance that you should have infor-
o+ior .,bo,,t comm oditins and priceS