The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-11-03

hNe-LNlfQh OF the tNNl40 CIV .AAAeA-sNa
al each census. In the earlier stages
Of this change II was not especially
serious because some human resources
still remained.
at has now reached the point where
the departure OF each yirile citizen
mems q distinct wound TO the COM
munity. and there has arisen a degree
OF lethargy and hopelessness which
is quite natural under the eircum-
stances and which is ominous for the
future Of the state.
"Only about one-eighth or one-ninth
of the towns of the state reach max
imum population at each census; more
than half Of the towns in the state
reached the highest population before
1850. These facts do not indicate the
shift from country 20 town-although
that has occurred to some extent.
"If. for example, all the maIima
were utilized the population OF the
state in 1920, IL computed on the high
est basis for each town, would exceed
46o 900, or 100000 greater than the
actual population Of the state. The
larger towns and cities have increased
quite rapidly but they have not been
able to prevent the decrease in the
small communities from showing actu-
al decrease for the state.
"hs q result Of the population
changes thus sketched the proportion
of persons As years Of age and older is
eontinually increasing. In 1920 there
were 28.5 per cent in this class IN YER
mont as compared with 10 per cent in
the entire United States. Thus logic
ally perhaps, children under ID years
have decreased in the proportion they
form in the community to about ~
per cent at the present time. This is
more than five per cent less than the
average for the United States SO that
at the Vermont rate the United States
would have one and one-half million
less children than it actually pos
sesses."
Mr.. Rossiter here quoted an inter-
esting computation which had been
prepared for him in the census bureau,
showing that in the towns Of Morgan
at the top Of the state and Vernon at
the bottom, the average number OF
nersons in Anplo-S Saxon families was
about 13h in 1920 and five in 1850,
and that the proportion under 13 years
had decreased from about 35 per cent
10 years ago to 20 per cent in 1920.
Following the thought presented at
the outset Of his address Mr.. Rossiter
showed that the number OF persons
born in Vermont and living outside OF
the state represented a larger per-
centage than the corresponding ele-
ment for any other state.
He showed that census figures indi-
cate a decrease in the number OF
farms in the state Of about one-sixth
since 1880: a decrease in live stock.
and a marked decrease in acreage OF
crops as compared with so years ago.
"Among the causes suggested for
the changes which have occurred Is
the fact that Vermont is an agricui-
tural state. but is not developing itself
along the most modern lines Of mar
keting. Vermont farms do not COM
pete on the average with larger farms
elsewhere"
Mr.. Rossiter pointed out the hard
ships which occur in the rural homes;
lack Of attraction for the young; fall
ure TO keep up with the modern Amer
ican viewpoint, and total lack Of or
ranized effort to retain the young
people at home, and demanded that
the wiser citizens take council togeth-
er 20 meet this problem.
Mr.. Rossiter said mere criticism
Was idle IL it did not lead TO construc-
tive effort and improvement He
pleaded for the appointment by this
meeting-whatever else II might ac-
complish-of a standing committee OF
important citizens who should pledge
themselves to give consideration TO all
aspects Of these problems and to de-
wise a way Of reaching plans for the
most advanced and progressive handl-
ing Of vermont's products, and espec-
| ially TO aid the small towns TO develop
their resources.
He bluntly said that the trend OF
the state away from agriculture and
towards industry was mistake, that
Il was too late to begin serious in this
out-of- the-way section Of New Eng
H land. He, therefore, urged that those
crops most profitable and successfully
produced in Vermont should be sys-
tematized and scientifically marketed,
pointing out the example Of Denmark
in connection with dairy products, and
that recently Of the province Of Al
berta in Canada, which has taken
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