VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 83 



citizens. One of our faults in beginning - home making - is 

 that where we live is not really a home, but a place to stay, 

 a family barn, until the day of wealth comes, away in the fu- 

 ture, and during all these years one is forever hearing, 

 "When we get rich we will have as good a home as anyone," 

 forgetting that as the years go by the dream fades and the 

 boys and girls go out into the world with a half-formed idea 

 of the true home and a longing for splendor, which they im- 

 agine can only be found in the palatial houses on "the 

 avenue." Here is something that can be remedied ; make a 

 home first and then, as the good Book tells us, "shall all 

 these things be added to you." 



We in the country have spasms of reform ; not a steady, 

 persistent quest of it. but when law and decency are overrid- 

 den to the point of desperation, a move is made, the nuisance 

 is abated and we settle down for a long nap again ; we see 

 this, that and the other wrong perpetrated day after day, of- 

 ten flagrant violations of the law, and weakly wish that some 

 one would make a move, be brave enough to cause a general 

 rising up of the populace, make these things not only odious 

 but crimes, and as such, punishable by law. 



Another thing th».t blunts our country citizenship is the 

 presence of petty rings, political and otherwise, which dele- 

 gate to themselves all wisdom and dictate, direct and often 

 command to carry their plans. Boards of education that are 

 dominated by one or two members; caucuses "packed" so 

 that "our men can get the pull," trusting that the fellow 

 who is never seen and whose opinion is never asked will keep 

 on voting straight ; and so on down the line ; people lose all 

 interest, enthusiasm and, almost, pride in their town when 

 everything is cut and dried for them. To know the opinion 

 of "Squire Jones," and who the leading men are to favor, 

 what they want and what they will not have, is to know the 

 final result ; this stands in the way of all town improvement 

 and progress ; such a condition stratifies a town and the mass 

 says: " It does not make any difference what I say or think," 

 and there is no harmony of action. Now and then there 

 comes an upheaval of displeasure, but it lacks strength, the 

 old ways return and a longer interval of rest follows ; then it 

 is that the visitor, after an absence of twenty years, says, 

 "Why ! there has not been a change in town since I left, 

 twenty years ago." Why has there been no change ? What 

 we want is a live town improvement society, with a member- 

 ship as large as the town, with wide awake interests and 

 meetings held when the wants of the town can be discussed 

 without fear or favor ; we want committees appointed to con- 

 fer with township authorities and work in accord with them * 



