St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-10-24
tration of public affairs.
IBrattleboro Phenix.l


[Brattleboro Phenixl
On Wednesday morning the Brattle-
boro hotels all appeared with "Closed,"
upon their doors. Whether this move
ment is bona fide and permanent
thing, or only farce to cover waiting
for something to turn up, remains to be
seen. IF the latter, 1t is difficult to see
what good can come of it, either to the
hotel proprietors or the public. If the
former, we may be sure that the town
will not be long without some place for
the suitable and convenient accommo-
dation of the travelling public. 1t is
hard for the average, responsible citi-
zen to see what is hoped for, or can be
gained from this movement. If the
closing is genuine and permanent, the
legitimate hotel business-the accom-
mediation of transient guests-will take
care of itself in due time, like any 9TH
er branch of business. If on the other
hand, the hotel proprietors hope by this
means to compel the community to give
them some guarantee of immunity, in
case they open and go on with their
business as heretofore, that is a thing
which no man and no number of men
can do while the present law remains
Oh the statute book of the state. Nine
ty-nine men in hundred, or nine hun
bred and ninety mine in thousand
might be in favor of having things go
on in the future just as they have in the
past, but that would in no wise prevent
the hundredth or thousandth man from
quitting on the screws" If it is urged
that no hotel can live without the sale
of liquor, and that therefore our hotels
must keep open bars, it is replied, with
unanswerable effect, that, on the same
principle, if any business in town, gro
GERS, dry goods, newspaper, or what
not, proves unprofitable, it's proprietor
may bolster his falling fortunes by in
Producing some unlawful, but prOfita-
BILE, adjunct of trade.
Brattleboro Record.
The word "closed" appears conspicu-
ously at the front windows of the Brooks
House and the front doors of the other
hotels. The BrattleborO House was the
last to enter the arrangement, the pro-
prietors being, as they thought, COM
PEELED to do so on account of the ground
taken Oy George j. Brooks, who is re-
ported to have said that he would put
down the price of board to $3.50 per
day, and run free coach to the depot,
unless the other hotels would close.
Public sentiment is largely against this
action of the hotels, even among those
who do not favor the enforce nent of
the law. Active efforts have been made
by the chairman of the selectmen, and
others, to bring about some understand
ing by which the hotels could be kept
n I,n icC
to have been foremost in the prOsecu-
tiOns, has been appealed to, in view of
the injury to business which would be
likely to result from closing the hotels,
to give some guarantee that the hotel
men would hereafter be unmolested if
their liquor trade could be carried on
under the control of the town and vii
lage authorities. Mr.. Wyman replies
that he is far from being alone In the
movement, and that he is not author
lied to propose any compromise. In
the meantime, some method of enter
tanning the travelling public seemed to
be demanded, and several prominent
men in town offered to open their doors
to all who might be in want of lodging.
TaylOr's coach will run to the depot as
usual, and travellers will be taken to
differ ent houses in the village, while E.
L. Cooper will furnish first-class meals
at his restaurant.
LATER.-THE HOTELS OPEN AT BRAT
TLEBORO.
A large delegation of prominent citi-
zens, mostly business men, waited upon
the proprietors of the several hotels at
the Brooks House Monday morning.
and urged that their houses be ut once
opened, on the ground that the business
interests of the town were being seri-
ousiy affected by their being closed the
past week. The delegation believed
that they voiced the opinion of large
majority of the community in saying
that they were satisfied with the man
ner in which the hotels had been con-
Quoted the past year. While they could
not approve, in the face of the law, of
an open bar, they believed if the hotels
were oper ed with the understanding
even that they were to supply the de-
mands of their guests, no complaints
could reasonably be made, nor did they
believe any would be made. The pro-
prietors then, after holding a conference
by themselves, decided to open their
houses at once, but not their bars con-
sequently their doors were thrown open
at IL O'clock, to the great satisfaction
of the business community. The friends
of license say they repudiate the re
cent rotten-egging affair.