Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-10-10
The Threatened Closing of the BrattIe-
bOrO Hotels.

1t is publicly announced that at a meeting
held for consultation on Saturday evening
last, it was decided, in view of the recent
fines and other penalties imposed on account
of the sale of liquor, to close the Brattleboro
hotels on the 18th inst Our views on the
liquor question are well known, and We have
no disposition to enter into a renewed discus
sion of this subject but we must be permit
ted to Fay that, for the best interests of the
hotel propreters as well as for the good of
the town we hope this measure of closing
will not be attempted Such a movement
would work no good TO any one, and must in
the end prove, as all similar ores have always
proved, unwise and mpractcable. Although
those directly interested may not be able to
see it in that light it is nevertheless true that
it bears upon its face too much the look Of an
act of spite or of childish play 1t has the
appearance of an attempt to coerce public
opinion, and for this very reason such clos
ing up would at once begin to manufacture a
public sentiment against the aggrieved par
ties, which might otherwise be favorably dis
posed.
The situation is simply this The law upon
the statute book of Vermont makes it a Grim
inal offence to engage in the sale of liquor.
and places it in the power of any person so
disposed TO bring the penalty down upon the
\ heads of those who persist in the traffic. If
the result of this law is TO close out entirely
the drinking saloons" and beer shops inI
this and every town in the State, 10 well dis
posed citizen can regret it. For the hotels
h.liava no affa oh php,,1J IL To
to do n straightforward and strictly legitimate
business in their line, and nothing less or
more than this By a Legitimate business we
mean just this If hotel opens and an
nounces itself as place of public accommo-
dation and entertainment, it is bound to sup
ply all reasonable wants and demands of its
guests. 1t is not bound to keep an open bar,
but if bona fde guest asks for bottle of
ale or wine TO drink with his dinner, or feels
it necessary to have glass of some sort of
liquor sent TO his room before retiring, the
hotel should supply this want just as it furn-
ishes bed, or breakfast, dinner or supper.
1t may or not be for the best good of this
guest that he should drink this beer, wine,
whiskey, or what not but while he disturbs
no one and infcts no injury other than on
himself, he is entitled to have his demands
in this direction supplied as in all other rea-
sonable ones 1t is on a basis like this that
we believe the Brattleboro hotels should be
run, and on such an one We hope to see them
kept open. Under the present law there can
be no supplying the street demand for liquor
there can be no promiscuous traffic, but with
the hotels kept on the basis which we have
indicated we believe their proprietors would
have the undivided sympathy and support of
the better element of the community. Even
this method might, to be sure, fall under the
ban of the strict letter of the law, but there
would be an overwhelming public indigna-
ton raised against any person who should at
tempt to NEEDLE with hotel business so con-
Quoted. If by such a closing of bars and lin
| iting the business to strictly legitimate chan
nels, here and elsewhere some thousands Of
men in the State who regularly take their
drains on the sly, and then go out and talk
and vote for prohibition, are shut off from
their drinks, it will be the surest way to
manufacture" the much talked-of public
sentiment in favor of a stringent, iron clad
license law which shall regulate a traf fic
which it is impossible to entirely prevent.
The people of Brattleboro do not owe the
hotel-keepers any spite. On the contrary
they respect them as men and good citizens
So far as the rum question is concerned they
simply wish to see the sale stopped entirely
TO that class who regularly spend their sub
stance or scanty earnings for drinks, while
their taxes, their grocery, fuel, and meat bills,
go unpaid, and it is impossible to collect a
dollar of them on any legitimate account
whatever, They desire to see the sale stop
ped to Minors habitual soakers, and to all
persons who drink liquor only TO go home
and abuse their families With the social
habits of men who pay their bills and injure
has nothing to do.
The liquor law as it now stands seems like
ly to have thorough trial. At the recent
session of the Rutland county court large
number of indictments for liquor selling were
found. Many cases are being taken before
the grand jury for Washington county, now
in session. In Caledonia county the weigh
of the law has been felt, and there is said no
to be an open bar in St. Johnsbury, the
leading town in the county. For those per
sons who do not believe that this law is the
best, wisest, and most helpful to the cause O.
temperance that can be devised, the only
course is to cheerfully accept the situation
be governed by wise discretion, and avail
developments.
The President AND GIN. SHERMAN A,
| I a., 80,