Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-06-08
SECURING SUMNER VISITORS.

Many of the state papers which have
taken occasion to speak of Nermont's
charms as a summer resort, have deplOr
ed the fact that New Hampshire, with
no finer scenery. should outstrip our
state in the matter of attracting summer
visitors. Ina general way the papers have
advised that this state be better advertis-
ed, but plans and specifications have not
been forthcoming, and the result is that
little is done in this direction.
Straws show which way the wind
blows, and perhaps a glance at the
want page of a Boston paper will in
dictate why New Hampshire gets the
bulk of the summer business. One of
last Sundays Boston papers contained
several columns of summer resort and
summer boarders wanted advertise
ments-perhaps several hundred in all.
OF the entire number, not one bore
Vermont address, while large number
called attention to New Tlampshire's at
fractions. Possibly some of the adver-
tisements which requested that answers
be sent in care of the newspaper Office
were inserted by Nermouters, but the
proportion as compared with New IIamp-
shire must have been almost nil.
Now these advertisements all are in
serted by individuals, not by any state
organization of promoters; and the ndi-
viduals probably had no thought of
assisting anyone but themselves. They
want summer visitors to come to them
to spend vacation and money. The
fact that their state incidentally is adver-
tised is of secondary Importance to them.
1t appears, therefore, that the seifinter-
est and thrift of the individual more than
any concerted action of summer resort
promoters is at the bottom of New
Hampshire's popularity.
Every summer many millions of dol
lars is spent by city people in the hills of
New Hampshire. The people of that
state have discovered a very profitable
source of revenue in the entertainment
of this class of visitors. There are q
large number of semi-private boarding
places and still greater number of farm
owners willing to take few guests for
the hot months. These announce them
selves in the city papers as above noted
and the aggregate of the summer So
iOurners thereby attracted to our neigh
boring state must greatly exceed the
number that spends the season in the
hotels. The advertising methods of the
latter do not differ from similar institu
tions of Vermont. 1t is probable that il
left to the hotel proprietors alone, thai
state would be no better advertised thar
our own. 1t is the hospitality of thu
''common people" which has made thu
state famous.
VermOnters are no less hospitable thar
their neghbors across the Connecticut
1t simply has not occurred to them tina
the beauties with which nature has 81
lavishly endowed their state might b,
turned TO account; or if they have giyel
the matter thought, they have not know
how to attain the ends they had in view
They have looked to organized effort t
bring summer visitors to the state, for
getting that sustained effort can hardl
be expected where self-interest is not
motive. Should this be read by any VIII
desire to entertain summer visitors, lie
each go about securing guests for him
self, as is done in New Hampshire, an
he not only will get them but Will advel
tise the state as no organization with
high-sounding name can do.