The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-02-24
BANQUET FOR HOTEL men
Vermont Bonifaces Enjoyed n Ban
quet and Several Good Speeches at
the Pavilion Last Eyening-Yermont
Liquor Laws and the Summer Tour
list Proposition Ably Discussed by
Different Speakers.

list Proposition Ably Discussed by
Different Speakers.
Covers were spread for about 80
at the meatless banquet of the Ver-
mont Hotel Mems Association at the
Pavilion Friday evening, and although
it was lacking in meat of all kinds,
no one present experienced anything
like famine, the menu being varied
and diversified enough to satisfy the
most fastidious.
Letters in regret were read from
Gov. G.. II. Prouty, Lieutenant Gever-
nor j. A. Mead, e. w. ellison and Eu-
gene Christian, the pure food special
ist i. M. Hays acted as POSTMASTER
He was an admirable presiding Of
ficer, making many happy and charac-
teristic remarks in introducing the
different speakers. The POSTMASTER
referred to the summer tourist traffic
which has been more or less neglect
ed, he said, by Vermont hotel pro-
proitors, and said that opportunity
was knocking at the door of the YER
mont Bonifaces, calling Vermont tru-
,, ly the Switzerland of America. all that
was needed being an advertising cam
paign calling attention to Vermont's
many natural beauties and advantages
to make it one of the leading summer
resorts of the country.
The first speaker, W. c. Belknap of
Bellows Falls said that the hotel men,
he was convinced, were going to play
an important part in the development
of the State, particularly in bringing
summer tourists here, saying that YER
mont already had as good, and in
many cases better, hotels than were
to be found in other parts of the coun-
try. Running hotel, he said, requir-
ed special training and that the Hotel
Mems Association was bound to de-
velop the proper spirit and raise the
standard in opening up Vermont to the
summer tourist. He said that $60,000,-
| 600 were spent annually by the tour
| lists of the country and of this amount
| $10,000,000 went to New Hampshire,
while Vermont received something like
half a million With her many var
| led and natural attractions, the speak
er thought that a systematic adver-
Using campaign ought to bring more
| business to Vermont. He expressed
the opinion that the Vermont Press
| AGcnniatint would no plnn RI
ate in bringing about more substantial
results.
A. L. Hurlburt of Boston, a former
Vermonter, saw no reason why Ver-
mont should not be one of the leading
summer resorts of the country, even
| better than New Hampshire, and he
called attention to some of the many
natural attractions, which if properly
advertised, would bring increased re-
| turns to Vermont. He referred to the
/ Vermont liquor laws, saying that inn
holders should have a license to serve
bone fide guests with liquid refresh
ments, whether or not the town goes
| license. Tourists who can be prop
erly accommodated, he said, are will.
no reason why Vermont should not be
the mecca of New England for sum-
mer tourists.
Walter H. Crockett, wnen called
upon, said that there were at least
two things man could do without
previous training-run hotel and
edit newspaper. Speaking serious
ly, Mr.. Crockett urged upon the hotel
men the ACCESSIBILITY of an extensive
advertising campaign so as to attract
to Vermont The great tide OF tourists
that now go elsewhere. He offered sew
eral suggestions for the carrying on
of beneficial advertising campaign,
among others the placing OF scenic
views of Vermont in all the hotels
and other places of public resort
! which he considered could not help
but result in a great and lasting ben
eft to the interests of Vermont.
Frank l.. Greene of st. Adams 'efer-
red to the important part
played by landlords and danes of
English speaking countries in past
years in maintaining meeting places
for men of affairs and leading spirits
of the communities and rallying
places for great movements for the
public good Commenting on the part
played by these factors in Colonial
and Revolutionary times in the col
onies and in Vermont, he paid trib-
ute to the patriotic landlords of the
Old Green Mountain State whose
places were rallying places for the
friends of liberty during the struggle
for independence. He said that in the
days when the little republic was
struggling to maintain her s,tion
in an upper chamber, before a roarine
fire in the old Catamount ta,ern
Bennington, Thomas Chittenden ant
his wise councillors ruled the little
sovereignty and that cavern was the
capital and the White House of the
new republic.
He spoke of Cippas Kent, of Dor
set, that staunch old revolutionar,
landlord, at whose hostelry some mos
important meetings were held. Her
tho nlane of the Green Mountain Rows