The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-17
TIE lNnkEEPER,s att
Lively Discussion Before the Temper.
anee Committee.

ance committee Tuesday evening In
the supreme court roon1. The hearing
didn't start on railroad time as Chair
man Dale had to scurry around to
find another member so as to have a
quorum present, and as soon as be
had roped and thrown the delinquent
member and brought him into the
committee room, he made the an
nouncement that he hadn't any criti-
cism to make of the criticisms of the
committee on some OF his past efforts
notably the suffrage bill on which
they had been charged with holding
ex parte hearings at midnight, but he
would ask the men who appeared at
this meeting to contine their at
tention and remarks to the bill under
consideration
The meeting was largely attended,
there being fifteen or more hotel men
present from various parts of the
state All the seats in the court room
proper we're occupied and some sat in
side the bar, one man showing so
much interest 10 the proceedings that
he went to sleep and didn't wake up
until Senator Archibald lit into the
bill Anti-saloon League Ferguson
was present also and iotted down
notes.
Things were going along smoothly
until Mr.. Archibald was given the
right of way in order that he could
leave for another meeting, and al
though he prefaced his remarks with
the statement that La didn't care to
pass judgment on the measure In it's
entirety as he may have TO consider
it later as member of the legislature,
yet he left no doubt in anyone's mind
that some of the essential features
Of the measure were reDugnant to his
way of figuring. He didn't think to
start with that intoxicants were a ne
cessary adjunct to hospitality, nor did
| he think that an innkeepers license
would make good hotels Such hotels
as the Equinox, Woodstock Inn and
Hyde's Manor didn't want for guests
and they didn't possess this advance
agent OF hospitality. Build the hotels
he said, and the people will come.
Twenty pre- cent of the free-holders
of Manchester, would mean said he,
that non residents could legislate for
their citizen taxpayers who voted mo-
license five to one He believed the
bill destroyed the principle of local
option, and so far as it was compared
with the druggist feature, they should
ask the people of Rutland about drug
gist licenses. He didn't see any rea-
gop fo- dfoorfn,fu tfte, oUafpcf tho ROD
ident in favor Of the non resident and
stated that the bill made it possible
for the resident Of another than an ad-
joing town coming into such hotel,
hiring a room, and inviting in 20 of
the town boys and all tanking up. He
believed in publicity of tanking.
Representative Rabbit Of Rocking
ham, who Introduced the bill explain
ed its needs. He asked for a reason
able bill. The needs Of such a law
were apparent. He read letter from
Mr. Crosby of the Brooks house at
Brattleboro who favored an inn-keep-
ers law.
w. r. Austin, who appeared for the
Vermont hotel keepers, addressed the
committee and discussed the bill by
sections. Mr. Austin was prepared to
talk on a substitute bill, but the chair
man ruled that arguments must be
confined to the bill under considera-
ton. He said they suggested that a
9th class license may be granted by
the selectmen Of town on applica-
ton Of 20 per cent Of the free hold
ers. The original bill contained the
word shall" Liquors shall not be
served TO residents OF the town or
towns adjoining nor shall they be
served In the hotel office, parlor or
over a bar. An inn or hotel within
the meaning of the act shall be a
place where persons may go for food
and lodging and which shall contain
not less than 220 sleeping rooms. The
selectmen shall have the same author
ity as license commissioners under
this act,
Mr.. Austin suggested some changes
In other sections. He said the object
of the bill was not to let down the
bars. Its object was to answer a de-
mand. II was to make Vermont more
attractive, more hospitable. They did
not want TO make this a barren place,
which Ambassador Bryce said was
the garden spot of the world. This
law would not put any dollars in any
hotel mans pocket unless It would In
crease his hotel business. They would
not make any money on the liquor
end. The law was not contrary to the
spirit OF the local option law. There
may be violations but the matter rest
ed on the men who granted the H.
cense.
Mr.. Austin called on Jerome b.
Hale. OF Wells River. proprietor OF
Hale's Tavern, VINO had been in the
hotels business 30 years and had en-
tertalned 10000 guests, In q village
( OF 600 people In 10 years There was
no demand for bar in Wells River.
! He did not want to sell rum for
living. He did not want to sell TO
anyone in Newbury. but he would
like to sell to his gaests. He called
attention to the increase In the auto
mobile trade. He believed that the
majority OF the hotel men would live
up TO such law. He suggested a
bond TO be forfeited II he violated his
license. They simply asked a prlvi-
lege for the hotel which every man
was permitted to have In his own
home. He believed In the hotel ex-
emption. which made Senator Powell
smile. He said there were not too
many good hotels. There were very
few Woodstock Inns. New Hampshire