Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-12-12
THE LICENSED I'M.
tFrom the Newport Express and
StandariD


We believe In the innkeepers license
or licensed inn. not the Kind that dis
penses liquor over bar--not the kind
that deals ii out to the local trade. Thesc
are no better than the village dive or the
local saloon where ali are served alike. 4
licensed inn. properly conducted. is an
orderly place. They are hardly under
stood by the public at large People grt
II wrong conception of thenl-condenn
them before they inspect and see in
them evils that never exist. This origi-
mates from the word license" which in
their minds covers a multitude of sins.
You can stop at a licensed inn-often
do-and not know such a license exists
Would not know IL unless some ailment
or other desire compelled you to ask
Home citizens are unuindful OF these
licenses because there is no outward i'll
effects-no home patronag c-no intoxica-
tion--no element to disturb. A licensed
inn is for the benefit of the tourist, the
traveller, the outside patrons of the place
who. following an ancient custom-not
ours-believo a sip q something at the
journeys end is the greatest strength
preservative there is on earth. You do
not believe MS neither do We; but thou
sands do and their rights and opinions
are az good as ours. Ask the Germa n
as to his beer; the Italian as to his wine;
the American TO his brandy or gin,
80 often required by the tourist on the
road. These can be found at the licensed
inn, where they should be found. and
where they are served In the proper way.
We do not talk for liquors TO uphold
(. tv,at go IIa<
1eavor TO talk common sense and what
We know, and believe. concerning them
and their use. We know liquors are az
essential in the!r place as any other drug.
! or liquid or powder. or pill We know
the argument against their manufacture
is All unreasonable one. Unreasonable,
because that which Is beneficial both In
Il mechanical and medicinal sense should
not be destroyed for faults which exist
only in the heart Of man. All men, with
, out one exception. come down to the use
Of liquor IN some form, and IN some way,
| in the course of natural life. This
can be denied in health, but not In the
| hour when sickness calls 1t is Just 10
| fight the evils of !ntemperance, just TO
dlscountenancc the open saloon. Just 10
tight liquors in any form thar are a detri.
ment to the peace and happiness OF homo
and the welfare Of the public ut large.
! But a licensed inn. with our present III
terpretauon of II. begets none of these
| Ills. II furnishes to the tourist and weary
/ traveller that which they will have, with
out the aid Of a doctors certificate, or a
| journey to some obscure corner of tho
| town to procure. And glass OF vino
or beer. or other liUuor 10 no worse 20 The
| weary tourist for Ills he claims TO possess
or to brace his tired nerves than are
| powder and pills. and other narcotics. for
| another class who take them for precise
! " the same things
! The very best hostclries or inns in tbs
United States are licensed ones. They
should be licensed In Vermont. Should
be to the extent Of tho accommodation
Of its guests in regulated way The
travelling public demand il. 1t has got
to and will come WITH the introductio'
Of large hotels. This does not interior
with a prohibitory town, nr prcnibltorl
| laws or anything that should conf'ic'
with the temperance cause A glass of
liquor, or bottle Of II for private use AZ
the licensed inn. is not incorporates no.
one whit more SO than the pill, or pow
der, which nearly every handbag contains
Is thcr" not consistency in this? 1t Il
not looking the matter sIuarely IN IT,
face and stating the facts as they real
oXist?