The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-16
SUMMER TOURIST BUSINESS.
And Things That Vermont Should Do
To Encourage It.

To Encourage 1t.
Vermont is now at its best, from ma
lures standpoint. The abundant rains
have given the landscape an unusua
emerald. The roads are in good con
dition, without heavy mud or dust. 1t il
a joy to travel through the state by any
form of conveyance. Visitors voice Their
delight over Vermont's charms. There
ought to be big register of summer
business this year. 1t is large, but not
Memphremagog, Bomoseen, Willoughby,
Caspian and scores of others, and the
scenic centers of the mountains should
be crowded with thousands of tourists
and sojourners. Where there are ten
there should be one hundred. Vermont
has far more than New Hampshire to
offer in everything save the rugged
barrenness of high mountains, which
soon pals.
What is the matter with the summer
business in our state? Several things.
First lack of knowledge ON the part
of the great travelling public concerning
WHub Cl liuS 49, We wv
not get credit for anything like our just
deserts. If Vermont is ever thought of,
it is as decadent section where con
ditions are primitive and comforts lack
ing. Its people are regarded as some
what above the level of poor whites of
the South, but objects of commiseration
rather than of congratulation. To most
tourists there is nothing in their concep
ton of Vermont-in reality misconcep-
tion--that appeals to them as a place
in which to enjoy themselves.
The remedy for this condition is adj
vertising of the right sort and kind. The
populous centers must be reached and
made to know Vermont. This is hard
task indeed when so much claims the
public eye. The states publicity de-
partment is doing great deal in this
line already and results begin to show.
But its work should be exaended vastly |
beyond anything now authorized. A
hundred thousand dollars a year is lot
of money, but under wise and capable !
management every dollar of that sum
could be wisely expended in variety OF |
ways that would finally bring Vermont |
to her own. 1t would be worth a mil |
lion dollars to remove the popular mis-
about this state. The way |
to do that is to bring people here TO
see it, and the way to do that is to
convince them that it is worth coming
to see.
But publicity is not all of it. Vermont
should prepare to make good, once the
tide of travel sets this way. We must
not disappoint. To all that we have we
must add more in order to hold. There
are certain things that summer trade
demands or it will go where il can find
hem. These are creature comforts,
which nowadays amount to luxiries.
There must be good communication and
service. For Vermont
his means good wire, mail and railroad
facilities and good highways for motor
fehicles. We have the basis in all these
and it is pretty certain that
,rowth in patronage could be handled
without serious inconvenience. The tele-
hone and telegraph reach everywhere,
he rural delivery is omnipresent, rail /,
Dad service is generally somewhat be-
'ond what would seem to be the normal
leeds, and We have made splendid
,rogress in highways, to point that is
'eginning TO be recognized. In these i'm :
Grant respects, therefore, we may feel
ssured.
But even more important than easy
means Of access TO Vermont is the abili-
Y TO care for summer guests in a be-
oming manner while they are here. One
I'll not come TO Vermont simply to !
East on the scenery. There must be
hrce square meals and a good bed con-
ected with IL each and every day. The
reals and the bed and all that goes
18th ministeriRg 20 the rather critical Z
eeds of these visitors must compare
18th what can be had at mountain and q
bore resorts elsewhere. II is in this j
sspect that Vermont l. lame, to a de- d
zee. II has numerous hotels, and not
few Of them can be classed a. popu- Il
4 hostelcrics on account of tie fine SER o
lee they give. but there are not enough \
these latter TO raise the average where b
should be II Vermont il TO bid for q
aavy summer business. This fact may =,
} esta biishcd BY the significant con =,
lhutinr fact that al the real high-class \
1tels We have are Allied 10 overflow ing. I.
= rule. We doubt II there is q single Of
stance II failure IN the hotel business b,
- - building beyond fair expectations
rscficsilv al the failures rome from in =.
rior service rendered in one respect or !,
Hofher. Nothing travels - far and fast
The reputation Of . public house The
lsstion IF quality j. always the FIRST
y asked Business goes b the good
'tsi and shuns the peer one IN almost
fset measure 10 quality. A poor ho-
Nil sueceef nowhere snd Ne might ~
most say q good ore pouid susossd o.
Sc here. De
Anth gnes - make the good i.otsl ~
Fuud the table cs,c'kinr End tho shani- "a
? service, though ti.ess sss fhs trius 81
aaisftrs. II lsnaiafds ana lnnsisaiss
ult urlv understand huw muah plain ~.
-vfls rlaarlirass ruurts tilsr uaula %
- the-ssirns o. ntterH serrrulrssir =
=. TrssslinT rrrr.ss hsss fierfr II fui