Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-19
A LITTLE RAKE OFF
Demanded From Merchants by Ser
wants in Large Establishments.
STEWARDS, BUTLERS AND EVEN COOKS
Commissions Are Paid or the Trade
is Taken Elsewhere.
P ROP SEQ OPPOSITION

In France and England universally, and
I In other European states only to a less
| degree, the merchants who provide the ar
| ticies necessary for the conduct OF a rich
| mans establishment recognize In the but
| Ter or steward a supreme power that must
| be propitbdted If the trade and profit of
| that particular mansion is to follow. The
| system is living Illustration of the poets
| line: That thrift may follow fawnlng;"
only the fawning in this particular in
stance must be of the substantial sort that
rattles crisply or jingles with a true AMI
| Inspiring ring. In a word. no continental
| merchant would ever dream of purveying
! for the table of rich man without paying
| a percentage of the sales incident upon
| such cervice to the rich mans steward or
| butler. Abroad this percentage is estab-
| lished by long custom and continued usage
| at 10 per cent. In this capital city of a
| free and enlightened nation 1t Is alleged
that the same system prevails to an alarm
| ing extent and that the same rate of per-
CentaGe is recognized
This is not mere gossip provided for The
| Evening Star at regular space Rates by
| one of the many willing writers who ten
| der fairy and harmless fiction for the edi-
| hcatiCn of the susceptible public. 1t is so
much of a fact that several large and in
| fuential merchants VIII, deal IN groceries.
| provisions and similar commodities have
| been seriously considering the propriety
| of making open upon the custom of
rich peoples employees demanding tribute
for the trade of their employers, which
they govern and direct These merchants,
be il understood, are those VINO have re-
| fused to pay to the powers that Turk below
stairs the percentage they have demanded
with open and braZen iTnpudenCe and who
have consequently been refused the patron
U-hi how thar-r -ic.
Ii Is only the unwelCOme publicity such n
course would entail that has thus far pre-
vented action, as well as the fact that other
merchants who submit to the blackmail
because they are afraid to refuse when
levied upon would be placed in an unen-
viable light before their other customers
who do their own buying and the pur.
chasing public generally. But that such
| move will be made if the custom Is CEN
tinued may he set down as an absolute and
undeniable fact
How II Is Done.
An explanation of the way in which the
stewards buffers and 9th ar Intermediates
in Is Establishments of the rich work their lit
tie scheme may rot be uniEteresting in this
connection. In a well ordered mansion
whose occupants are plentifully endowed
with the worlds goods the purchasing of
provisions wines fuel end other necessities
is left entirely to the steward or the servant
occupying place of such character. The
cook and the cellar boy acquaint this diani-
t&ry with the articles requisite for their de-
pa-tments and he makes tie purchases He
buys where he chooses and his master or
mistress pays the bills when the tradesmen
present them without question: congratulate
ing themselves upon having servants whose
care ard foresight relieve them of what they
regard as the petty vacations of house
keeping.
and honest stewards and butlers, but in nine
cases out of ten the one who knows his
business is fully aware that the trade of q
rich man IS valuable to any merchant and
that the butcher and the produce man and
the grocer is willing to pay for such patron
age. ms knowledge they apply with sub
stantial benefit to themselves. and in carry
ing out their intention to make their pre-
negatives pay, they display, sometimes q
Subtiety worthy Of a diplomat. A rich man
VIII be called upon. for Instance. by a repre-
sentative Of a Dig grocery establishment and
asked Tor his patronage. Such request is
usually accompanied by several references
to friends of the person whose trade is So
liclted. who are already customers of the
nrln- Inc master fnStrUCtS his steward to
deal with the merchant This would appear
10 be all sufficient, but it is not SO by any
means. The steward upon his first visit to
the grocery to get goods. will almost in
variahly see the proprietor and request a
commission on all sales made to his house.
The Steward Gets Even.
II he is refused the merchant can rest as
sured that he is going to lose that custom,
despite the instructions of the man who
pays the bills. He may send only the best
goods TO the house, but when they get to
the table they will be unsatisfactory The
coffee Will be weak, the bread will be poor
the pickles soft. the salt gritty, and when
those VINO pa-take of IL complain to the ser
wants, the shortcomings will be charged TO
the character of the articles purchased
when, in reality, the steward and the cook
hdNe entered INTO collision, and the latter
has prepared the articles in a way certain
10 raise objections in the dining room
Naturally, the master or mistress under
sucn circumstances, allows the steward to
30 elsewhere TO purchase table supplies and
OF he goes To another merchant who paws
MIN his required percentage but VIII use
goods are no better than the other grocer
/ sent-only they are prepared properly when
they reach the house. 1t is the same way
with the butcher. He is put under regular
tribute, and If he refuses the demands of
the steward. tough steaks and gristiy Joints
| beSln TO make their appearance on the din
| heF table. The master calls the man. He
| wants 10 know what the DEVILS the matter
| with the meat" The man Obscquiously re-
| plles That he only ordered the best and the
iault must he with the butcher. Then 90 to
some other butcher, commands the master
ard the man with1raws hufnbly to cut a
/ pigeon wing ii recognition of the victory he
I has won Suppose a tradeSman notices that
/ he no longer receives the custom of a house
| that he mas regularly supplied, and. finding
the reason, calls upon the master. In nine
S-H4Ie cases OUT OF hundred he gets no
| satisfaction. He is told that the man who
| pays the bills has perfect confidence in sery-
| ants and really must not be expected to
| bother himself with details Of the buffers
pantry kitchen.
| Frank Wards Experience.
| Sometimes the caller is treated like the
late Frank Ward, the dairyman, was by a
| wealthy resident. Ward was supplying milk
| TO the big mansion, and refused to pay the
butler a percentage on his sales The or
| ders stopped coming, and Ward called on
the master of the house and stated the
| facts.
| Il cannot be bothered about such things"
| said the rich man. IF the man wants
| some thing for giving you our trade L reckon
| the best thing you can do is to give II to
| him" And he got no further satisfaction
| Some rich men. however, do not approve of
| such practices. They feel that they pay