New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-17
nue. measures ms Congress fresh from the
people might 1T to pass
4 JUDfCIOUS LANDLORD.


Al the recent convention OF hotel men in Sara
toga Mr.. Simeon Ford made speech which
may not have correspondent exactly to the ex
pectatons Of his hearers but which was not
necessarily any the worse on that account. Mr.
Ford Is the acknowledged wit Of the assoca
ton, and when he rises to address his brethren
they are wont TO hold fast to the nearest immov-
able object for fear Of falling ont OF their chairs
with laughter We recall speeches by Mr.. Ford
which were so funny that, IL they had been en-
tircy destitute Of any serious thought, they
would nevertheless have been public benefac-
tion-a delightful oasis in the desert OF dull
afterdnner oratory through which many band
Of pilgrims has had to toll in journeying to
better land Mr. Ford's address ut the recent
convention was not devoid OF humor by any
means, but humor was not lis chief distinction
1t contained great deal Of truth which needed
10 be spoken about an important and, TO h0tei
men, rather delicate matter; and we Judge from
too meagre reports Of 1t that the form was
worthy Of the substance.
A tradition has prevailed in this country. or
at least among It's landlords, that the typical
American hotel beats all creation. especially III
respect TO the food which It supplies o'grests
Mr. Ford might perhaps advantageously have
taken a rather broader view, and alluded to the
fact that American hotels are generally over
furnished with the wrong things, while deficient
In real comforts gnd attractions but he appears
10 have confined his remarks TO the culinary de-
partment In this particular he IL not convinced
that American hotels OF the best class are better
than those OF equal pretensions in Europe. ana
he Is quite sure that European hotels OF The sec
tai hptt
ours and serve It better. The alternative OF
Sudden death or lingering starvation Is often
encountered here. in spite Of the elaborate bills
OF fare which keep the word OF promise 10 the
eye but break II 10 the palate-or rhther pr
hans. because OF those bcwildcrlng lists OF
yiands. which excite In the crcdulous ana I'M
wary, antlcipatIons destined never TO be rui
sllod For there are very few hotels In the
world whose resources are equal to the proper
preparation and serving Of such an array OF
dishes, and the necessity of producing all III
some state renders 1t wcllnigh Impossible that
any should be produced in state of perfection
The privilege Of choosing among a compare
tlvely small number Of dishes and an assurance
that what was ordered would be excellent, would
certainly be agreeable to many hotel guests
But at the same time we realize that hotel
conducted on what is known as the American
plan might lose patronage II It should put Mr.
Fords principles in practice For undoubtedly
there are many persons Of robust and untutored
appetite to whom the present possibilities are
alurIng. and who would think themselves i'll
treated If the range OF selection and the liberty
of sampling were abridged Perhaps however
a diminution Of receipts might be more than
counterbalanced by n reduction OF expenses
though in order TO make such a test entireiy
satisfactory, the quality Of the service ought 10
be raised as the bill Of fare is cut down There
was much wisdom in the astronomer who said:
"A waiter may be able to serve mo plate or
"soup in seven languages but unless he can keep
"his thumb ont Of it I have no use. for him