The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-19
TIPPING ON STEAMSHIPS.
"FlOOr Walkers" Suggested as .
Means of stopping IL.
Marine Journal.

JOuTndl.
The European tourists now returning ana
figuring up the expenditures of their sum-
merS outing strike once more against the
old problem which has made them pause
ana think whenever they have come TO
such estimates, which is the item OF tips.
Figuring il all up they invariably find that
the extra and incidental" expenses in this
line have been so great that they wish
they had saved some of 1t. and are prone
to vow that they will never be prodigal
again. And yet the very next time they
make a trip the same persons will find
themselves considering the pleasant and
satisfactory service that is commonly rem
greater than laggard and pertunctory serv-
ice where there is no such anticipation,
that they almost find themselves willing to
pay for the difference a regular due.
What is to be done about it? There is
no doubt that the system is all wrong. A
man who pays for his meals and is Incl
dentally under the care of the stewards
and other fiunkeys of a steamer, who are
regularly paid stipulated wages for their
services, ought to receive just as faithful,
prompt and willing attention as is given
by the dry-goods clerks in a big store, who
generally receive much smaller pay than
the steamship stewards. That would be
proper. But the drygoods clerks are In
constant terror of the watchful eye of the
austere floor walker; the stewards and the
walters on a steamer are not II may be
said that there is no compulsion about the
giving of tips, which is all very well in the
DRY, but in practice is one of the facts that
are not so, for if man does net tip his
attendants he is apt 10 find himself sys-
tematically and professionally neglected.
The system is not forbidden, consequently
ii hourishes, and the traveller is mulcted.
The whole thing is an erroneous European
custom, on par with the aristocratlc Eu-
ropean ideas of first, second and third-clasS
passenger rates, but il encourages an UNI
wholesome establishment of an aristocracy
of wealth, where only money counts Tor
ANYTHING Every guide book countenanceS
the system, and advises the traveser as TO
how much of tip will be proper mere ana
how much there. 1t looks as if there can
no tha pNantiOn of tins
until the steamship companies prohibit the
system and appoint floor walkers 10 see
that the rule is enforced and TO ''chase up
the walters to see that they perform their
duties promptly and look pleasant ABOUT IT,
But so universal is this habit of exacting
tips from travellers for every little pretense
of service that, as 1t STANDS to-day, no one
can hope to move about in comfort WitnOut
subscribing to it. A man or woman OF
mand may make a bluff" for a time at
demanding good service and attention, but
he and she will find that they cannot carry
it out very completely in the long run.
Many eminent travellers have reviewed the
matter in recent years, but, with the ma
jority their pubic EXPRESSIONS a, OF fe opiion
and there has been no organized eiiort 70
resent the imposition A recently puoished
article by Robert p. Porter specifics the
details of the tipping system that he found
inflicted upon himself on recent trip 10
Europe For a seat at the table, for a de-
sirabie spot on deck for your chair, 1or
care of your fruit, for care of your room,
for the attention of stewardess to women.
for books from the ships library, for use
of the smoking room, for comfort IN the
bathroom and for the services of the shoe-
black, etc, Mr.. Porter estimates the Ups
on a single trip across the Atlantic by
first-class ship to be not less than $50, IN
addition to full first-class passage money,
which ought to include everything.
We believe Mr.. Porter's estimate Is not
one bit exaggerated, and the worst or II
is that it applies to all who patronize an
ocean steamer, no matter how i'll they can
afford it. 1t is for this cause that numbers
of people who ought to take an ocean Voy-
age and are recommended to by their pny-
sicians are forced to forego the pleasure
because they cannot pay the piper IL
thew had distinct assurance that the price
of a ticket would cover what 1t purports
to. many persons would take trip TO Eu-
rome who are now obliged to give up the
idea. And it is in this injustice to the peo-
ple of moderate means that the evils OF
the tipping system become most glaring.
one even has to buy or hire ones own
deck chair or go without, and If a. person
who wants to go to Europe has the pare
price of a ticket he or she is In hard luck,
indeed during the voyage The system Is
nothing more or less than an outrage on
the public that ought not to be tolerated,
and which the steamship companies sSloulo
see i. to their advantage to remedy