The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-01-17
TIPPING IN HOTELS.
ONE LANDLORDS ATTEMPT TO ABOL-
lSH THE PRACTICE.

The Maddening Experience Abroad Which
Prompted Him to Make the Effort Here
and the Reasons why 1t Proved to Be
Melancholy Failure.
The tipping evil and why it fiourishes
and spreads is always subject of in
terest, and the failure of the efforts of
Landlord Tilly Haynes of the United
States hotel in Boston and the Broad
way Central in New York to put an
end to the practice in his establishment
and the comment thereon led him to
tell this story about it:
"What called my attention particu-
larly to it and made me disgusted with
the whole practice was our experience
in Milan. When we came to take our
leave there, had already given tips to
the servants who waited on us, to the
head waiter and to the cham bermaid,
and supposed that everything was right.
Now, in Milan the hotels are different
from what they are in this country.
They have an inner court, into which
| the carriages drive and from which
they depart with their guests, instead
of leaving from the front of the hotel,
as they do in this country. Before the
carriage leaves bell is struck.
"When we were ready to leave. with
everything all right, as l supposed, this
bell struck, and we were at once sur
rounded by some 20 servants, bowling
and smiling, waiting for their tips.
There were more walters and more
chambermaids, who had not done a
thing for us The whole affair made me
mad. They had been tipped all that
was right already, but they surrounded
the carriage and there was no getting
away. had some franc pieces in my
pocket, and l tossed them out to the
crowd, one here and another there until
I had gone around Then l turned to
the proprietor, who had come out, gave
him my card and told him that if he
did not have enough money to pay regu-
lar wages to his servants, if he would
send me his address, would see, when
I got home, that he had enough to pay
them off with.
"Well, 1 came home mad with the
whole system. l determined to stop it
in my hotel. So 1 had printed in the
bill of fare in large type and with two
hands pointing to it the statement that
the walters were paid literally by the
hotel, that they were expected to render
satisfactory service, and if any one fail
ed to do so it would be favor if the
number of the man, which each one
had to wear, were reported to the head
waiter or to the proprietor. In the
course of two or three days noticed
that the walters were looking pretty
sober and were talking quietly to them
selves. It was not long before two of
the Oldest came to me in my Office.
"'What is it?' asked them.
"They bowed and hesitated and look
ed confused. Then they said that they
were a committee of the walters to
come and see me about the notice print
ed ON the bills of fare. 1T is JUS lit
tie we git, they said, only 81 or So a
month, sab. It's JUS enough to do ul
de white vests with an pay for de CT
gars.
"They said it over two or three
times I saw that they had an excuse,
and, like Crockett's coon, it would be
best for me to come down. asked them
how many there were Of them. They
replied that there were 40 on the sides
besides three head walters.
"'Now,' I said to them, you are
getting $50 a month and your board.
After this your wages will be raised te
$25 per month and your board Thai
was $200>a month, or 50, 400 a year.
So they went back to work, and the
notice remained on the bills of fare, but
I found that it was impossible to stoI
the tipping. The guests who wanted te
be served particularly we'll would moi
give the tip directly, but would leave
it under plate or napkin, so that the
waiter would get it.
"This went on for about year and 9
half. I don't doubt that the walters
got more than S. month apiece out o.
it before l tried to stop the practice
But the reason could not stop it wal
because the public would not help me-
When a man comes in with friends
with him, feeling pretty cocky. ht
wants to treat them we'll and have ev
erything nice. So he gives orders to tht
waiter to set him up the best dinner
he can. So the waiter will bring hin
about everything there is in the kitch
en-.
"You know this can be done easily
where the hotel is on the American
plan,. for they do not order specif,
dishes to be paid for. If the head wait
er asks what he is doing with sucl
large orders, the waiter will tell hin
that the party ordered it. The guest il
we'll served and he is ready to tip th'
waiter for it. Some day he comes il
not feeling particularly well. He growl
at the waiter and wants to know why
he is not served as we'll as he was thu
other day. He goes to the head waiter
and makes complaint there. The trou
BILE is with the public. They want ex
ira service at times and to cut swell
before their friends. They are ready tt
pay for it then and fee the waiter &C
cordingly. But it is just this class o
guests who make the most trouble a
other times with their complaints. 1
there is anything wrong with the tip
ping system, the public is to blame fo
it. They would not help me out ant
they want the privilege of giving tip
when they wish for extra good service
found that it was impossible to sto]
the practice. People want special ia
vors and they are willing to pay tn
walters in order to get them. So CAV
, up the attempt and let the practice TAX
its course. ''-Springfeld Republican.
l
| Exact.
Judge-Do understand you to sa,
that the parties used high words?