The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-20

1t Had Better he Done il the Tourist
Wants a Good Time.

Springfield Republican.
Tipping, according 10 one kind OF tourist.
Is the European microbe; and this kind Of
tourist is bound TO suffer, all through the
exhibition, from its ravages. For him the
hotel employees of all Europe are banded
in conspiracy to fleece the Englisn-speak-
ing guest They pry into letters and
shadow" new arrivals. They demand CON-
missions from tradesmen. They mark
trunks with mysterious signs. So they
soon know all about your business. your
fortune, your object in travelling. what you
are going to buy and how long you are
going to stay. To a tourist in this state
of mind the tipping system is systematized
blackmail. For another type OF exhibition
visitor. all Europe now being new and de-
lightful, tipping Is pleasure. He tips early
and often. The humble menials know him
at a glance and beam On him. He sees in
their delightful aIacrity-which is the re-
fiex of his own-all kindness, goodness.
friendliness. II find the regular charges
in Europe much lower than at home he
would say, If he thought about IT, and by
liberal tipping 1 get better service than
get at home. Look on tips as part OF your
bill: you will see you will pay no more
than If the items were all Jumped together,
as at home He does not protest against
candles. corkage, the hotel laundress. bed
room fires and the other minute itemizing
of European bookkeeping. Is he swindled?
Does he corrupt the domestics? Is he taxi
ing mean advantage OF non-tipping tour
lists? Possibly. But he will the exhi-
bition much more comfortably for IL.
AS for systematic tipping. the least that
European will give is an average OF 10
cents a day, to be divided among the
chambermaid, table service, boots and pOr-
ter. 1t makes at the end OF the month,
when Ii is given In lump, say Is 10 %
francs-5 francs to the room service.
francs TO the table service. francs 10 the
porter and francs TO the boots. When the
careful Eurooean stays only a week in a
hotel he gives the chambermaid francs.
the boots francs. the garcon francs and
the porter, say. ] franc. The monthly esti-
mate above is really rather skinny, and
Americans will do well 10 double or treble
it. For the exhibition time I'm Paris in or
binary mddle-class hotels, when has
pension rates, an average OF between l
franc and francs a day. divided as al
ready indicated. In the smarter hotels.
however, this averaging process will be
impracticable, and the guest viii be lucky
If he gets fair service at table for less than
10 cents meal, paid on the spot In res
taurants the Paris rule has always been
for an expensive meal, per cent, for
moderate price meal. 10 per cent. OF the
bill.
Tips must be given" is the way one Of
the best known American hotel proprie-
tors Of Paris sums IL up. 1.-The question
has been studied many times by the most
competent men in our business. Why IL
1T that we all admire European walters. so
clean and tidy in heir white waistcoats and
white ties? I have heard our women say
thousand times to their husbands on
leaving the hotel: Give an extra tip 10
such and such one. He is such a nice,
clean, obiiging boy But II he were greasy
and neglectful would she think OF him?
Look at our giddy little chambermaids.
who contribute so much TO cur success.
Are they not amiable7 Would you not Ike
to take them home with you? How nice
she looks in her smart corsage apron. Sup
press her tips and double her salary. treb-
bic IL. Then come back IN a year and see
the difference. She will be a different per-
son, with Immature for her least fault. Ana
Ii will be the same, down 70 the boots lie
will put coal oil into the backing 20 get
through the quicker. Tip early and up
often"