New-York tribune., 1901-08-19
THE TIPPING EVIL.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
SIR / have been glad 10 the editorial refer
'nces 70 the evi! OF tipping and the spread Of the
perricious practice in this country which have
recently appeared in The Tribune. 1t IS certainly
matter 20 which public attention should be called
Sa" so much OF the evil and its effects during a
years residence in London a few years ago that
came nome fully determined never 10 give another
tip. But must confess thar there have been man
occasions when l would have felt more comfortable.
TO have given the expected Eratuity. and 1 have
been sorely tempted 70 break nv conscientious and
patriotic resolve.
II is pertinent 20 INQUIRE gho IS responsible for the
continued support and increasing prevalence Of
custom 60 generally and so properly di=ap approved.
As concerns England The answer. I think is yInI-
cient!v rhvious- fr IS the ~ervauts and walters
who receive the tips There the custom is so uni
vera and of long standing that IL is regarded as
a matter ~ course T. Is not an overgenerols pub
IT,. many of whom have come TO regard the prac-
tce as o. means OF eXtort.on. But II is the pro
p~. tors ~ hotels restaurants. lodging and board
ing houses and other places Of entertainment. and
in most cases iS simply their way or making
other people pas their servants. honorable or dis
honorable that may seem They viii cooIy look
while the servants resort t. the various mean
arts they have learned 20 practise ln order 10 ex-
to-t the lwo.nt II tips which they regard as ther
due. rot only without Interference but doubtless
with t2eit .sc7ura5- gs.'r- They. and they alone.
can easily rut stop 20 the practice II disposed,
mary as'uncas prove. Many OF the readers ~
London presauly nor less than a hundred lunch
con r1staurputs ot t-e class popularity known as
a. B C's-. the fun name hetuE Acratcd Bread Com
Ilay's Bepo-. These rrstaurauts very largely
pat-orizei hy tre upper middle classes. including
clergy men. clerks and newspaper men And one
chief -"ar5n FOR taar popularity il the fact that
IN every one Of them notices forhiddlug gratuiries
are conspicu1Usly posted ON the walls. The Eng
llsh people DO not ike tipping any better than 90
the Americans. and are cad t' hul their refresh
Urut IN places wHvre 10 iT NOT expected or de-
marced saw "A press notice not very long ago
the effect the company operating these res
taUranjs had paid over 81 per cent In dividends the
previous
The last I AZ The Char.uE Cross Hotel
patrons there were informed by printed notices that
a1F servant or enpioye found taking a tip would
lee Immediately discharged. and guests We're
quested not 10 tempt them. ] presume that the
regular daily charge for service. There was a
similar rule AT the Grand Hotel, i'm Paris tPIace
oler1j but probably not 50 vigorously enforced,
as found difficulty ia placing zip before beiug,
aware or the regulation But where this is the
rule patrons Viii at least consider themselves at
fun liberty 10 allow this obnoxious custom TO fall
into iuuOCgouS leSIetId'
Now. h seems plain that n the pr0prieta-s
or hotels and restaurants In this country would
follow the examples above referred TO- it would 80
far toward putting end 20 this degrading and
n-Anerical custom. and those who 90 would
gain more tn increased patronage and a decent
se!f-respect than they would save by permitting
other people to their servants. encoura gfng
the servants 20 receive solicit gratuitics. so
called. after the European fashion
REPUBLICAN.
Wa1erh1r.