The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-18

son finds the chief aid to good diges-
ton in making happy those who wait
on him. Walters who ought to know
declare that it is not uncommon for IA
waiter in such a place as the Waldorf
Astoria to come out 5000 and $500 and
even $500 ahead during holiday week.
An Army of Walters.
Merely in New York's first class no.
900 walters. Chicago has about 1000,
and Philadelphia two thousand, less.
Nine thousand walters all told-and in
the light of the figures already set forth
their share of the millions in the
Christmas box certainly amounts to
several tens of thousands of dollars.
Even if each waiter got only IS, the
sum total would be $4,000. But it is
undoubtedly above that, for even the
food singers" in the bean shops"
and "hasheries' say that nearly every
one remembers them; and as each
waiter of this grade has to look after
several scores of customers In the
course of day the nickels and dimes
soon turn into dollars.
Dinners for the Poor.
Another contribution of generous
proportions put into the Christmas box
is that for dinners to the poor. Hun
dreds of dinners of this character are
given on Christmas day throughout
this broad Landowners with turkey
and cranberry sauce and pie and ice
cream and all the good things asso-
ciated with the day. And these good
things cost money-turkey at % cents
q pound. and the other delicacies in
proportion.
Last year the Salvation Army fed
300, 900 poor in our large cities, and
over 100000 was collected for this pur-
pose by means of the army's pot. now
a familiar sight at this season to every
dweler in New York. Chicago, Phila-
delphia, Boston and other cities.
Amounts varying from one cent to $500
are dropped into the pots. So many
pennies are contributed in New York
and Chicago that machines are en-
ployed in counting them.
Politicians Liberal Givers.
While the Salvation Army dinners
are by far the most ambitious of all
dinners to the poor, those given to
meals spread for the delectation of
their constituents by the political dis
trict leaders of New York's East Side
are not to be passed over lightly. That
is a poor and small dinner, indeed,
which does not cost $1,000, and the
Sullivans of Bowery fame have been
in the habit of spending several thou
sand dollars for turkeys and trim
mings.
The millionaire does not lag behind
the politician i'm his efforts to give
good cheer to the poor. He does not
do so promiscuously. He is more than
willing to give big sums of money to
charitable organizations at other peri
DDS of the year, to be spent as the or
ganiZations see fit on people and in
situations that he personally knows
nothing or very little about. But at
Christmas he insists on looking after
the worthy poor with whom he is ac-
quainted, or of whom he has intimate
knowledge. The charitable organiza-
tions recognize this failing, and they
automatically refrain from soliciting
contributions at this season. Their
great harvest day is Thanksgiving,
when they aim TO have a touchingly
worded appeal at the plate of tine mill
lionaire when he sits down to give
thanks for the golden bird and
the other material evidences be-
fore him of a kind and beneficent
Providence.
In the Role of the FeudaI Lord.
SO 1t happens that the millionaire
just now is unconsciously. perhaps,
playing the role of the feudal lord OF
other days, who went among his re-
tainers and the poor OF the country
side, scattering Christmas largess TO
one and all, and leaving good cheer
and merry hearts behind him. The
millionaire does this pleasant task
every bit as we'll as the feudal lord,
and with a hand even more liberal A
| Gould or Morgan or a Belmont thinks
nothing OF disposing OF barrel after
barrel OF choicest turkeys IN this way.
A big wholesale poultry dealer la New
| York has had one OF the cOuntry's
leading milliopaires for a regular Gus
toner for the last six Christmases.
and each season he places an order
for 300 turkeys 81 200 Tor this one item
I alone.
Typical ~ these modern "feudal
l lords Be- John y. Andrus Mayor Of
I fonkers, n, r., and owner ~ 80. 900
! 900 worth ~ property 30 gives awny
I more than $4,000 ~ charity every
] year and by flr the greater part n
4 ih|e fortune r. distributed 40 fhls nea.
son. The poor ~ fonkeru always