The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-07-18
T|PP|NGNU|SANCEA ABROAD
Suggestions to Those Who
Would End ii Here.
AN ANNOYING CUSTOM
Fees I'm Europe No longer Nolun-
tary, but MISREPRESENTATION
by Servants to Ekc out Their In
sufficient Wagcs--Attention Goes
20 Highest Bidder.


20 Highest Bidder.
A fayorite assertion of those who
benefit in one way or another from
the tipping nuisance is that "if tips
we're only regulated by custom here
as they are abroad" everything
would be lovely. Yet 1t Is the testi-
mony of travellers that tipping Is
even more of a nuisance abroad than
here. says the New York Times.
The regulations Of tips means
practically that giving Is no longer
voluntary, but compulsory. One
must constantly fee the attendants to
secure even ordinary attention. In
their efforts to extort gratitudes
from travellers European servants
even 20 so far as to mark baggage
as signal for other attendants to
neglect and lnconvience the tourist
who will not pay. Here are some Of
the experiences OF an American who
has travelled much:
while travelling In Russia pur-
chased first class sleeper ticket,
which of course entitled me to bed
clothing, but before | could secure 1t
was informed by the porter that
his wages were very small and no
would expect extra payment from
mo He even named the amount.
and ] paid 1t because there was no
other way out of It.
What would the American travel
Ter think II he met with such treat
ment on a Pullman car? Yet 1t Is
not at all Impossible for things TO
come to such pass in this country.
AS 1t is now, a quarter tip to por-
ter. or even one OF half dollar, does
not signify that he will carry your
bag out for you when you reach your
destination, because there may be
some one else on the car who will
hand him a dollar.
His attention goes to the highest
bidder. That is all there Is to 1t.
We have already passed the point
where we may expect equal treat
ment in matter which Is plainly Il
public utility.
while stopping in the best hotel
In St. Petersburg, where the heat
ing arrangement consisted of indi-
yidual stoves in the rooms. ! soon
found that I need expect no fire to
be built In the morning unless reg
ularly produced some silver for the
porter. was paying a very high
rate for accommodation. but II
was absolutely necessary to pay each
of the attendants or get practically
no service at all.
ION the same floor with me there
was gentleman from New York who
had come to Russia to negotiate q
big loan of some kind for an Ameri-
can banking house. He had a good
many callers and received quite a
number Of kilograms. Not knowing
that 1t was necessary to pay for each
small service he received. there was
soon no response to his bell.
Then he was told that II he
wanted his kilograms to reach him
promptly he had better remember
that working people in Russia were
very poor and usually large fam
lilies to provide for. The hint was
SO broad that It was really In the
nature OF a command, and ne obeyed
It.
While there are undoubtedly few
managers Of American hotels who
would countenace such high
handed proceeding as this. It is new
ertheless true that we are drifting In
that direction. ANY one who lives
In our big hotels for any length of
time without tipping the servants
will certainly find himself more or
less neglected.
When you take compartment
on train In India the attendant
merely writes your name on a card
hanging by the door. Until learned
to get there first and take no chances
by leaving my place, / have had
more than one late conner bribe the
conductor to substitute his card for
mine
Once. when / was sick in Hong
kong, China. number of chair
bearers were employed . carry me
to a steamer waiting in the harbor.
Just as the start was about to be
made a heavy shower came up.
THE coolies had been engaged to
carry me at their own price, but
knowing my condition and my anx-
iety to reach the steamer they took
advantage of the situation to extort
more money from me. They planked
me down in the rain and began to
barangue with the porter from the
hotel who had hired them.
AS the whistle of the steamer
blew the last call in the harbor be-
low l was regaled with the livellest
kind Of fist fight over the question Of
the violated contract
1T Is pity to think that the
capable, self-respecting, prosperous
American who works for his living
In one form or another may event.
ually fall to such plane, but there
can be no doubt that those of our