The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-06
The Regulation of Hotel Bed Linen.

II Is generally agreed that the present
Georgia Legislature is the most remark
able collection Of thinkers that has been
under observation since that of Texas
got ont One of the noblest intellectual
monuments of the Lone Star Justinians
is the nine foot sheet law. II has inspired
IN the Cracker L~ycurguses a passionate
desire for a law on the same subject;
everything else except the hotel bed
has been covered The hotel clean sheet
bill passed by the Georgia House falls
below the Texan standard. The regula-
ton of hotel linen is one Of the most vital
needs TO which a Legislature can devote
its talents; and the standardization of
hotel sheets is. an instant and urgent
duty. Georgia hasn't gone far enough, "a
this summary of the proposed act shows:
An lnnkeercrs and hotel prorrIctors who do not
furnish clean sheets, clean pillow cases ana eileen
towels for each guest. when the rate charged is s.
a dav or over. shall be punished a. Tor a misde.
mrAnor
Cheap and simple taverns. if there are
any such for the entertainment of the
WOOl lldl pclltTNbIIdIlP -IIcN ITdNPl neil
HoKE SMITH is inaugurated or on other
solemn and vast occasions may be as
soiled as they please. The Hon. JOE
HILL HALL of Bib. n statesman too
often in opposition but always at the
front, resisted the measure on other
grounds
" sm not opposed 10 clean sheets. for goodness
knows have as much to contend with In the matter
OF dirty linen, at country hotels. as any one. But
] an not In favor OF crsctlng = law by which some
NJ these poor lnnkecpers and hotel men may he
made 10 suffer because a traveller gets in late A.
nigh, and forces him to have his room rcchangcd
Just because he has the law on hts side
Why this softness on the part If the
rugged Bear of Bib? Are there poor"
hotel men? " might have beer thought
that the Georgia lawgivers would have
been foes of clean linen. as a Campanian
and unjeffersonian luxury. Since they
favor it, rather. perhaps, for the love of
regulation than of the plutocratic and
aristocratic habit of cleanliness, wny
does the Bear Of Bib growl at them?
Has he been soured BY his recent fight
with the Hon. SEAB WRIGHT, the captain
Of the Drys?
But personal motives and criticisms are
out of place in considering the great
matters suggested by this bill. Neces-
sary as the regulation Of hotel linen may
he. even in the absence of a nine foot
sheet law. the regulation of hotel rates
ia infinitely more necessary. Has not
the time come for this momentous re-
form. too long retarded by trifes like
railway rate regulation? For one man
who believes that he has been over
charged by railroads there are a thou
sand who know themselves to have been
overcharged by hotels. Shall the Peo-
pull be excluded by prohibitive rates from
the "palatial" hotels where predatory
wealth %resorts?' Here is a live question
for the Georgia thinkers to handle. If
they do not handle it, if they are recreant
TO their opportunity and their obligation,
the Universal Regulator will take up the
task. There can be no doubt in a decent
mind that the elevators Of a hotel fire.
quented by customers from a number
OF States are, with all the contiguous
corridors, passages, halls and rooms, by
inherent constitutional power and infer
enc a artery Of interstate commerce
and subject TO Federal supervision and
regulation.