New-York tribune., 1908-08-22
Is RICE TRADE DOOMED?
SOME BRIDES HOPE SO.
,1lso Conductors and Porters, and the
NescIu Wed Dan dc Sui.

IT seems as If there is going to be lot OF ttoupe
soon and all because of the time honored custom
of throwing rice and old shoes at newly WeuS'
Alas for the sancty of tradition. and alas for the
hs hsrdheartedne of railroad conductors anu run
man porters and once more alas, There can ne no
question about It. there is going to be crusade
against showering brides and brdesrooms with 'he
vegetable which makes China famous ana chop
suey houses possible
For long time conductors and porters have
looked on frowninglv at the showers of rice which
especially in country districts. follow the provero
aIiy happy and blushing bride and the proveroiaiE
hanpv but disconnected. husband upon their en-
trance into the car which is to take them a-honey-
incoming Now they say their patience has neen
strained beyond the endurance OF even so gooo
sufferer Job.
AS the walrus was once quoted as saying. The
time has come" and conductors and porters are
united in the determination to break Up the rice
throwing custom. They don't mind the old shoe
part so long as the parties directly Interested can
stand for it
why exclaimed ore conductor on Norfolk d
Western train few DAYS ago as he viewed dis-
gustediy some thirty or forty pounds of rice when
carneted the car-.whv il will take hours to
clean this up There is nothing harder 10 get tiu
of than rice. 1t oughtnt to be allowed. III soi'ie
to write to my union and get it to take the ques
tion mn It's against common sense and ordinary
decency .
Go +be apti-rice campaign is on. The conductors
are appealing to their unions and the poFters 10
theirs while the rice throwers, not having any
union as yet appeal 10 will have to trus 10 iuch
and legislators for the continuance OF prac1i1e
which seems to afford them so much pleasure t.
Tr1e the great rice dealers foreseelng 1ail III
the price OF the commodity, may be counted on Tor
some assistance
Various views were expressed by various persons
on the question when seen by Tribune reporter
Ministers were much divided in their opinions.
.e-There was no throwing of rice when Adam ana
Eve became man and wife, said one learned theo-
logian why shoull there be now; would II not De
better to distribute the rice that is SO shameiessS
wasted among the poor of the community
.orhat Is all very true" retorted another divine,
..but there is no record of Adam and Eve ever hav-
ing been married: neither is it chroniced that theS
went on honeymoon trip; moreover what lriehos
had they to throw rice al them?
This was facer for the first minister ana there
u,as silence until reporter meekly suggested that
the snake being close friend of Eve. might have
shown his good will by heaving few pounds OF
rice.
Both ministers frowned portentousiy and the re-
porter. fearing he he'd made oreah oepal teu soi
what hastily.
"1'he only trouble about the rice CUSTOM said
a New York doctor, lis that the practice is dan
eerous to the life and welfare of neWy-weds'
Don't you recall that only few days ago some
grains of rice landed inside a grooms ear. with
the result that he had to give UP his honeymoon
and have a serious and dangerous operation per
formed? Why, certainly, that happened fes' the
practice is too dangerous; it should be abolished
"Aw cheese it: fergit it; stow it away under yer
lid, Are YOU going nuts This the volley OF
exclamations that Dan de Sui. who presides over
a well known-in some quarers-Bowery gang,
greeted the reporter with when asked for his views
on the subject It might be remarked in passing
that de Sui has just led Loretta, the Vendetta
queen to the hymeneal altar.
lie me the bloke what hands de rice at
me- he said, when finally convinced that he was
not being -kidded; just ernme get my peppers
on him. Sig months for his a Bellevue cot.
Nix on the rice and oil shoe game. How's that?
| Sure it's all K. for guys. them mushy,
looney chaps; none of it in mine. How about the
extra work de conductors and porters? Aw.
fade away, Chase yerself round de corner en-
| wake up en- then go TO sleep right Amt they
raid fer it,"