The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-18
HOTEL MEN IN SESSION.
Kansas-SIissouri Association Is After
the Dead Beat

Kansas City. No. Nov 1s.-If the
plans of the Kansas-A1issour Hotel
Mems association now in session in
this city are carried out. It's not go
ing to be so easy to walk up to the
hotel register. sign your name, and
then walk out the next morning with
out paying. giving the simple excuse
that you are broke The legislators
of Kansas and Missouri will be asked
at the next session to allow the FOL
lowing brief contract to be printed al
the head of each page:
ANY one signing their signature be-
low hereby agrees to pay the bill as
charged by this hotel Failure to do
so shall be a violation of this contract
and party violating same will be pun
ishable by law. The proprietor of the
hotel hereby agrees to fulfill his part
Of the contract"
Though stringent laws have been
passed in both states. they are usually
evaded. The present law reads that
any one securing a room by fraud or
pretext" shall be punishable. In the
future, a man will be staring at a
contract at the head of each page, and
the hotel men think that it viii be a
more serious matter.
In fact. the whole session. which be
gan yesterday afternoon in the Italian
room at the Hotel Baltimore, was one
OF Sef-protectiOn- Every speaker
dwelt on the fact that the average
inn-keeper was the most oppressed in
dIvidual in the community. Means of
getting around the willy bad check
man." dead beat" "loafer" and how
TO get better legislation was discussed,
and committees appointed to see that
action is taken.
Many resolutions will be adopted to
day. including asking the government
10 reduce the tax on oleomargarine.
The Armour Packing company sent a
TnJlnfo1 ffnn RNni4fninc that Cn1nrod
.sleo'' that is sold for 25 cents per
pound. but a few cents lower than
creamery butter, could be sold for Is
cents per pound II Uncle Sam didn't
place a dime tax on every pound. If
''oleo,'' which the hotel men agreed
tasted just as good as creamery butter.
could be bought at Is cents per pound.
there could be no doubt that the but
termakers would have to come down in
their exorbitant price. No one sHg-
gested that the diaries would probably
fight such move.
Yesterdays session was opened with
an address of welcome by Mayor Crit
tenden. He complimented the men on
their general appearance. T. l. Barns.
president of the association, made a
short reply.
There was a general feeling that the
meeting would like to face hotel in
spector. and Thomas L. Johnson. state
hotel inspector, was asked to be pres
and discuss the laws regulating hotels.
At the last moment Mr.. Johnson failed
TO appear.
Henry ]. Allen. proprietary OF the
Wichita Beacon, complimented the no.
tel men on the general excellence of
conditions in both states. Mr.. Allen
has Travelled considerably and spoke
with conviction when he said that the
average western hotel was far ahead
of the east.
H. ]. Bohn. editor of the Hotel
World. explained the proposed work
ings of the school for hotel employees
which will soon be established in In
dianapolis He explained that bell
hops would be trained. as we'll as
stewards and pantry girls.
]. d. Bowersock, jr., advised the
body on the legal side Of hotel pro-
lection. He said that the rule. Pay
IN advance" should be adopted. DR..
]. s. Crumbine of the Kansas state
board of health lightened the heart of
the hotel men by saying that sanitary
conditions in Kansas We're excellent.