El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-23


all the people Of the United
States who oppose the tipping
system as it now exists is the only
possible remedy for this widespread
and serious evil. That the hope of such
united action is not altogether ehimer-
ical is proved by the fact that within
the last few weeks organized move
ments for the abolition Of the tipping
system have been set on foot by per-
sons connected vitality with the three
different interests involved; the pub
lie the servants and the employers.
The Commercial Travellers league,
an organization Of business travelling
men, has decided to issue general
warnings TO hotel proprietors that the
tipping system must be abolished upon
pain Of losing the patronage OF the
drummers.
Hotel Workers Oppose Tips.
At a mass meeting Of hotel workers
in New York a campaign for the abo-
lition of tipping and the establish
ment of a living wage scale was
started. It was stated in this meet
ing that Of the $4,000 hotel workers in
Manhattan at least $4,000 would sup
port the movement to abolish the tips
and establish a living wage scale pat
termed on the club system.
At a meeting Of hotel proprietors
in Philadelphia a resolution was
adopted pledging the organization TO
cooperate with agencies now engaged
in fighting for the abolition of the
tipping system.
Is beginning of Campaign
There is reason to believe that this
is only the beginning of a great ma
tional campaign against this insidious
evil. For many years local organ1za- I
tons Of travelling men, especially IN
the middle west and the southwest,
have resisted the demands Of the tip
takers. Through the influence Of these
men several state legislatures have
passed laws prohibiting servants from
accepting tips except with the con-
sent of their employers, these laws be-
ing designed to aid prOprietOrs OF no
tipping hotels, restaurants and bar
Der shops. Their effect has been salu-
tary, but it has not reached the root
of the evil.
The only efficacious remedy is the
united action OF the tip-givers, the tip
takers and the -beneficiaries. Per-
haps IT is safe to say that a majority
of the persons in each Of the three
classes already favor the abolition eff
the system. The task is to convert the
minority. No one is foolish enough to
believe that such a task can be lightly
undertaken.
Among the tip-givers there is q not
inconsiderable number who tip TO pur-
chase discrimination; persons who are
willing to tip in order to be served
little more promptly or in order to
get choicer tid-bfts for their pla ess
than do the other patrons Of the same
establishment. So long as the notion
persists that these discriminatory IA
vOrs may be had by paying tips, that
long viii many persons be willing to
tip. And then there is the force Of
habit, united with the expansive gen
erosity Of being well-fed, that must be
IN "a al Tvs
may be found that the most difficult
task Of all is to bring the men who
give tips to a realization of the evil
that they do.
a considerable minority that will not
willingly give UP the privilege of
angling for tip. a1ore especially is
this true Of walters and other servants
employed in places where men dine
not wisely but too vel. In such places
there is almost daily the chance to
pick up great, big up-an alcoholic
tip-that never could be compensated
for by any fixed wage, however lib I
eral. It must be remembered. how
ever, that this is only a minority. The
fact that most up-taking servants
lOathe the system is proved by the B
alacrity with which they take employ-
ment in clubs, as well as by such de- I
monstrations as the mass-meeIing in
New York One Of the things dec-ceC /
upon in that meeting was the ostab- T
circulated among hotel workers and 4
other up-takers. a journal having as
its chief object the crusade against /
the demoralizing and impoycrishing /
tip.
Hotel Men VIII Help.
Among the employers Of tip taking /
servants, the men who have 50 ma /
n1pulated the wage scale thJt they [
have made themselves the actual bene- /
1iciaries Of the system, the only prob T
lem is one Of dollars and cents. When I
the public has demonstrated its dis /
approval Of the tipping system TO a !
sufficient degree. the hotel prOprietors /
will do their part to abolish the sys- /
tenn.
It is a part of the plan % the /
Commercial Travellers league 20 post /
in each town names Of good boarding I
houses where accommodations with ]
out tips may be had at reasonable I
prices. Wherever it is possible the /
drummers viii be urged To OatroniZe /
these more modest establishments an /
til the hotel keepers have decided to 4
do away with the tipping in their /
hOstelries.
In all fairness it must be said that /
the thing is not as easy for the hotel /
man as might appear on the face The I
United States senate is a powerful in /
stitutiOn in many ways. Not only does I
it exercise the junction OF coordi- /
nate branch of the national legislature /
not only does 1t advise ard consent to 4
the executive acts of the presidenS, net |
only does it ratify treaties and do /
other things Of high sovereign nature, I
but it also runs restaurant The /
house of representative. at the other /
end of the capitol. leases ont its res
taurant to a caterer, but the senate /
prefers to run its own eating house.
Where the senate Failed.
About a year ago the senate de-
cided to abolish the tipping system in
its restaurant. Notices to thdt effect i
were posted, and an announcement !
that the walters were not permitted /
to accept tips was stamped in red ink I
across the face Of every menu card.
In the private room where the sena-
tors dine the rule was enforced from
the beginning. But outside, in the
public part of the restaurant, it was
not a week before everybody about i
the capitol thoroughly understood that
the only way to avoid an indefinite
wait was to slip the waiter a dime
under a napkin. The highest law
making body in the United States thus
failed to enforce its nO-tipping edict
among its own servants and under its
own roof With such an example be-
fore them, is it any wonder that the