El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-14


injury to the people Of the United
States, especially to the labOrins
classes. A feature Of this series viii De
specially authorized interview Dy
Samuel GOmpers, president Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, vigorously
denOuncing the tipping system as 1t eX-
lists in the United States.l
" PIPING may be more Of a nui-
sance in Europe than it is in the
United States. as returned travel
ers so often complain. but neverthe-
less it is a greater evil here under the
stars and Stripes than it is anywhere
else. There are two principal reasons
why this is true; First, that tips in
America are larger as measured in mon
ey, thus imposing a greater burden
upon the tippers; second, that there Is
no distinct mental class in this country
thus imposing a greater degradation
upon the tippee.
The Antithesis Of Mercy.
The tip is the antithesis OF mercy as
mercy was extoIled by POrtia- It IS
twice cursed, it curseth him that gives
and him that takes Under the system
OF tipping that has grown up in the
United States the tip givers are out OF
pocket, ont Of humOr and out OF Sorts
while the tip takers are compelled each
year to demand more and more as their
employers each year cut the wage
scale lower and lower. Even when
wages are abolished altogether the cut
does not stop, for then the employer
demands payment from the employe Tor
the privilege Of working for ups-and
he gets it.
The sole and exclusive beneficiary Of
the tipping system is the employer VINO
takes advantage Of the system TO avoid
no =Nrr|s p H- ~ g q j
the employer-the owner Of the MOTEL,
the restaurant. the sleeping car the
dining car, the taXlcab, the par Der
shop-Who finally gathers in all the
lars that are paid out in the urst
place to purchase a reluctant smile
from an unsmiling face
The tip, as an institution, exists IN
this county IN all three Of its phases;
simple, compound and complex, al
though the tendency Is toward the
elimination Of the simple and compound
Originality Of the Tip.
The simple tip, the tip as II was IN
the beginning. is a small sum or money
paid to the servant OF another 1or ser
vice rendered to ones self out OF pure
gratitude for the excellence Of the ser
vice In this form the tip is an eN-
preston of the kindlier aspects OF hui
man nature. It is freely given ana
thankfully received and except as II is
the foundation for the whole evil
structure Of the modern tipping sys-
TEN, II harms nobody.
The compound tip is a sum of money
paid TO the serv ant Of another for dis
crimina tory service TO be rendered even
! at the expense of the other customers
OF the same employer, or at the expense
OF the employer himself. In this as
pect the tip takes on the nature or
bribe and the element Of kindness
Is smothered In q conspiracy of selfish
ness. This was the second stage OF
the development Of the tipping system
The employer was not slow 10 see UhaL
his servants would accept brides In
the form of tips, and he also saw that
the pleased guest would give simple
tip in reward Of good service. There
upon ne began to cut wages ana 70
force his servants to depend more and
more upon the tips. The next stage
in the development Of the system was
inevitable.
The complex tip is sum Of money
paid the servant OF another because
that other refuses to pay his servant
for the service one requires ana mas
already paid for. The fiction that this
tip is A voluntary gift IS maintained,
but il is a hollow fiction The waiter,
for instance. knows how to compel the
proffer Of a tip, knows how TO punish
q too parsimoniOus giver. and there are
still a few left who know how
to reward a liberal Upper. The man
who gives the tip is left his full and
free choice a S 20 whether he viii con
SlQer the IT'D reward TOT IFACeL4tAt
service or as a bribe for discriminatory
service-just so he pays the tip.
This tip is truly complex. 1t is given
to a waiter, for instance. he Is en-
ployed by the hotel proprietor, oql ne
gets little or no wages The up, there
fore, relieves the proprietor OF paying
his servant A part OF II goes 10 the
head waiter, for the head waiter has
the power to "hire and fire" and he viii
tolerate no waiter who holds out on the
"divvy." Another part Of 1t goes 70
the server in the kitchen, for unless ne
is seen he viii give the waiter bad
portions Of food and the waiter will
get in trouble with his patron. Another
part of It goes 20 the chef, for the chef
will not give the server well cooked
food unless the server gives the cher a
part Of the money the server has got
from the waiter who eXtorted the tip
from the patron On account Of which
the tip is complex and the proprietor is
rich.
Three American Phases.
The tip. as has been said. still may
be found in America in all three OF
its phases. The simple tip is rare, IN
deed, but the tired and worried traveller
sometimes stumbles upon 1t with JOY
and thanksgiving in a sleepy old south
ern town where the tippee is negro
with Whitened wool. 1t may be OBJ
served at its best in a small town when
an old fashioned planter gives black
boy a nickel for holding his horse for
five minutes. 1t IS survival Of the
feudal system, no doubt, and even re-
fleets the influence OF chattel slavery,
but nevertheless It Is a grateful thing
to see. At any rate, il holds no hint
Of the complex tipping system Of in
dustrial slavery.
The tip in its second phase, thinly
yelled bribery for discrimination, per-
sists in hotels and restaurants Of the
cheaper sort. It has only one redeem
ing feature as compared to the tip
IN its highest development, and that is
that the Upper gets something for his
money. Tt is possible in place where
this system still obtains to have cream
for ones morning coffee when the
less liberal patrons have only milk.
This variety of the tip is known even IN
boarding houses.
Dickens,s Comment on System.
Tt was this kind Of tip that the
Misses Pecksniff gladly paid to young
Mr.. Bailey as recorded by Dickens in
Martin ChuzzIewit. That estimable
young gentleman whispered through
the keyhole to the young ladies'; Fish
'ooIxsIE uJsqluos IoJ skBp Msg VI sIsq
where they will organize a hunting
party
After four years OF indebtedness the
Ell Paso MasOns own their lCdge MOI
erty; yesterday a release to the mort