The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-09
WITH THE TRAVELLERS
PRESIDENT HOWE
AGAINST TIPPING
PRESIDENT OF COMMERCIAL
TRAVELLERS NATIONAL LEAGUE
OUT sTRERuousLV AGAINST
TIPPING EvlL-WHAT HAS BEEN
DONE TO WIPE TT OUT.

In speaking OF the tipping question,
p. E. Howe, president of the CONNER
cial Travellers National league. says:
The fight to abolish the iniquitious
tipping will be longer drawn out than
was anticipated, as many avowedly
against the system are lacking in suf-
ficient moral courage to live UP to
their convictions. Some are more
easily scared by the walters frown
than by the idea of eternal damnation.
Criticisfng a public nuisance but
| submitting to it, will never cure it.
| The issue is squarely up to the pro-
prfetors and their patrons; the walters,
porters and other help, are only ad~
juncts to the situation. Just as long
as the public win pay tribute, the pro-
prietors win continue the system to
exact it.
Many commercial bodies have pass
ed resolutions against tipping-thous-
ands Of travelling men have agreed
to quit the habit; public sentiment Is
aroused against upon moral as well
as economic grounds, and yet p~rocras-
tination or fear of the walters dis
pleasure will sidetrack the good reso-
Iutions of many. Let every mar prove
the possession of the American spirit
and ultimately the tipping system win
go.
AS an instance Of what is possible
in the way of success, with genuinely
tipiess enterprises, I shall mention the
mo tip barber shop, 116 Nassau
street, New York, which was started
recently with three chairs, and now
has twelve. and a growing business.
The circular Of the proprietor OF this
shop contains the following:
'oTips are not expected no viii be
received.
"Tips are a vicious form Of graft.
'HTips eke out lower wages.
Tips are taxes unnecessary.
"Tips are insulting to recipient.
"Tips are ill-adorned charity"
Boston has a central show room for
travellers samples; also a tipless res
taurant, very largely ~patronized,
known as Thompson's Spa.
The item which follows. in regard
to the Pullman Car Co., is based upon
figures recently furnished me:
During the year ending June 30
1911, the Pullman company carried
623, 1872 57 passengers If so per cent
Of these passengers tipped the porters
an average of 25 cents each, and in al
probability this is an underestimate
the approximate sum paid the porters
by the patrons of the Pullman COM
pany, for the year, was S125,00O, 900
The Pullman companys pays the por
ter as wages $3.50 a month, and the
public contributes about $210 a month
to each porter, at an average"
For this charity the Pullman patrons
receive a few whisps OF a broom, 9
few bags are carried to the door, per
haps a few glasses Of water are
brought, and some shoes given a poor
polish; and the great Pullman com
pany continue to permit by a species
OF confidence game, the working oi
it's patrons to the limit.
The officials Of the Pullman com
pany declined to give out any infor.
nation in relation to the number o.
porters upon the payroll, but in the
east they admit that the number o.
porters exceed the number of cars II
use, as they have a large reserve lis
of porters, and make frequent changes
or run. This is done to keep down K
some extent the average revenue o.
the porters. The officials acknowl'
edge, however, that the total numbeI
Of porters employed by the Pullman
company is considerable below thu
number Of cars owned by 1t.
It can be safely estimated that thu
porters average, when working full
time, more than 5000 a month.
IL J. A. Hatch, chairman of the legis'
lative committee, Grand Council o.
Michigan, u. G. T., asked to hav'
secured copies of the anti-tipping law
for him. Mr.. Hatch is getting busl
in his branch Of work against tn,
tipping abuse.
I have obligated myself PERSONAL.
for 100. 900 Not Tip buttons in orde
? to secure a minimum price of $4.6I
a thousand, and they will be sold II
any quantity at cost. For mailing, s.
cents q thousand, s cents a hundred
Express shipments at the $3.50 rate.
The wearing of the buttons will linz
up those who refuse to tip and thosI
who submit to the extortion. One mil
! lion Of these buttons worn and lives
up to, I believe, would break the tip
ping system.
They would show plainly to the
proprietor and his help that we mean
business when we started, that tipping
would have to stop.
would have to stop. r. %. Dove.
President Commercial Travellers Ma
tfnna1 r az o11o