Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-07-05
THE C0LORED WAITER
HIS FORMER GLORY, HIS sUBsTi-
TUITION BY WHITE HELP" THE
COMPARATIVE MERITS AS Elk.
PRESSED BY the NEW YORK
HItM ..t H.s.e 4 W. 'r.r

COMPARATIVE MERITS AS Elk
PRESSED BY THE NEW YORK
SUN. Es
Many OF the New York daily papers
seem to favor the employment of ne
groes In preference to foreign help in
the local ~otels and restaurants. Un'
der the caption, "A Touch Of Color"
the Sun says:
"In not too distant days which
youngsters glibly dub simpler than the
time we live in, there were hotels that
were proud of their squads of black
servants and black servants who were
proud Of their service. Before the
American plan inn had become mem
DRY in Fifth avenue and Broadway the
opening of the dining room was q
sight worth watching. The head wait
err, large and impressive, gloriously
self-conscious of his Importance and
dignity, marshalled his subordinates
with all the care of military com
manders marched them in well drilled
ranks the length Of the great room
and told them of to their stations like
a general assigning the captains OF
his army, Perhaps there is an uncon'
taminated spot where that review and
drill is still treasured; where the
guests hat is cared for by specialist
who scorns the use of checks, who
never errs in restoring a mans head
covering to him, and who himself
pockets the fees his guardianship
earns. ..,.
1.-THE black man as q waiter has al.
most disappeared from those places
that exploit their fashionableness. At
lantic City was long stronghold OF
those dark and satisfactory boys who
understood what was said to them In
United States, and could make intelli
gible answer to the unlearned. But
the phrase white help exclusively Is
found more and more frequently III
the announcements from that city, OF
hotels. The dining rooms are cleared
of the darkies first; the bell boys
change color next; in a short time nc
CLEAN of white in smiling face OF
ebony cheers the visitor. Perhaps
prejudice is responsible for the bleach
ing Of the servitors., No improvement
in manners or attention accompanies
it. The white walters and. boys are
not more respectful or willing than
their predecessors. Their unfamiliar
ity with the only language spoken by
an overwhe lming majority OF their pa
irons makes for misunderstanding
Their impassivity. is largely a myth
and even when It is displayed In per
lection it is not more conducive tc
good digestion than the easy grin and
wholesome chuckle of the negro.
"One drawback there is in this
town to the employment Of negroes in
eating places. New York is cursed
with a population of professional
southerners,' most of whom never saw
the south, who obtrude themselves
whenever they find opportunity. These
exhibit their familiarity with polite
usages by Safeguarding black meI
with pair Of I know how to treat
EN-; we had 500 oh our plantation
sub, befo' the wah.' The Backyard
ing is done when It Is obviously safe
to indulge in. We have seen south
ern gentlemen who ached to main
these impostors, curious excrescences
on urban life.
perhaps the astonishing strike thai
now perturbs the tavern keepers may
bring back the negroes to favor. II II
does the public will lose nothing by
the temperance Of a tribe that fash
ion has exiled but that deserved better
treatment from a public long tended
skillfully and satisfactorily"