The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-25
Topeka Travellers Say Cost Is
Heavier Yearly.
Every Palm Awaits the West
erner'S Coins.
BARRIERS GETTING THE HABIT
Fortunately Only Eastern Cities
Are Thus Affected.
Rich Persons Blamed for
Americas Drawback.

According to stories told by Topeka
travellers, the tip evil is growing, not
withstanding the agitation against II.
In addition to the regular charges Tor
hotel and restaurant accommodations,
the traveller is scarcely able to turn
around without handing out tip. The
evil is worse, of course, in the large
cities where patrons of hotels pay the
entire expense of dining room and
porter service.
The average guest at the high class
hotels in the large cities tips the
waiter in the belief that the waiter
gets the money. AS a matter of fact
the waiter is Shaken down" for the
tip and the money goes into the cof-
ferS of a contractor, who agrees with
the hotel management to furnish this
class of service without cost to the es-
tablishment. In many instances these
contractors pay the hotels for the
privilege of furnishing walters and
porters and they are able to build up
enormous fortunes out of tips after
paying the help by the day or week.
A guest at a city hotel, if he gets
the best service, is expected to pay at
least 10 cents for everything that is
done for him. The boy who shows
him to his room must be tipped.
Every time a pitcher of ice water is
taken to the guests, tip must be
forthcoming. The maid who looks
after his room expects tip. The por-
street car has his hand out for a
dime. When the guest goes to the
dining room, darby takes his hat and
gets a dime for handing it back to
him. If the guest wants table where
he can see the dining room and hear
the music he must make satisfactory
arrangement with the head waiter.
And the fellow who serves him at the
table must be paid from 10 cents up.
according to the size of his meal
check.
BARRIERS in East.
In the eastern cities the barber has
begun to avail himself of the finan-
cial advantage of the tip evil. Fortu-
nately that feature of the evil has
not penetrated the west. The western
barber is above that sort of thing, and
the barber shop tip is confined to the
boy who brushes the customer. True
the traveller can get around without
tipping anybody, but he is made so
uncomfortable by the army of graft
ers'' who are organized for the pur-
pose of making the public stand for
the evil. that he seldom repeats the
experiment The average man would
rather pay the price than have the
feeling that from a dozen to fifty hotel
attaches are branding him as tight
wad.
Rich people are responsible for the
tip evil They started it because they
wanted a little better service than or
binary people had and they were will
ing to pay for it. People of moderate
income but with aesthetic tastes, were
forced to adopt the tactics of their
wealthier neighbors or be denied the
privileges of the best resorts.
Fortunately people in the cities
whose income is small. do not have to
patronize the fashionable hotels and
restaurants in order to secure needed
accommodation. There are scores of
restaurants and cafeterias where
wholesome meals can be purchased at
reasonable prices and where tips are