club, provided he is willing to do what is right, live up to the regulations of the society, paying promptly his dues and assessments, as much so as the more skillful bartender. There must necessarily be second-rate as well as fist-class men and there are plenty of houses which cannot always afford to pay for the services of a superior man and must, therefore, take one of less ability. The principal endeavor for bartenders belonging to a club or organization is to attempt the moral and mental elevation and education of themselves to such a degree that the entire public will recognize them as gentlemen and useful business men of the community. Therefore, I recommend every bartender to take all opportunities to advance himself in every direction – not only good habits, good dressing, good manners, and clean appearance, but, also, to devote some of his spare time, at least, to reading what will help him; to associate with the best people possible, visit places that will be of benefit to him, try to study their own personal welfare as well as that of their families (if they have any) and set an example to his fellow-brethren and the world in general, in the full belief that he is as good a man as anyone else who behaved himself and can maintain a club or association that will compare favorably with any other. By doing all this and having the mutual support of one another, it will be easier for those bartenders, who are in need of a situation or are suffering from an accident or illness, to get along without fear of the future. It does not require a great amount of capital to start a beneficial institution. A place of meeting, one or more rooms, at a moderate rent, and no salaried officer, except the secretary, with some little expenditure for light and heat, will comprise the list of ordinary expenses. There will always be many members who will gladly serve in the various offices, satisfied with the honor and without thought of any compensation. Besides the regular members, there are many other people, such as restaurant, hotel and café proprietors, who will sympathize with a body of this class and will willingly give it their aid, in advice, hints and suggestions, gratis. Individually, I would only be too glad to offer to such an association my services with all the advice and information I am capable of giving, at any time, whatever.
In considering the way some people in our line of business have been abused by heartless employers, who, by dumb luck or, more often, entirely from the efforts and ability of their bartenders, have achieved a fortune, I cannot be too severe. One of this type of men takes a notion to go out for his own amusement, and fashionably attired, with a big diamond in his shirt front and a large roll of bills in his pockets, possibly a horse and carriage at his disposal, he starts out on a day of sport, with no consideration for the welfare or feelings of his bartender, caring little, whether his employee works 8, 10, 12 or 18 hours that day or whether he gets his proper meals, so long as he has a “good time”; the bartender, in many such cases, working for a small salary and constantly being imposed upon by the proprietor who is only actively engaged in wasting his own money.
Therefore, bartenders should do what is best to protect themselves and join together in an association of mutual help and endeavor. The members should ask only for wages that are reasonable and never try to annoy their employers by threats of a strike, but have every difficulty, that may occur between the boss and the help, settled in a sensible manner, so that the business may not suffer by it. As soon as the men begin to dictate to their employers regarding wages and length of hours, they will fail, because they are not in the right and they will not have the sympathy of the public. Our hours are always necessarily longer than those of the ordinary mechanic, but one should not be kept working in a continuous stretch of many hours. There are cases, naturally, where a man is obliged to stay on his post a few minutes longer than the allotted time, but no proprietor has a right to make a bartender work as long as he pleases, just because he thinks his “dispenser of drinks” is a slave. I have stood behind the bar in twenty years’ active service, in various cities and have been in business myself for twenty more years, so I have had the experience, the knowledge and the feeling of parties to both sides of the question of employer and employee. A man who is fortunate enough to be a proprietor should be pleased to help his bartenders to obtain an organization, in which they may be financially and socially improved. Furthermore, bartenders joining an association of this nature will find it of great advantage, as they can help each other in case of sickness, disability or death. I have known hundreds of good bartenders who, meeting with misfortune, became entirely destitute of friends and means. A new association should not start off under the impression that it can immediately begin to help largely its members, who are in need, with any great amount of benefits; but it will soon find out, that, under good business management, it will be on a firm financial basis. It is necessary to know that we must creep before we can walk.
As far as I am concerned, I wish such an association the best success in all its undertakings and, under all circumstances, it will have my good will, and may count upon my friendship, provided that its officers and members act as men and gentlemen. I know how a man feels when he has to stand behind the bar, because there are no well-regulated hours, no prescribed regular salary for certain duties, and then, one is frequently obliged to stand the insults and abuse, at times, of a certain class of customers. Why shouldn’t we bartenders have a union and protect ourselves and why shouldn’t we be respected as well as any other man, so much the more so as it requires ability and a level head to become a first-class bartender, while a shoemaker is absolutely unfit for our business?!
A man in our line, to be successful, must be quick, prompt, courteous, able, a good student of human nature, a good dresser, clean and possessing several more virtues. Therefore, a bartender should be respected and as well paid, proportionately, as a man in any other line of business. It is proof that we could not use every Tom, Dick, and Harry, because leading bartenders frequently command very large salaries. In my own case, I had for a number of years $100 a week paid to me. This is evidence that a man must know and have sufficient ability and scientific knowledge to fill the position, though everyone is not as fortunate as myself and I have worked for as low an amount as $15 a week, too.
Now, boys, do what is right, and stick together! If you do, you will soon better your own situations and chance in life.
__________
7. GETTING YOUR MONEY WHEN BUSY OR IN A RUSH.
To get your money is the most important and leading point of the business and certainly needs as strict attention as anything else. The correct way of doing this is to calculate the amount while preparing and serving the drinks. As soon as this is done, it is to be understood, without exception, that the man behind the bar, attending the customers, should immediately turn out the cheque or proper amount labeled on paper (out of the cash register) and then deliberately place it half-folded on the mixing shelf, at his station wherever he may serve the party. The cheque should not be placed out on the counter or bar, because someone of the party drinking may accidentally knock it off the bar or forgetfully place it in his pocket without paying, and then, in case of disagreement or argument between the bartender and the party drinking, whether the drinks had been paid or not, there would not be any proof either way. But on the mixing shelf the cheque is in the possession of the bartender and under the eyes of the cashier, until it is paid, and thus there cannot possibly be any cause for a dispute.
A piece of paper left flat may not readily be seen, lying on a desk or shelf, but half-folded or creased, it has ends that make it more visible. In case of a large rush, at the lunch, dinner or supper hour, or when the place is next to, or in the vicinity of, a theatre, public hall, circus, etc., where there would necessarily be a rapid trade, at certain hours, especially in the evening, the cashier not only takes the money handed him by the bartenders, but also keeps watch, as far as possible, that the proper amount of money is paid over by the different parties of customers. At these times it is the duty of the proprietor or manager to place himself in such a position that he can oversee all that is being done, help to rectify mistakes and notice also that probably the right amount of money is being handed in. This is not because the proprietor is doubtful of the honesty of his employees, but because it is his duty to exercise for his own benefit a careful supervision of his own business.
Whenever there is such a rush, it is proper for the bartender, as soon as he receives money from the customer, in payment for the drink, to pick up the cheque and immediately cry out the change desire; for instance, if the bill is 40 cents and a dollar bill was presented, he would say, “Forty out of