The papers are full of a controversy about the expediency
and morality of fees to railway porters, guards, and officials generally. They are said to be immoral, as tempting the men to break their promise to take no fees, and inexpedient as amounting to a tax placed by travellers on themselves. The im- morality is, we fear' unquestionable, unless the payer is asking for extra or special service ; but the expediency is a different point, which we should like very much to refer to the arbi- tration of anybody accustomed to bring luggage to the Great Eastern terminus. If he pays he gets it in ten minutes; if he does not, seldom under half an hour. The real mischief of the system is the oppression it ensures to those who do not pay ; but we question if railways could put that down. They can only do it by watching the men, and then the only result is that watchers get a share. The public could put it down ; but ease, and quiet, and solitude are worth too much to too many, and the moment the spasm of virtue is over people will pay again.
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