M’Kinley’s Badges

Souvenirs of His Campaigns and Tours by Hundreds.

(Washington Cor. Chicago Tribune.)

     Among the numerous trunks and boxes that were removed from the White House the other day containing the personal effects of Mrs. McKinley and the late president was a wooden box of considerable size filled to the top with campaign and committee badges and ribbons. These are souvenirs of every national campaign in which McKinley was ever a candidate, and of his tours while he was president around the continent. While traveling on these presidential trips some local committeemen at each place he visited always pinned a badge or ribbon on his coat, and Mr. McKinley preserved these as mementoes [sic] of his numerous visits among the people.
     After each of his long tours through the south and west there were received at the White House many packages containing complete collections of badges used on the occasion of his visit to scores of cities and towns. These came from mayors and chairmen of reception committees, and some badges were in their way elaborate and handsome. The late president’s collection of campaign badges is also interesting, especially those of the campaign of 1896, when hundreds of emblems to represent the promise of prosperity were devised, and the campaign of 1900, when the “full dinner pail” and other devices were wrought in silk and metal to be worn by McKinley’s supporters all over the country.
     Mr. McKinley had four large shields made and covered with these badges, and they were exhibited in his library at the White House. Besides the badges on the shields there were hundreds of others stored away in boxes and drawers in his private apartments.