Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-06
BANNERS AFTER ELECTIONS.
Where They Cos and the Uses to which
They are Put-SOld to the Junkman.

Where They Cos and the Uses to which
They are Put-SOld to the Junkman.
~ From the Nal0 York Times.
"What becomes of political banners af-
ter electiOn?" repeated large manufac-
turer. "WhY, bless you, that's more than
| can tell. You see, it all depends. II a
candidate is elected, Of course the banner
that did it is treasured up as trophy. 1t
is laid away as a sacred relic. On future
occasions, when the club wants to have a
big time, it is brought out to be looked at
and admired. You wouldn't believe what
an inspiration it is, they say. 1t calls up
the memory Of old times in a way that
awakens enthusiasm and keeps the boys
keyed up to a sense of patriotic duty. i
know a Clue in this town that has 20 ban
ners to remind the members of as many
successful campaigns. The boys hold a
dinner every winter. They spend week
beforehand hanging the banners around
the walls. In the case of temporary pO-
litical organizations which have no per-
manent meeting rooms. it is q common
practice TO cut up the banner into as
many pieces as there are members, giving
each a fragment to take home. Perhaps
this is the most usual disposition. 1t is
the next best thing to preserving the
boys together from year to year.
"NO; banners that serve only as remind
ers of defeat are not preserved. AS a
rule, they go to the junk shop. | suppose
this year the junk dealers have made heaps
ofmoney on cast-Off Republican stock. One
iunkman in Ann street told me the other
day he had received 20 Davenport ban
ners. They came from all over, be said,
and the town was fairly fully of them.
They were bought for a song, and in many
cases he had only to cart them away.
Some clubs sent the banners around at
night when nobody was looking. The Junk
man said he didn't know what had be-
come of the Democratic banners. They
were as scarce as Il es in November. l
guess the truth OF the matter is, the Dem
ocrats had good reason this year not to
sell them. They may be needed next
time. 1t doesn't belong to this story ex-
actly, but feel inst like remarking here
that 1t will be long while before Repub-
lican banners will be worth anything
except what they will bring in the rag
market. That's about S6."
"How much money is annually spent for
bannersT
"Anywhere from 500, 900 to $500, 900. In
close presidential years when every little
club must hoist flyer the amount per-
haps exceeds 100000. In this city alone
when Cleveland was elected over $4,000
was spent in that way. This year 1t
reached about half that sum. An ordi-
nary banner costs IN the neighborhood OF
500, but some 20 as high as $500. The
amount paid for banners is one OF the
largest items of election expenses. Some
times the general committees furnish the
banners. but as rule the candidates de-
fray the expenses. 1t mas got 10 be a
COMMON practice for individuals OF cote
ries TO buy a banner aud then speculate,
They 90 around among the candidates
and sell out to the ones having the most
money. in this way three or four young
men, calling themselves such ana such a
club, with 80 many members, often reap
enough 20 keep them all winter.
"Banner making, while II is compare
lively new enterprise, has developed
wonderfully. There are dozens OF firms
all through the country devoted TO II,
and IL represents a capital OF several mil
lions. Before the war campaign banner
was a rare sight. IL has grown up prin-
cipally since then. Tho old flag pole,
which Is vet so prominent feature IN
country elections, was all the rage In these
DAYS. Old New Workers VIII remember
when this city used 20 resemble NINA
ture forest. Green hickorles with the TOP
branches on were planted all over the
town, The party that had the biggest
tree aid the most Growing Men were
employed 10 scour the woods around Tor
tall saplings. The first house that made
a speciality OF banner making started IN
Boston about seventeen years ago. DINERS
soon snrang up. and. by means OF adver-
tising. cot the craze fully introduced. II
took ike measles. Now, yon couldn't
stop il any more than you could argue ia
dies out OF wearing hlgh-heeled boots;
Imagine q campaign without political
bannor. There would be no fun IN II, 10
ardor, no patriotism; and l doubt veIg
much, II man did get elected under sucn
circumstances, whether he could coASsi-
tutionally take his ONCE. Anyhow ne
wouldn't deserve to-"
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