The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-07
CAMPAIGN BUTTONS.
THEY ARE ALL MANUFACTURED IN A
NEW JERSEY CITY.

Are Used For Many Purposes.
All the campaign badge buttons of
the country are made in Newark, N. ].
This will undoubtedly surprise the gen.
.eral reader, but it is true just the same.
Ono firm does the business, and the
members have made big fortune The
button originated there, and owing to
| patent protection the industry is con-
fined to that city.
The originator of the button began in
a modest way in 1870 He started with
small printing press and made spe-
cialty of light job work Today he is
living illustration of what push, pluck
| and perseverance can accomplish. From
printing Office in little store he has
built up business that is known from
Maine to Mexico. The firm gives en-
| ployment all the year round to about
800 hands. 1t has originated an indus
try which is unique in its way and ev:
cry one of the million badges and but
tons turned out of the shop is peripa-
tetic advertisement of Newark as an in
| dustrial center.
AT present there is an Unsuitable de-
mand for Mckinley buttons and badges.
| Half n million have already been sold,
and they are being turned out by the
| thousand every day. An excellent Dor
trait of this presidential possibility is
| printed on the celluloid surface The
Levi p. Morton badge is in high favor,
but the Thomas B. Reed badge is gain
ing on it for second place in popular de-
mand. Thousands of Allison badges
have been made and shipped to the west,
where tho demand for political badge
| buttons is particularly strong
The button is a simple looking affair,
| yet the firm has all it's parts covered by
| six patents. The buttons arc of three
kinds. One is shaped like an ordinary
| cuff button, another has q screw back,
and third is button shaped, but is
| fastened with pin. This latter is the
latest, and will doubtless be the most
] popular. These badges cost about cent
| each at wholesale, but some Of them are
more expensive A new idea is tho
| printing of the insignia, or inscription,
in three colors, and tho badge bearing
the Cuban flag is among the first Of the
new designs.
There is n renewed demand for the
| Harrison buttons that were turned out
so plentifully four years ago.
The button badge is n fad today. 1t
was started only few years ago and
| jumped into popular favor at once so
| much SO that there is not d hamlet,
| however small, that does not contain
people walking about wearing these
badges made in Newark At first the
button badge was made for society
badge. The original ones We're made Of
metal, and the G. A. r. button has the
honor of being about the first 1t an
swered its purpose admirably, and then
a demand was made for cheaper kind
of button The stamped tin button fol-
lowed, and it in turn was succeeded by
the present day fad, button with a
celluloid surface, backed on tin or
cheap metallic base. Today the latter is
largely used for advertising and SOU
venir purposes and is adapted to every
| conceivable kind of an advertisement.
Is there great international yacht race
on hand, Immediately button is put
on the market for the rival yachts, and
the advocate shows his or her preference
| by the button displayed in conspicuous
lapel. Almost every bicycle manufac-
| eoASA al viz SOuhVA J iuo ~ DuItOn DtitI =
ing the wheels trademark, and at the
recent bicycle shows these buttons were
eagerly sought as souvenirs by the Wis
itors
| The advance agent of q coming theat-
rical attraction goes into the town with
few press notices and satchel full of
badge buttons, OH which is inscribed
the name of the attraction or some catch
phrase from it, and in some mysterious
ways these badges find immediate circu-
lation, and every other man and boy
continues himself into walking adj
vertisement.
| The button badge is only one feature
of this great badge making industry
The firm has improved, in fact, has rev
olutionized. the style Of badges for all
occasions. Formerly the badges for re-
captions, professions, conventions, So
ciety gatherings, ETC., were elaborate
but generally in harmonious oombina-
lions Of ribbon. tinsel and gilt lettering.
Today they are highly artistic in design
and beautiful in appearance.
There is no demand of Importance
as yet. for buttons or badges containing
the portraits of Democrats. Now and
then an order is received for few but
tons bearing the face Of President Cleve-
land. These are filled out of a stock of
Cleveland emblems yet remaining on
hand from the campaign of 1892: -Bos-
| ton Herald.