The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-24
CRAZE FOR SOUVENIRS
IS DEhORALIzINC
The Victims of 1t VIII Use Al
most Any Means-t0 Obtain
What They Want

The souvenir habit seems to have
singular effect upon it's victims. The
desire to have a memento from each
place or building visited, appears to
warp the character, and those affected
become dead to honesty and every
finer feeling, The one thought is to
obtain some coveted souvenir and as
the passion grows it results in a sort
of obsession of mind. The writer re-
members of learning with a shock a
few years ago that souvenir spoons
We're not always bought and paid for,
but sometimes taken from hotels
abroad or here without leave or license.
One woman was quite surprised when
amaZement was expressed by another
at this proceeding. She did not con-
slider it stealing, but stealing it un-
doubtedly is, and it merely carries out
my theory that when this craze be-
comes fixed, devious means of obtain
ing souvenirs become the rule.
Now what comfort there can be in
a lot of spoons taken from hotel ta-
bles in various parts of the world,
when no one is looking, it remains for
some one who understands to say. A
literary man who is publishing his
"reminiscences serially in magazine,
devotes a chapter or two to autograph
hunters which are one class of the
souvenir fiends. He says the subter-
fugess and deceptionS which are prac-
ticed to obtain autographs-to say
nothing of the diShonesty-are almost
beyond belief. When they can't get
what they want legitimately, they will
steal it and undoubtedly justify them
selves or their consciences in some
manner. In New York certain libra
sessions a biography of Olive Crom-
we'll which had once belonged to Thom-
as Carlyle and had his name inscribed
on the fly leaf Some vandal with the
autograph craze has stolen the page
with his name upon it and of course
rendered the book utterly worthless.
Beside which the signature of Carlyle
does not bring more than so cents in
the autograph market, so ii was not
to sell it again that the man stole it,
but merely to gloat over it in secret.
The man who wrote of this dwells
upon the absolute lack of courtesy that
characterizes these autograph hunters,
and says in his own he can remember
but one instance where one said thank
YOU" and that was a girl. Score one
for us! As a rule, these people, once
they obtained what they wanted, for
got to be polite.
But it is digging out pieces of beautiful
buildings and disfiguring works of art
which are the most singular develop
ments of the craze, and since the new
capitol has been completed we have
had several fiagrant, instances of this
vandalism. Not only gouging out a
piece Of Italian marble from one of the
pillars, which is inexplicable from any
point of view, but an instance which
has not appeared in print is still more
remarkable. When the large glass ball
which incloses incandescent lights and
hangs in the dome, was being installed.
1t was found that it was too large to
go through a certain door, therefore
some portions of it had to be taken
apart and were laid on the floor for a
few minutes. When they went back
10 get these crystals they were gone
NOW the man, woman or child who
does not know any better than that
should not be allowed at large. The
capitol has already suffered much from
persons who have the souvenir habit
to an absurd degree and who allow
nothing to stand in the way of getting
what they want What particular Joy
there can be in defacing buildings for
the sake of a scrap of stone or marble,
is hard to understand.
Another development of this remark
able fad is the desire to write ones
name or Scribble initials on high places.
and on statues or pictures, and has re-
suited already in the scratching up of
the walls of the capitol. The utter dis
regard for decency and the fitness of
things which this fad reveals is very
dlScouraging. One can pardon a little
boy who does not know any better. IL
ne perpetrates some act of vandalism.
but when grown men and women carry
OH souvenirs which involve stealing.
them, then II is not comprehensive