Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-03-05
SAYS CANNON'S The Man.
The Above is The Opinion Expressed
by Max Bimberg, Better Known
as "Bim, The Button Man"
(By Special Wire to the ARaUs.)


change my opinion, but if I were or
dering campaign buttons today I
would put in my bid tor a thousand OF
the Cannon emblems for every gross of
buttons [ ordered for Taft, Hughes or
any other of those mentioned in con-
nection with the Republican nomina-
tion.''
The above is tue opinion expressed
by Max Bimberg, better known as
t'Bim, the Button Man" Though he |
is kept pretty busy nowadays con-
structing and manning theaters in the
metropolis, ''Bim" is still ready to talk
of the campaign button business, in
which he laid the foundation for his pres
ent substantial fortune. Up to the con-
ventions of19OO he familiar figure
at all the national political gatherings.
With force of street fakirs and hawk
ers he was accustomed to jump from
New York to the convention city ready
to flood the place with all varieties of
campaign buttons.
1t was at the Republican National
Convention in Philadelphia that Bin" |"
established his reputation as a long
distance political Pre- ognosticator. AS
will be remembered, the nomination OF
Roosevelt for second place on the
ticket was not thought of at the time
the convention assembled. Those
who had broached the subject to the
leader Of the Rough Riders" had been
met with his plain and unqualified
statement that he would not accept the
nomination. But, as everyone knows,
arguments were brought to bear upon
Mr.. Roosevelt that caused him to
change his mind, though so far as the
general public was concerned his nom
ination had been entirely unlocked for.
Then it was that "Bim, the Button
Man." came into prominence. Before
the noise of the balloting and cheering
had died away he had his men flood
ing the convention hall lobbles and the
streets of Philadelphia with buttons
and badges bearing the likeness OF the
Vice. Presidential candidate. And to |
cap the climax he stated that he had
brought several hundred thousand OF
the Roosevelt buttons from New York
because he had been absolutely certain
of his nomination. Thus was estab
lished Mr.. Bimberg's reputation as
political prophet.
"Bim" is no longer in the button |
business and those who have succeed |
ed him do not seem to place much re-
lance in his opinion on the subject of
the Presidential nominee of the Re-
publican party this year. Speaker
Cannon does not appear to cut much
of a figure in their trade calculations.
The largest manufactures of campaign |
emblems in the country, located in
Newark, are already in receipt OF Or |
ders for buttons from dealers in such |
things. These orders show that Taft |
and Bryan are regarded as the prob
able nominees. Tue order for Bryan
buttons tar outnumbers all the rest,
indicating presumably that the Ne
braska leader is supposed to have
sure thing on the Democratic nomina-
tion, The number of Taft buttons Or
dered is almost as large. Hughes but
tons are being turned out in consider
able quantities, but if Cannon, Knox,
LaFollette or anyone else heads the
ticket to be named at Chicago the but
ton makers will have to do some hur-
ry-up work, as there will be no large
supply of these buttons made up in
advance.
The campaign this fall will bring
forth a number of novelties in the way
of emblems. number of unique de-
signs to be used by both parties are
already being made. But the familiar
tin button with celludloid facing, the
kind that has sprung into world wide
popularity during the past few years,
will be used to greater extent than
ever before. These are turned out in
such quantities and at such a low price
that they can be sold at from one to
ten cents, or even given away, at a
profit.
Washington, Feb. 26.-President
Roosevelt today sent special mess
age to Congress accompanying the
preliminary report of the inland :
waterways commission, and in it he ]
points out the great value ofthe work s
done by this commission and of the s
future development of waterways in /
the United States, North Carolina be-
ing one of the states interested in this {
movement.