The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-01-29
M'k|NLEYI
MEMORY. i l !
!. R|EV|ER|ED|
(Carr1ation. { , .: !. i. pa y !!
Quite Gerll,e;r' i J; rally. |
!. ..Obse.1ru,ed

8 UOSeTUeQ
| WASHINGTON. Jan -Prestden
Roosevelt appeared to-day wearing /:
carnation,i in his buttonhole IL loylnt
memoySot bis predecessor IN th'
presidential chair. and his example
was followed ,by. t:.lf the citizens o
the national capital. Tue carnatiot
League Of America l1laugurateds tht
custom Of remembering the blltada,
Of the late William. Mckinley b,
wearing. n carnation. his fayoritt
flower. and Il is Low generally oh
served In Washington and throughou'
the country. Democrats aseweli as
Republicans among the senator's and
Representatives paid this mark fof re
spect to the martyr President to-day
William McKInlej was born Jan
20, 1s4s,, in Ohio. before Ills ascend
ency, to the Office Of President sot the
United States he was chairman 81
the powerful ways and means com
mittee in congress and the tariff BIZ
Of which he was tha author still bears
a noted place in American political
history. 3;s u,
Mckinley was shot septas at sRut
falo, N. Y, byczolgosz,t and died eight
days later, =. 5;f955 4s1s
The dead President loved the car
nation above all other flowers. 1T Is
peculiarly appropriate. therefore, that
a nation should wear. upon his; birth
day this tender token Of affection.
The custom vas originated BY Lewis
G. Reynolds, Of. Dayton. Ohio, who
wore n white carnation draped. 9in
black. on the first znniyersary Of the
Presidents death .% Later ne conceived
the idea Of ""The, catnatipn eags,e oi
America, z and toosf steps 70 organize
It. :s.t:5 ( 5si a
It -wa5 while Mckinley was COVER,
nor Of Ohio TINT his fancy for the car
nation became a sfondness. "A bevy OF
girl students Of Lake Erie college,
Palnsyille. O" made him an honorary
member, Of their class at the same
time plnning their class flower, car.
nation. in his bnltonhole.
The incident occurred while Govern.
or Mckinley was ii Painsville: as a
guest Of the Garfield club. He ever
afterwards etlnced I'm interest in the
class and often remembered and was
was in progress when Mr.. Mckinley
also became Interested In the class
and Its insignia ami provided n bunch
Of carnations ior her husbands room
every morning. a reunion Of the class
was | progress when Mr.. Mckinley
was first nominated for the presidency
and a congratnlaiory,t telegram was
sent him. At. each subsequent reunion
OF the class the President was remem'
tercd with a box otNcarnatlons.
When Mr.. Reynolds presented the
"carnation day Idea to the attention
of "Thc Mckinley National Memorial
Association at Canton, Ohio. 1t met
with the Instant approval Of the late
Senator Hanna, Jalge William r.
Day and other trustees of that asso-
clatlon. It was Mr., Reynolds original
idea that "carnatioi day'"Sbe observed
on September II, the anniversary OF
Mr. lAlcKinley's dcath;fi Just rs the
primrose Is worn in England on April
10. in memorySof' Lord Beaconheld,
but Alexander&l Revell, Of Chicago.
81 carnation ;,isasas trustee, vas sae,.
ccssful in having the date5changed to
January 20 as being more appropriate.
The idea was promulgated through
newspapers on December 2. 1902 and
met with universal approval.
The primary object of the move.
mcnt Is. Of course, toYprovide a per.
petual memorial In honor ofMckin'
ley. Tha object has already been ac-
compltshed. Hundreds Of thousands
Of his countrymen mad It In mind to
do him $honor annually. IN some ap.
proprlato manner. The "Carnatlon
Day" Idea struck 4 responsive chord
in>line with the loyal impulse which
prompted the stopping Of nearly all
wheels OF industry for those few mo-
ments on the day Of burial.