New-York tribune., 1912-01-07
Many a Tourist Has Left
Washington with photo
of Taft and Himself
Hobnobbing.

kens be sold. At another curio shop the
proprietor announced that a law had been
passed forbidding the sale of these little
images, which, of course, was not the case.
At any rate, they cannot now be purchased
for love or money at the big stores deal
ing in souvenirs. The buyer having charge
of this department I'm OGe big shop stated
that he knew where there was full stock
Of them, laid away in New York, but that
he would not dare order one
Tourists carry home each year from
Washington tons of plates, cups and
saucers. ash trays. plaques and all sorts
Of china and metallic ware used for or
namental purposes. bearing the Executive
physiOgnomy. And for a quarter you may
take home to the children a bone paper
cutter through a tiny eyepiece in the ham
die of which ihey may view an illuminated
portrait of Mr.. Taft
The magic of the Presidential touch or
association is everywhere seen. \ Wash
ngton rcstaurateur who conducts mu-
scum in his establishment exhibits Zachary
Taylor's old hat. for which he would not
take its weight in gold. The pens with
which Chief Magistrates sign this or that
document are Immediately snatched up,
duly labelled and packed away I'm some
treasure chest OF curiO cabinet Every biz
city and many a small town contains one or
more hostleries boasting Of the Presidential!
suitc-thc Lincoln room Mckinley room OF
Roosevelt room-in which at a premium,
the guest may gaze upon the same four
walls which once hedged about President
Of the United States
nv, a
4 high price and vastly enhances the value
Of anything to which attached. Volumes Of
Mr.. Rooscvelts work., each autographed
by him. brought $50 apiece and sold for
50 200 a set of twenty-five volumes.
Now and then newspapers announce that
M q certain fair or bazaar held for charity
some sample OF Mrs. Taft's handiwork VIII
no ratfIed off, and the device never talls 10
draw q throng and vastly increase the reve-
mes from the enterprise. The announce
mont that Mrs. Roosevelt had contributed a
baodIxerchief Tor such a purpose was i'm
r,.liotelv followed by no fewer than five
hundred requests from bazaar and fair
committees all over the country that sae
send them, for the same purpose. aprons
neckties, dressed dolls autographs c'''
one request was for one OF her favoUte
quotations. copied by her own hand ana
sealed I'm an envelope Early IN Presiu'H'
RooseveIts first administration there was
circulated a canard that he would present
his autographed photograph to every ch'lu
named Theodore Roosevelt smith, broWh'
etc. and thereafter poured into the Whl'e
House hundreds of announcements thaI
bobies named for him were ready FOR the
promised souvenir
The President, OF course, had 10 retuse
these requests hut he made one po''p'e
exception in favor Of one Theodore koose-
vol, Foster, the fifteenth child of MIchl-
,or farmer. whose views upon the veNed
.aoo suicide question conceded with his
own.
Tho nunlic's zeal for souvenirs or Presl-
! dantIol families was impressed upon the
authorities during these days, when the
White House was being remodelled to SUIT
Ar Rooseyelts tastes. Day after cay well
draesed people poked about In the piles OF
debris. nlllng bags and suitcases with
pleces OF brick. nails, bits OF plaster ana
ayan splinters Of wood one such searcher
= ratired in high glee with pair of brass
hrackets. which had formed part of the
httIngs OF the old Blue Room.
Indeed. were il not for the Executive
bodyguard OF arguS-eyed Secret Service
sleuths. the ever hungry souvenir hunting
yandal would strip tne President Of his
| ,lnthcs aud of the very hair of his head.
Rut such arc the perquisltcs of the rulers
trade such are the penalties for riding
| the bubble fame
! Sht. iels. by John Eiifeth "slkins)