The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-10-28

Representative ii Congress from New
Jersey, called at Republican National
Committee headquarters early this
month to offer his services on the stump
for William H. Taft. Though he has
been stanch Democrat all his life, he
Is bitterly opposed to William Jennings
Bryan and because he believes that the
election Of Bryan to the Presidency
would mean the greatest calamity to
the country since the civil war, he IL
ready to exert himself to the utmost to
aid the election Of Judge Taft. He is
speaking at Republican rallies through.
cut the Eastern States
Democrats Organize to Fight Bryan.
That the sentiments felt by these men
are shared by many in New York is
shown in the organization Of the "Cleve-
land Democracy" an association whose
principles are alti-Bryan, and which
has been formed, according to the arti-
cles Of incorporation, ITO revive the true
spirit Of Democracy among the voters
OF Harlem and Of the whole city,"
Headquarters have been opened and the
club Is doing active work, not, it is al
most unnecessary to say, In the inter-
ssts Of the continuous Nebraska Office
seeker. .-s.
John R. Dos Passos, leading New
York lawyer and author, who has al
ways been Democrat, has come out
IN long statement announcing his al
legiance to Taft and denouncing Bryan
ism and the remnants Of the party which
Bryan controls. II am Democrat" he
says, II expect to cast my vote for Mr..
Taft" William B. Davenport, a we'll
known Brooklyn Democrat, for many
years Public Administrator of Kings
County, has denounced the Democratic
platform and is now a vice president Of
the Taft-Sherman Lawyers Club.
Anti-Bryan Sentiment Widespread.
Former Special City Judge Irving
K. Baxter, Of Utica, N. Y, who has
always been a Democrat, and was
elected on that ticket, not only has re-
pudiated Bryan, but will take the
stump and advocate the election Of
Taft and Sherman. Even up in Maine,
where the members Of the Democratic
minority are supposed to be hopelessly
bidebound, there is detection. w. H.
Mclaughlin, of Scarboro, for instance,
announces that he has become so dis
gusted with Bryan in the Haskell con-
troversy that he has swung over to
the Republican party.
After hearing Judge Taft speak at
st. Louis, J. D. Houseman, of Denver,
Colo, well-known railroad builder,
announced his conversion to the Re-
publican party and it's candidates. Mr.
Houseman had been loyal Democrat
for many years. This incident Of
course, Is a direct tribute to Judge
Taft's powers as a campaigner, of
which many evidences were produced
on his now famous western trip.
"Conversions" in the West.
At st. Joseph, Mo-, one of the feat
ures was the conversion" Of w. F.
Davis, a prominent Democrat, who
went to 4 meeting at the stock yards
to see Mr.. Taft, After sizing up the
latter Mr.. Davis declared: II
thought would vote for Mr.. Bryan,
but this man surely looks good to me-"
Another Missouri Democrat, Il. b.
Haywood, a Bus.;- eamaEt abroad con-
ductor of St. Louis, evidently was
similarly impressed; at any rate, he
has announced that Taft will get hia
vote Noticeable among the vice presi-
dents at the Taft reception at St.
Louis were James e. Smith, head OF
the st. Louis Business Mems League
and Frederick n. Judson, well-known
lawyer. both Democrats who have de.
clared their intention of supporting
Taft.
Some readers will remember that II
1900 Webster Davis, former mayor Of
Kansas City, and assistant secretary
ct the interior under Mckinley, boltsd
Mckinley to take the stump for Bryan.
Well, Webb Davis now lives in Loa
Angeles, and is back In the Republican
fold, this time to stay, he declares.
He says Taft is going to win and he
10 boosting him all he can.
In Chicago the Business Mems Taft
ard Sherman Club has been doing
strong work in the campaign. Two
Of the organizers of the club were for
mer Democrats. They are Franklin
MacVeagh, wholesale grocer, and
Frank II. Jones, secretary Of the
American Trust and Savings Bank.