AMERICAN NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 305, 18 September 1908, Page 8

AMERICAN NOTES.

CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY. IMPRESSIONS OF MR. H. I3AILLIE. Mr. H. Baillie, Wellington City Librarian, gives somo racy impressions of American events and ways in a letter received by tho last. mail. When Mr. Baillie wrote, Mr. Taft, tho Republican nominee for the Presidency, had been officially notified of his selection by tho Republican Convention, and Mr. Bryan, the Democratic candidate, though still waiting for such formal intimation from the Domocratic Convention, was ''talking into tho phonograph the records to be sent around tliejcountry so that tho party may hear its ' master's voice.' " Ho was also considering tho question of sending typewritten addresses. " Tho question of tho costs of the campaign," writes Mr. Baillie, "is treated in a matter-of-fact kind of way. The candidate or his secretary or treasurer openly solicits contributions to tho funds; any amount is accepted from ono dollar upwards, but, from what I can gather, institutions may not contribute. Tho general opinion seems to be that Taft will go in, with, perhaps, a smaller lead. All kinds of devices advertising tho candidates aro now on the market — buttons, puzzles, watch fobs, etc. They usually cost five or ton cents, although somo of tho buttons aro about tho size of a dollar. Popular Breathing Places. "The cities I have visited so far aro San Francisco, Minneapolis, St,-Paul, Cleveland, Pittsburg, Buffalo, New York, and Washington. Every ono of these cities has parks that wo might bo envious of. I am more impressed than ever with tho liopo that Wellington will not let one inch of its parks or belt or reserves be. diverted from their purpose. Hero in New York, and I believe in other cities, they'are making small reserves in the squares in business districts 011 land bought for the purpose. Theso reserves aro planted and grassed, with, porhaps, a statue or one or two flower-beds. Tho paths aro lined with seats, and they seem to be perfect god-sonds to the people. All day these seats will bo occupied—l don't know by what class, all classes, I guess —and you will seo tho boot-blacks busy most of tho time, and numerous newspapers in use. It seems to bo a kind of reading-room. A person buys a paper and leaves it 011 tho seat when 110 has finished it, and a continued stream will use it, unless some degenerato carries it away. On these hot nights the families from tho surrounding districts come and sit there. It seems rather strange to me to seo children playing 011 the streets as late as ten o'clock at night, but when you consider the weather and other conditions you cannot bo surprised. There is ono thing that you do not seo in New York, and that is the begging class. Ono sees no such incident as a blind man or womau standing at the sidewalk with that sad sign ' Blind ' displayed, neither aro there blind musicians (?) of any kind. True, there are tho organ-grinders, but tlicy have to work for their living. It is, I should say,, a healthy occupation on the streets of Now York, where tho tune is' usually ' Step lively.' " The Yankee Twang. The season in Now York, Mr. Baillio states, has beon the hottest for seven years, tho thermometer being up to 96. Tho Yankee twang was non-existent- among tho Americans lie' met " It- is truo that tho Westerners liavo a habit of getting in slang •wherever they can, and one- of tho most unfortunate words in tho language is tho affirmative, ' Yes.' This word gots a fearful knocking about, until at times it is quite unrecognisable —yep, ycrp, yea, yearp, eoaa—until at last they get into pure German—ja. " Tho libraries that I have visited aro looked upon as tho best in tho States, and tho organisation in each case is splendid."