The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-09
DISGUISED WITH FUSION.
LIFELONG DEMOCRAT OPENLY RE-
NOUNCEs ALLEGIANCE.
Charles Donovan, of Wbatcom, De-
spairs of His Party Abandoning
Its "Ismsv and ProcInims Himself
ms Henceforth Republican.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
NEW WHATCoM, March s.-CharIes
Donovan. one of the pioneers ana best
known Democrats of this section OF tie
state, stated TO the Post-Intellgencer to-
day that he expects to never again vote
the Democratic ticket and is from now on,
an ayowed and full fiedged Republican.
Since coming to Whatcom county in 1873.
Mr.. Donovan has held nearly every coun-
~ offiee In the list. securing his election,
each time, as a Democrat In 1877, Mr..
Donovan was elected treasurer Of Whatcom
county, which then comprised the entire
northwestern part OF the state, and served
two terms in that capacity In 1883 he was
nominated by the Democrats and cleo ed to
the office OF county clerk. having served
the previous two years as deputy sheriff.
He was clerk four years. and at the close
OF his term was elected to the office OF
county commissioner, serving in 1s9l-;i2. In
1894 he was a candidate for re-eieotion on
the Democratic ticket and was defeated.
1t was known that Mr.. Donovan was
dissatisfied with the Chicago platform and
II is understood that he voted for McKin-
ley in 1896. but Re has never. until now,
publicly announced his withdrawal from
the Democratic party. Fusion vas the
first cause of his drifting away politically
from the associates OF twenty-five years.
uSlon mas always Deen repuRnaUL 10
me-" said he today. 81 believe 1t ~ right
for every candidate TO use all fair and legi-
innate means to secure his own election.
but II seems TO me that fusion is much too
bald Pronunciation of party principles
for the sake OF securing the spells OF Of
fee. l was never a party to any efforts
towards fusion on the part OF the Demo-
cratic party.
II am for sound money. and always lave
been, and believe the new financial laws.
about to be adopted by the nation win set
tie that matter In my opinion the Repun-
lican party has fulfilled every promise
made in its platform In 1896. There were
two planks in the Chicago platform to
which / was wholly averse. One WAS the
free silver plank and the other was TIE
one advocating the taking away OF the
power OF the government 10 enforce law
and order and the aiming OF n blow st one
OF the great bulwarks OF our government,
the supreme court. While never believed
that the Democratic party. II placed in
power, would carry out such radical meas
ures I do not believe in their advocacy for
the purpose Of vote catching"
On the newer question of expansion, Mr..
Donovan IL thoroughly I'm accord with the
administration ~ would have preferred
that the Philippine islands had never been
left on our hands" said he, but that cir
cumstance was unavoidable and the cnly
honorable solution OF the question Is the
modification OF the islands and their rescn-
ton by the government. President Mckln-
ley could have adopted no other course. l
used to believe that the United states was
big enough but now realize that we are
in n new era-an era OF expansion, and X
we do not keep MP with the times We shall
he left behind to become a minor power
and perhaps be absorbed by greater one
''I am now n Republican and will vote
that ticket next fall. I do not expect to
ever vote the Democratic ticket again as
its disposition towards ant-everything Is
now too firmly grounded TO give any nope
Tor a change To the path of progress"