Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-20

ancestry in Caledonia, N. Y, in 1850,
graduated from Princeton university
in 1878, and the next year began the
practice of the law in Rochester, n. !.
In 1883, owing to impairment IN
health, he moved to Plerre' .; ~,
where he organized the western IN Loan -
and Trust company, with $4OO,OOO cap
itaI hut found 1t necessary to remain
much in New York. and took up MS
permanent residence there, devotlng
sixteen years to buying and selling nu
nicipal bonds. In 1906-07 an attack OF
grip forced Mr.. Mcdonald, under physl-
Giants advice, to take up his residence
in Los Angeles.
Mr.. Mcdonald has always been
Democrat, casting his first vote in 1877
for Horace Greeley, the Democratic
nominee for the presidency.
In 1896 Mr.. Mcdonald became greatly
Interested in Mr.. Bryan's candidacy,
delivering in New York one hundreo
speeches in favor Of Mr.. Bryan's elec-
ton. Immediately after the election
active supporters of Mr.. Bryan organ
ized the New York State Bi-Metallic
league, electing Mr.. Mcdonald Its nrst
president.
Early in 1897 a series of five lectures
was delivered in Carnegie hall, New
York, under the auspices of the league
two by Mr. Bryan and one each by Con-
gressman (afterward senator) ToWne OF
Minnesota, Congressman (now senator)
Newlands of Nevada, and congressman
George Fred Williams of Massacnu-
setts, These lectures are said to con-
stitute the ablest exposition of bi-met-
allism ever made in the United states.
In May, 1897, the advocates or the
principles of the Chicago platform or
ganized the Loyal Democratic league
of the state of New York, electlng MT.
Mcdonald it's president.
In the state campaign of 1907 the
league earnestly supported Supreme
Court Judge Alton B. Parker, VINO was
in the election just indicated elected
chief Judge of the court of appeals by
a majority of over 10000.
In September, 1898, the league held
it's first state convention at Syracuse,
N. Y, over 600 delegates being present
representing every county in the state
AS the regular Democratic state con-
yention which was then in session at
Syracuse refused to reaffirm the chi
cago platform, Mr.. Mcdonald was
unanimously nominated by the league
for governor of the state.
AS this was an independent nomlna-
ton, the statutes of the state required
that the nomination be legalized by
filing with the secretary of state not
less than thirty days before the state
election, which occurred November D,
verified petition from eacn OF Ine
sixty-one counties in the state--no pc
titiotl to carry less than fifty names
the aggregate required being 5000
names.
After fierce opposition on the one
hand by the regular Democrats, and on
the other hand by the machine Repub-
licans, the sixty-one petitions, making
an aggregate of more than IL 600
names, were on the last day for filing
assembled at Albany, the state capital.
All were filed except the petition
from Ulster county, which, after an
extended controversy between Mr.. Nc
Donald's representatives and two ma
chine Democrats from Ulster county,
was destroyed by the Ulster county
men about 10 p. m. in the law office or
ex-senator David B. Hill, after tele-
phonic communication with that gem
tleman at his home at Wolferts Roost.
Before the opening of the secretary
of states office on the following morn
ing another petition, bearing over 100
names. had been secured from Ulster
county. A request made to the secre-
tary of state to file the petition nunc
pro tune was refused.
An appeal was at once taken to the
supreme court. The appellate division
of that court, however, held that while
the equities were entirely with Mr..
Mcdonald, there was no statutory pro-
vision permitting the filing Of nom
mating petition after midnight of the
thirtieth day preceding election day,
and that consequently McDonald's
name could not be placed on the off,
cia1 ballot.
Mr.. Mcdonald again in 1900 ardently
supported Mr.. Bryans candidacy. In