Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-19
INDEPENDENTS ASK
WHY FRANCIS SKUNK
BROWN WAS PICKED
If for Expediency, They
Won't Critici8e, But They
Want to Know if Similar
Choices Will Be Made.

independent Republicans and reformers
who srpported the candidacy of Doctor
/ Bruubaurh we're inclined today to re-
! serve comment upon the Governors APP
| pointment OF Francis Skunk Brown, OF
| this city, as Attorney General. While ad-
| mitting they were not enthusiastic over
: the appointment of man generally
/ known as the personal and political coun-
Z sci of the Wares to this post. nevertheless
they said they were willing TO withhold
4. criticism for the present.
The one predominant question In the
minds OF the Independents now is
/ whether the naming of Mr.. Brown-which
Ia acknowledged to he a purely political
appolntment.-was a matter OF expediency
to insure the support Of the Organization
for the Brumbaugh legislative program,
or whether Il is to be taken as an index
of the administration which Pennsyl-
vana Is to expect from the new Gov
ernor.
Should the former prove to he true,
and developments demonstrate that DR..
Brumbaugh chose Francis Skunk Brown
in order not to antagonze the Republican
Legislature at the very outset of his
term of office, the approval of the 1nde
pendents will be given. ON the other
hand, some asked, with his very first
appointment political one, what could
be expected later?'
DEMANDED EXPLANATION.
It was learned today that the inde-
pendent supporters of Doctor Brumbaugh
prepared to demonstrate when they first
learned that Mr. Brown would be the
probable appointee, A conference of the
Independent leaders was held and the OBJ
vious favorinE of so strong an Organi-
zatiOn man was bitterly condemned. A
man close to Doctor Brumbaugh was
called upon to explain the Governor
elects position.
1t is understood that he made 1t plain
that Doctor Brumbaugh felt the necessary
OF having men close to the counsels of the
Republican Organization for this office.
He also indicated that the new Governor
had the fullest confidence in the integrity
and personal honor of Mr.. Brown. Upon
these grounds opposition was withdrawn.
Mr.. Brown was a candidate for the Of |
flee of Attorney General in 1910 after the
election of Governor Tener. Through q !
political play of McNichol, however the |
Wares were unable to put him in the Of |
flee. The McNichol candidate at that time |
was former Sheriff Joseph Gilhllan, one !
time personal counsel for McNichol.
When the fight became very close, Nc
Nichol adroitly offered to compromise |
on John C. Bell who also had formerly |
been an attorney for McNichol.
When the Wares realized that they had |
been duped the breach between the two |
factions of the Organization broadened, |
and the activity of the South Philadelphia |
leaders In the Mayoralty election in 1911 |
was in part reflection of the contro-
versy over the failure of Governor Tener
to appoint Mr.. Brown.
BROWN WON PTGGERY FIGHT.
Francis Skunk Brown is best known as
the personal and political counsel of the
Wares Ho is also trustee OF the Israel
Durham estate. It was Brown who
the piEgery owners in South
when Director Cooke made
his fight to have the piggeries removed
Director Cooke openly asserted that
the piggeries were under the protection
OF the Wares and Immediately after
wards by a strange coincidence, Brown,
the Ware attorney, became the attorney
for the piggery owners. The latter Or
ganized into an association to protect
their interests and it was Brown who
carried the case to the courts and who
so exercised his legal ability that the
piggeries still remain a South Phila-
lephia institution.
In the course of the trial Brown op-
posed the testimony of former Director
Of Public Health Neff, who charged that
the piggerles were menace TO the public
health in the southern section of the city.
While during late years Brown has been
identified with the Wares and
,ther Republican Organization leaders, in
lis earlier life he was a staunch Demo-
,rat. Late in the '90s he was regarded
is one of the leading Democrats in this
,ity and was repeatedly urged TO run for
public office. He declined nomnations for
everal offices, however, among them
'elng that of district attorney.
Just when or why Francis Skunk Brown
transferred his political allegiance to the
!ares, one-third owners of the Organiza-
ion, is not known.