Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-07
FIGHT IN COURT EXPECTED
TO REVERSE ELECTION COUNT

tary act of 10000 or more respectable cit-
zens who dlsfranchised themselves by not
registering.
while the Wares have saved their Or
ganizatlon and their own leadership from
annihilation. their victory is almost purely
technical When the Republican majority
in Philadelphia is reduced from 100000 and
more to a mere trace. the result amounts
to virtual condemnation Of the organlza-
ton management and Is really a vote Of no
consequence. 1t is a rebuke and warning,
and 1t should stimulate and strengthen the
elements that supported the Town Meeting
party There should be no abandonment or
the campaign against the disgraceful mu-
nicipaH government that has shamed the
city in the eyes OF the nation. The prose-
cutiOns resulting from the brutality in the
Fifth Ward should be pressed to a speedy
conclusion and the guilty convicted and pun
ished. Measures for the removal of the
Mayor ought to be Instituted and the sin
certify OF the Town Meeting leaders and of
Senator Penrose will be tested by their
action in consistently pursuing the pur-
poses they publicly proclaim and which
were the issue in the campaign"
THE election in Phil idelphia is so closely
tied up with the Fifth Ward troubles that
1 do not C ire to make any comment" was
the gst Of statement made by
Governor Brumbaugh during visit to
Camp Meade today The Governor met
the newspaper men at the headquarters of
General Kuhn and although in a tllkative
mood declined to discuss the election re-
turns
'The result speaks for itself" he SAID.
THE whole contest has been so tied UP
with Fifth Ward troubles, which ] have
been careful to avoid that l don't care
at this time to discuss II. / shall make
no comment until the courts have had a
chance to pass upon the situation"
Discussing the Pennsylvania troops he
asserted that the state would stand by its
soldiers and do everything possible to pro-
mote their happiness, health and efficiency.
Frederick j. Shoyer, the Organization
candidate for City Treasurer, was the low
man on the Republican County ticket. His
majority over William r. Nicholson, the
Town Meeting Party candidate, was only
2747.
The result was so close, according to
the unofficial figures that Howard r. Shep-
pard chairman of the Town Meeting party,
announced early this morning that the fu-
sionsts will not concede the election Of
the Republican ticket until the returns
are scrutinized in court"
He claimed the election of the fusion
ticket by $4,000 He estimated that the
Vare-Smith ticket will not receive this ma
jority after the soldier vote has been re-
corded. The Ware claim that the soldier
vote will increase the majorities to 10000
for Shoyer and Sheehan, and $4,000 for
Kendrick.
The result of the soldier vote is nc; being
announced by the Brumbaugh appointed
special commissioners who went to the
camps to record 1t. They are turning over
their books to the County Commissioners
and the courts here for the official count.
The scattering returns received. however.
show that the Town Meeting ticket won by
4 to in the various camps.
The heaviest Socialist vote ever cast In
Philadelphia was poled by Henry John
Nelson, Socialist candidate for District At
torney. The unofficial police returns give
him SS36. The leaders of the Socialist
party, however, declare that his vote was
1866, with twenty-five divisions. many of
them strongly Socialist, missing.
Eugene V. Debs Socialist candidate for
President, received a little more than 5000
votes in Philadelphia In 1912. Benson re-
ceived $500 in this city in the presidential
election last year, and the city ticket $500.
showing a probable gain of 1900 by the
Socialists here in year.
LOOSEN GRIP ON COUNCILS
The independents. however loosened the
Wares grip on the clty's fin Inces by making
big inroads on the Ware strength in City
Councils, which the South Philadelphia
leaders have controlled since Mayor Smith
took Office.
The Town Meeting party elected fourteen
of the thirty-two Select Councilmen elected
and forty-eight of the ninety-seven Common
Councilmen.
All of the eight sitting Judges were re-
elected with the only serious opposition
coming from Eugene c. Bonniwell in Com
mon Pleas Court No. 5. Judge Monaghan
defeated Bonniwell by only 1885 votes.
The four Republican candidates for Mag
istrate all appear to have been elected by
majorities of 10000 each giving the three
minority places to Eisenbrown, Grelis and
Boyle Democratic candidates, who had the
Endorsement of the fusiOnists.
District Attorney Rotan. who has been
prosecuting the Fifth Ward murder and
thuggery. received the highest NOte cast 70"
any individual candidate. He polled 15S,750
votes.
Mr.. Rotan made the following statement
today regarding his election:
II sincerely thank, through the newspa-
pers the citizens who have worked fer me
and voted for me.