Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-05

The League Managers are in the Busi-
 ness for Every Dollar In Sight-The Re-
 serve Rule Used in an Arbitrary Way
 Ward to Manage the Now Brooklyn
 Team-To-Morrow's Meeting.
 NEW YORK, Nov. 1.-The session of the Council of the Baseball Brotherhood lasted until o'clock last evening. The only important business transacted was the preparation of the following ad- dress to the public defining the position of the Brotherhood toward the National League:
 At last the Brotherhood of baseball players feels at liberty to make known it's intentions, and defend itself against the aspersions or interpretations, which for weeks it has been forced to suffer in silence. 1t is no lon ger secret that the players of the League have determined to play next season under different management, but for reasons which will, we think, be understood, it was deemed advisable to make no announcement of this in- tention until the close of the present season; but now that the struggles for the various pen ants are over, and the terms of our contracts expired, there Is no longer reason for holding it back.
 In taking this step, we feel that we owe it to the public and to ourselves to explain, briefly some of the reasons by which we have been moved. There was a ttme when the League stood for integrity and fair dealing. To-day 1t stands for dollars and cents. Once 1t looked to the elevation of the game and an honest exhibition of the sport. To-day it's eyes are on the turn stile. Men have come into the busin ess for nc other motive than to exploit it for every dollar in sight. Measures originally Intended for the good of the game have been perverted into instruments for wrong. The Reserve" rule and the provisions of the na- tlonal agreement gave the managers unlim- ited power, and they have not hesitated to use this in the most arbitrary and mercenary way Players have been bought, sold and ex- changed as though they were sheep instead of with them another name for property right in the player. By combination among them selves, stronger than the strongest trust, they were able to enforce the most arbitrary meas ures and the player had either to submit or get out of the profession in which he had spent years in attaining proficiency. Even the dis UAndment of a club did not free the players from the octopus clutch, for they were then peddled around to the highest bidder. What the player sometimes profited by the sales has nothtpg to do with the case, but only proves the injustice of his previous restraint
 Two yeare ago we mot the League and at- tempted to remedy some of these evils, but through what has been politely called League diplomacy we completely failed. Unwilling to longer submit to such treatment we made a strong effort last spring to reach an under standing with the League. To our applicatio for hearing they replied that the matter was VI ing and suggested that it be put off until the fall.
 Our committee replied that the players felt that the League had broken faith with them; that while the results might be of little inn fortance to the managers they were of great importance to the players That if the League would not concede what was fair we would adopt other means to protect ourselves: that If postponed until fall we would be separated and at the mercy of the League, and that as the only course left us required time and labor to develop, we must insist upon an immediate conference.
 Then, upon their final refusal to meet us, we began organizing for ourselves and now are in shape to go ahead next year under new man agement and new auspices.
 We believe that it is possible to conduct our national game upon lines which will not in fringe upon individual and natural rights We ask to be judged solely by our work, and believing that the game can be played more fairly and its business conducted more tntelli. gently under plan which excludes everything arbitrary and un-American, we look forward with confidence to the support of the public and the future of the national game
 Tomorrow the first annual meet. ing of the Players National League will be held, at which the final disposi- tion of clubs and players will be de- cided upon. Everything is already vir- tually arranged, and it is only neces- Fary that official sanction be given to the plans. It is definitely settled that Brotherhood clubs will he placed in all of tho present League cities except In dianapolis and Washington, whose places will be taken by Brooklyn and Buffalo. It is also an assured fact that John M. Ward will manage the Brock lyn team.