Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-15

players were concerned, the money invested ky
the club could be scattered to the four winds;
all the property of grounds, etc,
could become worthless. Now what con.
tend is that this, in spirit and in deed,
was as clear q case of contract jumping as
know OF. Mark, as have just said whether or
not the contracts were legal or not does not
matter. The definite understanding between
parties is entirely what rules this case. II my
statement Of the case is unfair. shall be glad
70 learn how so; If my logic is defective happy
indeed shall be If someone viii put me right
Well, then, If in the case Of Cleveland It was
contract Jumping such has also been the case
in every instance where any old League PLAYERS
deserted their clubs this year under similar
circumstances If this is a correct copclusion
let US be fair enough to admit il; if it is wrong
one then in the name of everything that is
honest, let me be put right To discuss the
matter in this way will be useful in the end, be-
cause certainly some truth will evolve
and presume every fair-minded man
is aiming at that. am aware
that a certain class of bigots ana thorough
going partisans will admit of no truth except ie
say, ever will be. Some of the greatest mistakes
known in the history of the sciences have for a
time been cherished in the popular mind as the
greatest truth. and many brave men have been
butchered amid popular rejoicing because these
denounced rotten and unsound principles. 1t is.
therefore, incumbent indeed, tits duty for all
of us to weigh carefully both sides of this Ques-
tion, and give each side its just due
Legal Complexities.
The contract jumping is reviving the threats
to appeal to law, and the way matters now stand
is very amusing to outsiders Heretofore the
League magnates have to a very great extent
been relying-thst is, they say they have
been relying on their legal right
season for next season. The Brotherhood has
ridiculed this threat and contended that il was
mere "bluf-" However, the magnates have
apparently resolved not to entirely rely on their
legal claim, but have commenced signing
players who have already signed Brotherhood
contracts. Now the Brotherhood leaders
threaten to appeal to Law to enforce the right
violated them. Surely all this is very anus
ing, and one cannot help thinking that il the
law is good in one case it cannot be bad in the
other. All this is, undoubtedly unfortunate
and will certainly have bad results. / strongly
that il could all have been avoided
had the leaders of the Brotherhood gone the
right way TO work. Had they begun at
the foundation and built up union or
such as other bodies of men
few If any deserIions in the ranks. The lack
Of thorough conception of the true princi-
pies Of unionism has SO far been, and will con- |
tinue to be, the ''rocl1s ahead" True some of |
the defects which characterized the organiz- |
tion at the beginning have been or are being re-
moved, and it is worthy of note that public |
criticism has prompted this, but IL the organ |
zatiOn had been launched and conducted Just |
as other unions, members would certainly have |
known more definitely what their aims were |
and above all things would have had greater |
in each other There are no ruin |
Ous desertions in well-formed and well-managed |