The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-11-15

Address From the brotherhood III Rass
Bsn Players ibefining the Position NJ ths
brotherhood Toward the National I.ear.s
"A Plain Statement ar the Grlcsnnce N
the Players Against tho League and The
Proposed Remedies.
NEw YoEK. NOV. 5.--At n session ~
the council Of the baseball Brother.
hood In this city yesterday The only in.
portant business done was the prcpara.
ton Of an address to the public dcnniny
the position Of the brotherhood towards
the National League. This address Il
as follows:
a. last the nrothohood 81 I,aSe- nan rlav.
<rs feels AZ liberty 20 make known rs int.n.
tions aud defend itself against the a~pvfSiuns
and Interpretations which for weeks 4 has
beer forced t. suffer la silence. II H. no
longer secret that the players ~ the League
have determined 20 play next season under
differ ~ management. hut for reasons hlel
We think will bc understood IL was deemed
advisable 10 make no announcements ~ mi,
intention until the close Of the present sea-
son. Hut now that the struggles Tor tic
various pennants are over aud all The terms
Of contracts expired there Il no longer r.,.
son for aiding Il back. In taking this ~iep
We feel lat We owe II 10 the public anS 10
ourSclye Ia explain briefly some az the r.a.
"
There was time when the League stood
for integrity and fair dealing: to-day i
stands for dollars and cents. Once Il Looked
e. the elevation ~ the game as an honest *
hibition: to-day ~ eyes are upon the turn.
stilc. Men have come into the business for
NO other motive than 70 exploit Il for every
dollar In sight Measures originally intend.
cd for the good 81 the game have been per-
vcrtcd into instruments for wrong. The ~.
serve rule and the PROV isions ~ the National
agreement gave the managers unlimited
power. and they have not hcsItsfcd ~ n~r 4
in the most arbitrary and mcrccnary WAY
Players have been bought sold ana a.
changed a. though they were sheep instead
Of American citizens. observation W..
came with them another name for property
right IN the player. rs q combination silupg
themselves stronger than the strongest trust
they are able 10 enforce the most arbitrary
measure. and the player has either ~ -ubni,
or get out ~ the profession IN which h. las
spent years IN attaining proficiency. Lx.n
the DISARMAMENT ~ a club did not free to-
players from the dcspoti~m Of the octopus.
clutch. for they were then pcddlcd out ia ,Ae
highest bidder. That the players sometimes
prohtcd ~ the transaction has nothing "a -
with the case. but only proves the injustice
OF ms prcvio restraint.
Two years ago We met the League and AZ.
tcosptcd 10 remedy some ~ these evils. bnt
through what has been chartably called
League diplomacy. we completely failed.
Unwilling longer "a submit to such treat
mrnf. We made "A strong effort last spring to
reach an understanding with the League. 10
our application for "A hearing they replied
that the matter was not ~ sufficient import.
ance a. warrant meeting. and suggested
that Il be- put en- until fall. our committee
replied that the players felt that the League
had broken faith with them. that while tile
result might BE- ~ little Importance 20 the
managers. they were ~ great importance 10
the players. That II the League would NOT
conccdc what was fair. we would adopt
another means - protect ourselves: that K
postponed until fall. We would be- separated
and AT the mercy ~ the League. and thst
the only course left ~ required time and la
bor 20 develop must therefore insist upon
an immediate conference. Then upon their
final refusal 20 meet Us we began organix-
ing for ourselves and are now IN shap, 10
go ahead next year under new management
and under new auspices.
We believe that Il Is possible 10 condEc.
che National game upon lines wpich viii not
infringe upon individual and nat{rnl rights.
We ask 10 be judged solely 10y ourwork aud 4
believing that the game can be- piNed mt,. ~
fairly and its business conducted sorc int -
ligently under plan which cxsutk.- 100 r.
thing arbitrary and una Dricah. - " q
forward with confidence 20 $40 support
the public and the future Of the Nation N
game. "
lsignedl NATIONAL BnornEnuoc
or ball PLANES.
Tomorrow the first annual mcctinguf
the players will be held. az which the
final disposition OF clubs and players
will be decided upon. Every thing i al
ready perfectly arranged. and II i only
necessary that official sanction be giyen
the plan. II is definitely settled that
Brotherhood clubs will be placed in all
the present League cities. excepting
Indianapolis and Washington. whose
players will be taken by BROOKLYN and
Buffalo. Ii is also settled that .Iohnny
Xarl will MANAGE the Brooklyn team.