, 1890-12-14
AFTER THEBATTLE
Clearing Up the Ruins Wrought
by Baseball War.
FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL

W. 1. Harris Says the National League
Has Promised to Do the Square Thing
by Ever One Who Deserves It-PIay-
en Feel Blue.
tCoFyriEht by American Press AssooiatIoul
We'll, I suppose we shall all be slaves
again"
This remark was made to me by a ball
player, who last season got 5000 for seven
months work, working three hours a day
and sometimes FIVE, And this same man
in five years received about ST., 900 for play
ing baseball. Like most OF the men who
ayear ago shouted loudest about the slav-
sry OF ball players. be found that the servi-
uude, II il was such, paid him extremely
well for his labor.
There is a wrong idea abroad among the
Supporters OF the recent Players league,
and AmonE the players too, that the old
employers. now that they have again
got control Of baseball, will proceed
10 revenge themselves upon the play
ers. This Is absurd In the first place the
National league could not afford to do any
thing Of the kind, and so far as / eau learn
from personal conversations with nearly
all the leaders OF the league there is no dis,
position in the organization TO treat the
players in any other than n fair way. That
this Is 50 is proved 10y the remarks made
~ -AN"AAAAAN "a We AAuA HELL U NuE
American association, which is pretty sure
to take its cue from the league in the mat
ter Of PLAYERS
Mr.. Thurman, recently given the soubri-
quet OF White Wings" for his successful
efforts in the line OF peacemaking. says.
Nobody will be turned down unless dis
sipatiOn or inferiority in his work makes
1t absolutely necessary" Mr.. Thurman
further says that certain legislation OBJ
noxi0us to the player must be wiped out,
and both major leagues placed upon such
a high plane that there will never again he
any excuse for brotherhood or any other
form OF "desertion."
There may be expected a good deal Of
kicking from players who have been over
paid during the last two years because
they will have to suffer a reduction OF sal
ary. But this reduction will be general In
its nature and will be only a natural and
necessary outcome OF the recent war. 10 Is
not likely that the club in 1891 can pay the
same salaries they did in 1890 and make A
profit, nor Is IL likely that any Of them will
want TO lose a great deal after the disas
trous season just closed. While it was de
cided at the recent meeting not to adopt
any general rule in regard to salaries and
to let each club suit itself in that partIcu-
lar, II WAS determined that fancy prices
must be put on the shelf for n few years. !
Existing contracts cannOt be changed, but
in making new contracts all outrageous
demands viii be firmly resisted.
Ia some cities there will be little change
In salaries from what wa paid in 1890, but
in the large majority OF the teams there
will be a reduction that will more fully
earnings Of men OF equal ability.
and stop much Of tho jealousy that has ex-
Isted in the past, and which has always
been a detriment to discipline. For in.
stance, there never was any really good rea-
son why a man like O'Rourke should have
635O0 in 1889 while a man like
Herman had to play for a trine over 1900.
Abuses Of this nature grew up under the
tar system. and the League will make an
fort TO reform all such cases,
During the last three years over half OF
he clubs in this country have paid TO
heir players more money in salaries thar
hey have received in gate receipts. An
will be made next year at least to
the salaries bear no more than a fair
alto to the income from the games. This
will be the only punishment-if II can be
called such-which will come upon the
great majority OF the players as a result Of
their desertion Of the National league in
$50 Considering that the exDariment /