Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-30
SMITH, OF DENVER, A BIG FAILURE.
Tscksors Draw With Goddard Proves Very Important
Fact About Sullivan.

circles, as nothing definite of any great i'm
portance has been done. There has been
plenty of talk as to changes that are to be
made when everything is settled down. Of
course many changes are needed, but there
are more being talked of than can possibly
be made during one winter, Director
O'Neill is authority for the statement that
next season the visiting clubs may have 30
per cent of the receipts. A change of
this kind will be a beneficial one to
Pittsburg, and 1 may acd several other
cities. l have always claimed that pre-
ponderance OF argument is in favor of an
equal division of the receipts among all the
clubs in the National League that is, for
each visiting club to have an equal share
of the receipts during its games. II this
plan is adopted it will be a change in the
n. l., although it was in operation in the
P. I. last season. ANY organization that
has within its membership one member who is
clearing large sums annually while another is
losing fast, cannot exist in harmony, and,
therefore, with success. An equal division
would prevent this difficulty.
Consolidation Difficulties
In the preceding paragraph 1 remarked
about the difficulties that may occur before
everything in the big baseball deal is settled.
The difficulties refer to are possible, and
will not be astounded if the stands etc.. of both
Corporation Park and Recreation Park are
sold at public auction. Now l want to be un-
derstood as only saying that such result is pos
sible. don't say that it will take place. i am
informed that each of the local clubs has debts
standing against il. Then comes the question
OF who will pay these debts? There are stock
holders who have only their original stock and
who have not paid up their subsequent assess
ments. They will insist on having their stock
acknowledged IN the new concern, but
they will not advance another dollar
toward paying of the existing debts of
their club. If a state of things like
this transpires, and depend upon it, it is pos
sibe, what will be the result? Why those
who are wishful to pay up all claims and 90 on
with the consolidated enterprise will simply
call sale and have grand stands chairs, ETC.,
sold by an auctloneer. They could all be
bought in for very little, and the parties who
forced matters to this result would get nothing
at all because the sale would realize little or
nothing. In this connection lmay remark that,
during the recent New York meeting, the
legal phase of these debts was argued, and the
following case was submitted: A stockholder
of a P. L. club complained of the debt and
asked the clubs President how the debt had
been incurred.
mostly by players salaries" was the reply.
"Then ii is illegal" rejoIned the stockholders.
The latter proceeded TO say that the Mayors
contract only permitted his salary to be paid
out of the receipts. and it was because OF That
condition that he, the stockholder, invested in
the affair. Of course there is great force in
the contention, but do not anticipate that any
local stockholders will make al ysuch objection
or charge. 1t is to be hoped th... both the local
clubs will get dissolved and the new
club reorEanized. Time is precious just
now and everything that can be done
should be done to get matters into a
business shape. Of course there is little
pleasantness existing among certain few, but
the majority of the proposed directors can soon
kill that. They need not be told how to act,
but if thev permit a continuation of the pres
ent disagreeableness, then the consequences
will be on their heads. Anything that will tend
70 perpetuate petty jealousies should and must
be sUbQued at once.
AL Johnson's Difficulty.
1t is only fair to assume tha. everybody who
has made and who is trying to make deals amid
the baseball complications have tried to make
OF are trying to make the best terms possible
for themselves. In SO doing of course. each
one has been acting strictly within his right.
But there is such a thing as acting too much
within our right 1 mean that at times it is
possible to enforce our right too much. Many
good cause has heen lost and many bright pros
pects entirely blghJed by the absence of a little
policy, and it is at junctures of this kind that
q good diplomat will be successful while the
man who ugiGly sticks to a principle of
personal right makes an absolute failure. Well,
L. - u IL. A T,1w