Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-01-25
UNFAIR SPIRIT.
Jacksonville's Base Ball Feel.
ing.
rHArMTY down on ROCK ISLAND.

THAT OITY DOWA Oh ROCK ISLAND.
strange Attitsae for . Town Supposed to
Represent Prsssdset ksnts Ineiin.sao.s
The Coming western Associates Meet
ing.
The Jacksonville Courier speaking
of the coming special meeting of the
Western Base Ball association to con.
slider Rock Islands protest against
the outrage perpetrated at the Des
Moines meeting. says:
President w. w. Kent, of the Wes-
tern Association of Base Ball clubs,
has been requested by four cities of
the association to cali a meeting for
the purpose of considering the pro-
test of Rock Island against being
dropped from the association at the
recent meeting held in Des Moines.
According to the rules of the consti-
tuition, President Kent will be COM
PEELED to call the meeting and the
date will be set for some time in
February. 1t is the opinion in local
base ball circles that the calling of
this meeting will amount to nothing
so far as the proposed reinstatement
of Rock Island is concerned. Rock
Island is out and she will probably
be compelled to stay out. If that
city wanted to be in the association,
she should have made Her fight at
the proper time, but now it's a poor
time to kick. The local directory
held a meeting last evening and dis
cussed the situation at considerable
length. At that meeting it was de-
cided to discontinue further negotia-
tions with Harry Sage for the posi-
ton of manager for the reason that
he is taking q very active part in be-
half of the Rock Island kick.
Surely These Are Not Rents Sentiments.
This from the town that is sup
posed to represent President w. W.
Kent in the Western association is
certainly surprising, especially as
that gentleman has written repeated
ly here that he deprecated the &C
ton of the Des Moines meeting, and
would spare no effort to see that JUS
tice should be done. and The ARGUS
for one is more inclined to accept his
written sentiments than the mouth
ings of the Courier. These assur-
ances on the part of Mr.. Kent would
not incline one to the belief that he
has called the meeting soon to be held
because he evil be compelled to, ,"
as the Courier says, as he has stated
that he was anxious to have the clubs
agree to a meeting to the end that
adjustment might be made satisfac-
tory to Rock Island.
The Jacksonville hostility to Rock
Island in this matter is one of sur
prise from the fact that Rock island
has always borne a friendly feeling
toward Jacksonville, and has praised
the pluck of the smallest city in the
league. tbs not Jacksonville that
Rock Island is after in this matter,
nor any of the old cities of the West
ern association.
Rockford's Underhandedness.
1t is Rockford. whose representa-
tive came upon the scene at the fall
meeting here, and was anxious to
make combinations against any of
the old Illinois cities, though aiming
particularly at Jacksonville and
Quincy in order to gain admission to
the association. Rock Island re-
fused to countenance any such trans
action at that time. but when St. Joe
was dropped, took the part of Rock
ford in preference to Sioux City, but
the association took different view,
and the Rockford representative was
turned away. and he went home
cussing the association and all con-
nected with it. At the Des Moines
meeting he turned up again and as
sisted in putting up a job to give
Rock Island. the only city which had
stood by him here, the worst of it.
These are the facts, and in their light
Jacksonville need entertain no fear
about where Rock Island stands. 1t
has always been for the maintenance
of the old. association, and insisting
that it has been crowded out. it
naturally wants its old place and
that is all.
ALetter From Kent
Secretary McHugh recsived a let
ter today from President Kent, in
which he states that while the ma
jority of the clubs are not in favor of
the meeting which Rock Island seeks,
he will, nevertheless, call one as
near Rock Island as possible, and he
says "the citizens of Rock Island do
not understand me, and the good in
tentions that have, and so far as
you and MIR. Ohlweiler are con-
cerned, no matter what happens to
me, shall always have high re-
gard for you"
The ARGUS is gratified to make
this announcement for Mr.. Kent, and
to say that the people of Rock Island
well feel grateful to him for the
stand he has taken in the premises.
and the considerations of fairness
which he entertains.