The morning times., 1896-07-17
sHAkE-UP IS PROBABLE
Mr.. Wagner Goes to Chicago
to Investigate.
SOMETHING is WRONG
Poor Playing of the Senator's Is Be-
yond the Under standing OF the
Washington Magnate-willM Make a
Thorough Investigati0nandR Remedy
the Defect Whatever 1t Is.

The poor showing of the Senators for the
last three weeks and especially since the ir
| entrance upon the Western circuit OF the
League, has been almost as much OF Q
sensation in baseball circles as was the
brilliant work of the club following the
/ opening Uf the season.
| Then the excellence OF their play and their
snap and dash was the talk of the public
| and the voice of the press both at home
| and abroad. Their awful slump has oc-
| casioned equally as much comment, though
| OF an entirely different character and of
course much less complimentary.
| Among the regular foiowers OF the
| game in the city various causes have been
assigned for the dctioration OF the team.
| The reasons advanced differ as widely
| in opinion as they ire probably wide OF the
marx OF the real Trouble besettinS Tie
club.
it's easy to understand how Il ball club
wIns-iI is oDvious To the UNFRAMED eye, but
| the why's and wherefOres OF losing ga mes is
ofren a matter or mystery and Always a
| difference of opinion even among those
who keep i'll close touch with the sport.
The continued reverses or the Senators
has sorely distressed Mr. j Earl Wagner,
| who, If he does look largely a the dollars
and cents end or the business, is yet thor
oughly appreciative OF The artistic feature
or the game.
HIS EFFORTS NuLLIFIED.
II has been Mr.. wagner's ambition to
saIner first-ciass club III Washington, and
lne public Will bear witness TO the fact that
he has made an honest effort 10 tnis end.
The playing strength OF the team has been
increased as fast us possible and neitner
money nor activity mas been spared in Sc
curing good men.
Untii recently Mr.. Wagner was congrat-
ulating hiriiseIf that his Senators would
make most respectable showing this
season and would stand high up at the
close or the race. Recent deyeIopments,
however, have somewhat beuiinined his
hopes and discounted his expectations.
Paving no attention TO the countless
ruin0rs Inat have come to his ears as to why
the team had fallen down, Mr.. wagner
decided 10 go to Chicago and as far as pos
sitile ascertain personally the cause or
causes for the set back.
En- route to Chicago lie stopped in Wash
iDSton last night and called at The Times
office.
Speaking of tie object or his journey, MT
Wagner said:
1T was not my intention TO join the club
on the Western "Trip, as found needed Il
rest after the hard work j had gwen to the
building of the new grand stand and had
about completed arrangements to go 10 tie
seashore with my family. But business al
ways COMES before pleasure with me, es-
pecially business so poorly conducted oy
Others that it Is losing me hundreds, II not
thousands of dollars almost every day
SOMETHING Is WRONG.
That there Is something radically wrong
With the club admits OF no question What
my way TO Chicago 10 look into the matter.
The people OF " Washington are aware that
the team Is capable or playing fast pan,
championship bail, IN TACT, when they
Try their best. why they should slump day
after day and lose game after game TO clubs
nor one witt their supcriors, II indeed their
equals, is a puzzle TO me.
Certainly, IL does rot result from any
dissatisfaction, IDdividu ally or collec-
lively. Though IL may sound a little ike
blowing my own horn, and you Will excuse
I-e k..atl for =
style, YOU know l will say hat tie members
OF my team have been treated like princes.
l let them name tiIeir salaries al the close
OF last season and this year have imposed
Eo restrictions upon them whatever. 1
have left them TO tneir own honor and Con-
sciences as to their behavior and habits.
Perhaps l have been too liberal in this re-
spect, but l wanted Il harmonious, salts
fled club and made no rules that would
prove irksome, even 10 the most sensitive.
The club is confessedly 80 per cent
stronger than last season. yet at this time
IL stands but a wee bit higher in the race
as compared 10 the same time last year.
Therefore, l know something is wrong.
NO PLANS YET FORMED.
Il have formed no plans nor arrived
at any conclusions; shall wait until |
reach Chicago, and will only act after l
have made "A thorough investigation. 1t
is not my desire to disturb the CluD, but
the club must not disturb me. My money,
my reputation, and my pride is invested
and / cannot afford to be thrown down,
no matt erlne sacrifice requiredto straienten
up the team and set II TO pla wing the class
or bail justly demanded by The public.
Admitting that | am engaged In the
business as a money making venture, l
Will honestly state that lose sight or the
dollars IN the eagernesS to win No loyal
2.-,ent hleacheruoaru router can extract
more genuine pleasure from game Won
by the Senators than Your nunibie servant
Inc game 5 a source OF pleasure as well
as an avenue ofprofu tome, but can derive
neither with an aggregation travelling
arouDd losing seven games out or eight
played.
y nope TO be able to bring order out of
the chaos at present prevailing, and in the
most kindly sp;ritto eN cry man ON the team,
/ wtIi nnuerlaKe Une task at CniiaSo sat
urday."