The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-06

1.-THE proposition of baseball players to
organize for self-protection and mutual
benefits" said a member of the New
Yorks, ''has caused the magnates some
Uneasiness. The owners of baseball fran
chises seem to think that players are
different from any trade or profession
In many respects they are, but they Ger
tainly have a right to organize themselves
into union for the purposes of advancing
their own interests, and in measure Olsen
thraI the bonds, which are too tightly
drawn by the magnates all over the coun-
try.
Some of the rules in force are out
rageous. For instance, the Western League
can sell a man to the League this year
and buy him back next season, and then
compel him to accept a lower salary
There is no justice in this. and in order
that we may put ourselves somewhere
near on the level with the owners and in
that way obtain reasonable recognition,
we propose To organize.
''1nere Is Il LUaru oil arbitration, and |
contend thatif we were organized we could
demand representatiOlon6 chat board some
thing that is given To all members Of unions
or societies uf wage-earners. Understand
me, an not in favor of renewal OF the
Brotherhood war, nor am | u knocker On
the magn ates We must work han d i'll hand,
because IL is to our interests as well as
theirs. A mutually protective and benefi-
cial organization is credit TO any Set Of
men who earn money, and / believe the
public wlll comm end Us in our contemplated
union. Once organized, We could affiliate
with national bodies Of lahoring men and
nave their united support
The manatcs of all leagues need not
fear such an organization if, as they con
tend, they treat their men fairly. The play
er should have the right TO be party 10
the making of all contracts, be members
of playing rules committee and also have
representative or two on the board Of ar
bitratioa; but they cannot afford to begin
the agitation OF increased salaries and in
cendiary speech-making. tr......r 10
A Chicago player, supposed to be Crit
nth. is of the incendiary class, and his talk
will do rlore to in lure the proposed union of
players than anything else. According To
the Giant above quoted, the Windy city
fellow is too loquacious. Arson says Gfif-
fifth is at the head OF the movement in the
Chicago team, and he has many willing
lieutenants.
Herman Long said while in this city last
week that the eXaggeration of the propo-
sition is the work not of the players, but
of the agents of the magnatcs, who do not
want a uniouiZ6tion Of ball players.
Speaking OF the matter, the man sup
posed to be Griffith said;
1--WE are getting tired Of canning more
and more every season for the nagnates
and getting none of IT. Instead Of bene
fitting 10y the prosperity in baseball, we
are being screwed down more and more
every year immediately after the Broth
erhood fight we were assured 10y the mag
mates that as soon as the League had paid
the large debt incurred during that fight
the salary limit Of So ,4G would he removed
and players would again receive proper
Compen sation for their services. That
debt was wiped out in the fall of 1895,
when the payment OF a @ Per cent assess
ment on the receipts Of every League club
was voted discontinued.
did in 1895? No. If possible, we are
faring worse, while baseball is more pros
porous than II ever was. 1T is agains this
tnat we protest and on this we will make
our fight.
In every city we visit this question
will be discussed by us with the players Of
the various teams. When We are assured
Of the support of the star players, who are
now working for much less than they are
worth, we will decide upon q plan of &C
ton, organize ourselves and in sist on the
National League and American A ssociation
doing us justice. l feel sure that the ma
jority of the eco players in the big League
feel as we do Our cause is q just one,
and we shall insist on being properly COM
pensated for our services
OF course, such language is bound to
cause alarm among the magnates, but
Griffith is evidently wrong.
Nick Young, president of the National
League does not take any stock in the pro-
posed organization He says that there
are two good reasons why the threatened
revolt would not succeed In the first
place the market is overs locked with am
bilious and promising young players. The
old and well-seasoned players no longer
have a monopoly of the national game, for
old favorites are being relegated to OBJ
scurity every year.
The second and most important obstacle
in the way of a successful revolution is the
lack Of financial backing After the wO-
f,l failura Of the brotherhood revolt III