The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-04
C0MIsKEY TALKS BASE BALL.
National League Rules Do Not Suit
Him.

CHICAGO, Dec S-The Tribune says:
Il have the highest regard for Capt. Arson
personally" said President Charles COmiskey,
OF the St. Paul club yesterday, and, know
ing his reputation and the big following he
has in base ball. 1 should be very glad to
him in the Western league, if he has any
thought of taking a franchise in our circuit.
But, as / understand it, Capt Arson has
not intimated any such desire. In fact, 1
know nothing more than gossip to the effect
that he Will not continue to be at the head
OF the Chicago league club.
There is no question that the Chicago club
and the National league for that matter, are
under obligations to Anson." Comiskey con-
tinued. He has been a stalwart, determined
fighter; whether or not he has been sue
cess with the club under his management
during the last few years, he has certainly
tried To do his best. Nobody viii deny that.
Arson stood by the Chicago club and the
league during the Brotherhood fight, and
one who was on the other side, l will assure
you that nson was a big facOr in that
contest. In addition to putting up his own
money. and losing It, to back the league, for
everybody interested in base ball lost money
that time. he was by all odds the best draw
ing card the league had that year.
"Now. l don't know whether Arson wants
20 get into our league or not. l haven't the
remotest idea whether he could get a Chi
cage franchise II he wanted 1t. My impress
sion IS he would apply for a franchise in
some other city If he should come into our
league, but that is only guess. Il know
nothing about his ideas on the subject"
Mr. Comiskey made one statement which
appears to be of some significance in the
matter of Chicagos chances Of getting
Western league franchise Il am very sure,
said he that the Western league will not
accept the amendments imposed upon the
minor leagues in regard to the drafting of
players at the recent Philadelphia meeting;
for while the league may have seemed to
favor us in that they granted the two points
we asked for-restrictng the number of
players to be drafted from any one club to
two each year and not allowing a man to
be subject to the draft until he has been in
our league two years-these favors are more
than offset by the condition imposed in the
way of giving the National league a right
to reclaim a loaned player on thirty days
notice. Why, would a great deal rather
leave the rules they were than allow them
to do that. With that rule in force they
could wreck of our clubs any time they
wanted to and force us to do what they
wanted in the way of deals. / do not fully
understand whether the National league in
sists on this clause before it grants us the
concessions we asked for. or whether they
have simply requested US to make the con-
cessions in regard to loaned players: il the
three changes have TO live or die together
am by all means in favor of letting them die
and | think the other members of our league
will think the same way about it,.
Manager Comiskey ssvS the National board
is doing him an injustice in not taking up
the Slagel case, inasmuch he has paid to
that player salary of 1925 due Slagel from
the Boston club, with the expectation that
Slagel would play in st. Paul next year; but
the board decided that Kansas City had a
prior claim to Slagel. and yet has made no
provision for Comlskey to get back the money
paid to the player