Evening star., 1900-12-12

THREATS BY PLAYERS
Will Quit the League if Demands Are
Ignored.
VIEWS OF CLARK GRIFFITH
Manning Signed Ten-Yeaf Con-
tract With American League.
FIGHT ON BAN JOHNSON
VIEWS OF CLARK GRIFFITH
FIGHT ON BAN JOHNSON

hours going to theaters and bicycle races
last night. but put in good time in their
beds, ready for tie fray with the league
conference committee True. only three OF
the players will actually be in the confer
cuce but the remainder will be on hand to
give their comrades moral support 1t has
finally come To point where the players
committee has the nerve to threaten revolt.
If they do not succeed in holding up the
league Clark Griffith, chief spelbinder for
the players says that something awful will
he done. He refuses to intimate just what
it is, but the league magnates will be sorry
that they do not get down on their knees
and yield to the men to whom they have
supplied easy bread and butter for a long
time. This morning Griffith was around at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel long before any of
the club owners had been seen in the vicin-
ity of Madison Square.
It's business with u.s." said Griffith. 1--WE
don't care a continental for this push. We
think that We have got them now where
can DO business, and we will put it against
the whole crowd for all that worth"
1t will be remembered that some time ago
while the playing season was on the play
erS were much more guarded in what they
said and generally apologized for what
they were doing. on the ground that they
thought IT better To try to improve their
condition.
rs it not true somebody asked that
some of the players have made advances TO
the magnates fer advance money!"
Men Need Money Christmas.
Griffith seemed rather disconnected when
this was put to him. and wanted to know
at once who the mer We're. 1t is evident
that the principal men in the players or
gdnization are fearful that they cannot hold
the men together. They know that about
Christmas time there is generally press
Ing demand for cash, and they cannot keep
from with
they get very hard up
There is little satisfaction to be gathered
from the American League. The play ers are
fearful of the short season # the American
League and of the lower salaries than are
paid by the National! League. and they will
uct desert the older organization so long a.
there is dollar in sight.
Jimmy" Manning. who is to control the
Washington club. said last night that he
had signed ten-year contract with Ban
johnson to remain in the league. Hereto
fore he has denied that he had made final
arr&r gements. Last night he admitted that
every man who had gone into the new
American League had been obliged by john
son to do the same thing.
thinner of the PittsDurg nine made the
most remarkable statement that has been
made by any player since the beginning of
the meeting He insisted this morning that
not only the BoSton. but mary Of the New
York players. had given their pledges TO
leave these cities in case the National.
League refused TO grant their demands.
was asked.
Il cannot make any statements for Them,
said Zlmmer. Il am not at liberty 20 do
So
where would they go in case the league
should refuse to listen to the players?''
II do not know said thinner. But
guess Ban Johnson would find place for
them
AT low salaries" said another
I'm not going to talk any more replied
thinner, and feat a hasty retreat. Not
much stock is taken in this talk by any
base ball men or any newspaper men. 1t is
believed that ii is a part Of the bluff that
the players are making to secure all they
can get In fact. IL Is generally regarded
that the players asked for lot. hoping
they would find a little return somewhere.
League Owners Reticcnt.
While the league owners were more than
eight hours IN conference yesterday they
refused to give out anything as to what
they had done. In fact they did little in
The nature of business The principal rea-
son for the long session that they
wanted to hear from one another the best
thing to be done in the emergency that
confronts them.
From one of the most important of the
National League owners the following gen.
eral plan of action was received, and 1t is
probably quite accurate:
The league will not recognize Mr.. Johnson
the American League in any manner
until 1t hears direct from Mr. johnson,
either as to q renewal of the agreement
under which the leagues acting
or a communication In the nature of a
petition to equal rights with the present
organization. The league does not, and will
not take the position that the American
League can put itself on equality with
the National League merely by a declara-
ton. There reciprocity rights to be
considered which the National League will
not relinquish. Ii the American League de-
sires to go ahead on It's own account the
National League will treat II any other
outlawed league, and by lending its sup
port to the Western League and the East
ern League. will build up two powerful
ganizations that will undoubtedly make
lot of trouble for the American League.
OF course it will be out of the question
for the American League to exchange
games. and its payers will be at the mercy
of all leagues that under the protec
ton of the national agreement. 1t is ex-
pected that Johnson cannot stand this very
long. and IL Is believed by the league mag
mates that he will not be foolish enough
to walk into trap where he can be treated
in this manner.
Rogers FavOrs Open Meeting.
BY Associated Press.
NEW YORK December 12-''Lawyer'
Harry Taylor. Chief thinner, Hugh
Jennings and Clarke Griffith of the play
ers organization were on hand early. I'VE
have nothing to conceal said Mr.. Taylor,
their attorney. ''and therefore we suggest
iildl tne meeting De an open one we ue-
sire that the leagues committee be en-
powered to act upon our demands at once.
Our committee has power to act and
will only treat with like committee
This message was delivered to Colonel
Rogers. one of the members Of the leagues
committee. Il want to be put on record"
said Colonel Rogers, las being in favor of
an open meeting. The league is agree
able "
After some further talk on the subject.
a. H Soden notified Mr.. Taylor that the
league had decided in favor of the open
meeting and that all the club representa-
tives would be present instead of a com
mittee.
Players and Owners Meet.
The players and league owners have met
and from the peace BILE manner in which
negotiations were co Quoted there Is reason
to believe that the p %yers likely to get
what they asked for and that spike will
be put In Ban Johnsons effort to entice any
OF them from the National League. In
brief. the players asked that the reserve
rule be limited to three. four or five years
at the option Of the league magnates, and
that no player be bought sold or traded
without his permission. These issues cover