The St. Louis Republic., 1902-01-19
NO SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT.
Disposition of Injunction Suit the
Beginning OF the End.

AS the time draws near for the settle
ment OF the injunction suit which viii III
large measure determine the future of the
National League, rumors of truce be-
tween the two leagues are increasing III fre-
quency: Color is lent TO these stories by
the visit of a. G. Spaldipg TO Chicago, pre-
sumably for the purpose of comforting with
Ban johnson. 1t would seem that Spalding
Is anticipating the worst, and in the event
break off four clubs from the present Ma
tional League circuit with which to form
the nucleus of new league.
Whatever the outcome of the National
League muddle II Is practically certain that
Spalding will be at the head of some sort
of a baseball organization this summer. Ren
Mulford discusses the situation as follows:
Until the terrible nluss in the big league
family Is settled, and Mamma SpaidinS
quits throwing the skillets around or is
handed decree, of divorce by the New.
York courts, the Circuit Builders Union is
sure to work overtime. On the heels of
the story that New York and Cincinnati
We're to be admitted to the American
League came the tale that Pittsburg was
also knocking at Ban Johnsons back door.
Barney Dreyfuss was pictured in two
horse bareback act in one of the bills of the
circus yesterday. In one column he was
labeled as true to Spaiding and in another
he was shown throwing back somersault
into the American ring. There was plenty
of talk at Red headquarters about the con-
flicting stories, and somebody got in on Il
new angle by suggesting that the delay in
shaking up st. Louis meant an American
hitch there. and that Pittsburg. with the
Pirates, would be worth a couple of cities
like ST. Louis with fight on hand! 1t old
not require John T. BrushS denial 10 make
it clear that. as far as Cincinnati and New
York were concerned, there was nothing
in the yarn: Neither John 7. Brush nor
Andrew Freedman would desert Boston and
st. Louis in crisis like the present one,
although the admission of both would give
the American League a circuit almost as
good that of the National
Chicago has proved hotbed of fakes all
winter. and Fandom balks at some of the
stories sent out from that point without AZ
fidavit attachments. The Chicago birth
mark does not make either of the circuit
stories very strong. 1t was at Chicago that
the yarn that A. q. Spalding has secured
long before the National League meeting.
Only last week it was Chicago that read
John T. Brush out of the game and put the
Cincinnati club in the hands of jude How
ard Ferris and a Spalding syndicate. When
that prophecy failed it was Chicago that
discovered that Frank de Haas Robson
of John T. Brush. 1t was Chicago that told
OF the big peace conference at Aiken, S. -,
at which Ban Johnson a. 9. Spalding. John
I: Brush and others We're to be present.
Chicago has evidently taken the contract to
remodel both leagues. and the work has
only just commenced.
The long suffering public was given a
rest last week-a respite from its weary
attempts to wade through the typewritten
mass of baseball literature which had flood
ed the market since a. G.. Spaldiug began
his famous war of letters. Not more than
a half-dozen of these wearisome, long
winded epistles were foisted upon the world
at large last week. The best effuSOn of the
week in point of length was that of John
T. Brush. who spread himself on n state
ment that was sent out from Indianapolis
It didn't look like John It's work, as the
paragraphs lacked the sharpness and biting
sarcasm that had previously made his
statements interesting. True. it was well
worded and put together like a ThaRksSiv-
ing proclamation. but its vital points were
almost lost in torrent of long words and