The Saint Paul globe., 1902-01-14
BAN ENTERS DENIAL
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT NEVER
AGREED TO JOIN IN TRUST
MOVEMENT
DID LISTEN TO PEACE TALK
Had Conference with SpaIdinS, but
octopus Idea WAS Not Thought
Of-JOhnSOn Gives Out
Letter.

CHICAGO. Jan. 13.-President Johnson
denies Indignantly that he or the Amer
lean league had ever agreed to join in
any movement tending toward the form
alton Of a baseball trust, as reported by
John T. Brush in the latters open let
ter In giving out correspondence tend
ing to show that A. G.. Spalding was
the prime mover in the attempted forma-
ton Of q baseball trust. Mr.. Brush
makes the statement that James A. Hart,
president of the Chicago National league
baseball club, stated at a meeting IN
New York of Robson, Hart and Brush
in August that A. G. Spalding held an
option on the American league, meanInS,
it is said that the American league had
agreed to join the trust scheme which
Mr.. Brush declares Mr.. Spalding tried
to engineer.
Tn my conferences with Mr. Spald-
ing last summer" said President Johnson
last night, Il informed him that 1 would
liise to see peace established between the
American and National leagues At that
time he represented nobody, but ne hop
ed at some future date to be able to rep
resent the National league. This was just
after he had attempted to secure options
- on a majority of the clubs in the Ma
uOnal league
While there was peace talk, nothing
was ever said to me about a baseball
Il uSI uIU lOI receive an lnkIlng IndL
such thing was under consideration.
Now. what would be the use of the
American association joining such a
thing? Spalding had nothing to offer
us that we wanted, and the American
league was on safe ground. l hear that
at the meeting the statement was made
that Spalding held the American league
IN the hollow of his hand. It does not
take any wisdom at all to see how RI
0lCuIOuS this statement was"
Mr.. johnson sent a letter to A. J.
reach, of Philadelphia, yesterday tell
ing the latter that the American league
was in position to take care of itself
and did not want to mix in the fight now
ON between the two factions of the Ma
tional league.
The letter was in response to one which
Mr.. Johnson received from Mr.. Reach
the day previous. he contents of Mr..
Reach's letter Mr.. Johnson would not
dlVulge, but last night he consented to
make public the answer which he sent
TO the Philadelphia man. It is as fol-
Philadelphia. Pa.-Dear Sir: Your letter
- IAN. 10 received and contents noted.
In the records of the past few years
ample evidence IS at hand to prove that
the America league is abundantly able
II guard its own interests What We
know of Mr.. Brush and other league men
s7cliitcu DN PERSONAL experience ana
ihat Is certainly the best school
The American league IS an established
mayor Organization. 1t cOmbated every
interest in organized (?) baseball whef,
1t forged its way to the top. No favorS
were sought and none was granted by
those who should have had live interest
IN our success. Tt was at your request
/ consented to meet Mr.. SDalding at
Atlantic City last June. 7 now seriously
question the wisdom of that conference.
have always had an eye single to
the bettermcnt of professional baseball
and was prepared to concede that the
games best interests could be served BY
the re-establishment of peace. [ con
scented to meet Mr.. SpaIding. believing
2ll the While that screened behind him
were National league men who sincerely
wanted peace in the best interests of
the sport.
most emphaticaIly disapprove of the
childish and viudictive VaDorings of the
TWO National league factions. 1t is hurt
ful to baseball and an imposition upon
its patrons. One of Mr.. Spalding's agents
ven! so far as to falsely represent the
attitude Of the American league
The organization of which ! am pres
itcnt viii not be drawn into this squab
ole. What we have today was secured
by hard and clean fighting. When leg
ittmate opportunities present themselves
We will still further seek to improve the
condition of the American league Our
Organiza ton viii stand alone until such
tine as as the National league is in A
clean and healthy state, worthy of affilia
ton with the American league.