The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-18
SPORTING NEWS.
War Among the Minor Leagues
Seems Near an End.
Meeting of Peace Commissioners
Held in Chicago.
WESTERN LEAGUE GAY.
Organization in the Saddle
Booted and Spurred.
Van Brunt Must Drop Hostile
Attitude and Compromise.

+ Chicago, NOV. 1S.-Under the same
roof that shelters General Booth, whose
Saliva ton Army is enlisted in the cause
of the Prince of Peace, the first steps
were taken this week to bring about
cessation of hostilities, which have made
the household of minor baseball moguls
divided family during the past year
In the corridors Of the Auditorium the
current of sentiment seems to be run
ming all one way. The. American asso-
citation will doubtless be welcomed into
full fellowship in the National associa-
ton of professional baseball clubs.
Thomas Jefferson Hickey's forces have
apparently turned Mark Hanna's po-
ltical suggestion to diamond use. They
are standing pat" The American asso-
citation people are not all here. George
Tebeau and Dale Gear, representing
Louisville and Kansas City, are on hand
The Western league is in the saddle,
booted and spurred for vigorous actlon.
w. T. Van Brunt who made the fight
of 1902 possible, was the sole dlstln-
present were d. c. Packard and r. r.
Burke, of Denver; Tom F. Burns, OF
Colorado Springs; w. n. Sears, OF Des
Moines; Charles A. Nichols and James
H. Manning, of Kansas City; William
O'Rourke, of Omaha, and M H Sex
ton. who is president of both the West
ern and Three I leagues. Hugh Duffy
has sent a proxy for Milwaukee ana
Charles Bastson will come from Peoria:
Four of the six members of the National
board who must settle the question OF
peace or war are here. James H. Far
rell. secretary of the National associa-
ton; J. H. O'ROurke, of the Connecticut
league. President Sexton and w. H
Lucas, president of the Pacific North
west. league, form quorum. Judge
w. NJ. Kavanaugh, president of the
Southern league, arrived late,and that
left Tim MurVane, of the New England
league, alone to be accounted for. Those
Of the board who talked at all were
outsDoken in their advocacy of peace
measures.
There IS but one sensible solution to
the problem" said OROurke, that is
peace; continued warfare means the
ultimate disintegration of the National
association. We could not give the pro-
lection guaranteed during the past sea-
son. and if the fight continues it would
mean that one league after another
would drop out. We ought to be able
to achieve peace with honor"
President Lucas, who came from Ore
gon to help clear the muddle, was just
as strong in putting the case. The Ma
tionaI association said he. cannot
afford to continue a fight for the benefit
Of one man and a couple of clubs. The
association gave the Western one year
of loyal cooperation. Last spring the
league said: We will wipe the Ameri-
can association off the map before the
Fourth Of July. They failed. and the
American association is stronger now
than it was last year. I don't believe
in jeopardizing the interests of so many
clubs 70 try and save a little syndicate
ball, for I understand that the West
I ern was so sustained last year"
There is little in those expressions that
would lead one to look for much official
backing for Mogul Van Brunt should he
continue in war-like mood President
Hickey reiterated an earlier proposition
and said: I'VE are willing to confine our
fight TO Milwaukee and Kansas City. We
/ certainly will not get out. The people of
Kansas City have proved that they like
our ball. We have offered Mr.. Van Brunt
a half interest in our club there That
is fair proposition
We think screws of moral suasion are
certain to be put to Colonel Van Brunt,
who is the bone and sinew of the western
1 opT 3sition.
The absence of President Pat Powers is
considered unfortunate He is a man of
peace, and his suggested compromise of
fight to the finish in the two cities was
Endorsed by everybody save the game
/ hacker of the western
The threatened revolution in the south
/ has given the American association a
! greater. leverage. for with the American
still outside the National fold the new
southern would be a sure ally in an in
/ dependent organization.
once mourned the abrogation of the Ma
/ tional agreement, but the president of the
Chicago club talked like philosopher,
and he said:
THE National league is happily out OF
the position of court of appeals for the
sqaabbling minors. They should alwa VS.
have had a national association of their
own like the present one and settle all
their difficulties within their own ranks
In the old days it was not the national
} board of arbitra "a !,
scapegoat by those who lose in the ad-
justment of these trivial squabbles. but
tho National league. The club that was
/ given the decision in a dispute felt that ii
was simply getting it's just dues while
the club that lost roundly abused the Ma
l-tional league for that result. Much OF
the sentiment against the old organization
was engendered in just that way For
every dollar paid for protection thou
sands We're returned for releases. Under
the present system in the national as
ISOLATION the minor managers arrange
their own drafting scale, and the National
/ VIII not pick up talent at terms fixed By
I the minor clubs who will thus lose :
powerful weapon they oft welded in the
past to shield themselves in rnidseasor
deals. They often went to SquaresviIle
with the story after the sale of a popular
players release:
If I hadn't sold him those Nationa
league robbers would have drafted him.
THE new condition of affairs relieves
the National from much detail and re-
moves potent cause for uncaIled-fol
abuse
Colonel Manning, of Kansas CITY. visit
ed President Hart during the day
That club sold Pete Weimer's release tf
the Chicago National after he had signed
That southpaw was offered greater in
ducements to go to the American, bu
as he put his autograph to a straight
agreement with the ten-days clause Gu
out he is expected to stick
F. c. Richter. Sporting Life's editor
was on the ground floor. He firmly be
lieves that the final outcome of the wa
among the big bugs will be another
twclve-clib league The prophecy wa
made that in abandoning the doctrine o
two leagues for policy of determination