The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-07
PREPARING FOR WAR
OFFICERS OF PLAYERS PROTEC-
TIVE ASSOCIATION INTEND
TO FIGHT POWERS
THE TRUST MUST BE KILLED
Members Urged to Use influence to
Defeat Plans of National AS
ISOLATION of Minor
Leagues.


KANSAS CITY, Feb 6.-The Players
Protective association is determined to
exert its influence to defeat the purpose
of the National Association of Minor
Leagues, and in circular letter which
has just been issued the members of the
union are called upon to Use their in
fuence against the unjust laws of the
minor association. The players are
warned that unless they stand together
and down this new baseben trust their
union will be an organization of the
past and the success of the combine will
be the beginning of the end Of any
freedom the player had.
The letter. which appears over the
signature of President Tom Daily, Secre-
tary Dale Gear, and Lave Cross, James
Mcclure and F. A. Jones, of the grtev-
ance committee, is the result Of an agi-
tation began several weeks ago. The
first knowledge the public had of the
affair was in the shape of an interview
given by Secretary Gear. Since then
the matter has been considerably dis
cussed by baseball authorities, and the
outcome will be watched with interest.
The letter in full is as follows:
ITO Our Members-It is the duty of
every member of our union and every
baseball player as well to use his best
influence to defeat the unjust fine that
the Association of Minor Leagues proposes
to place upon players in their leagues
who dare to better themselves financially
by ignoring the reserve clause in con-
tracts. The Players Protective associa-
ton has always stood for respecting
contracts, but has consistently ignored
the reserve clause. The continued sue
cess of our union depends upon the
failure of this compact of minor leagues,
in this way: If they succeed in impos-
ing this fine, they will hold players with
their respective teams year after year,
at a salary which will never be increased
and may be decreased at the wish and
option of the club owners. Past exper-
fence has shown that when a player is
placed at the mercy of the club owner
he has few if any rights and receives no
favOrs.
Should this compact of minor leagues
be successfully carried out in a very
short time a compact of all leagues will
be entered into and all players of both
major and minor leagues will be victims
Of unjust and outrageous baseball laws.
II that event the Players Protective as
ISOLATION will be an organization OF the
past and the individual PLAYERS will be
right back where they were two years
ago, working for less money and under
the old form of contracts
The services of a professional base
ball player should be on an open mar
4ACAJ b4AO oo4lAC DIS SIuplOyeu III OIn6T walks
of business life, and our members should
advise and use their influence toward
getting players in general to sign only
one-year contracts, without the reserve
clause, and in the league where they can
get the best money and the fairest con
tracts.
This agreement of the minor leagues Is
direct blow at and is made purposalv
to destroy the good work of the Players
Protective association, and each and ev-
cry member, for his own benefit, and in
order to preserve the union, should use
every means at his command to defeat
the minor league agreement. Mem
bers should discuss it with other men,
bers, talk 1t to minor league players and
advise them. In this they will become
familiar with the subject, and when a
meeting is held can act with confidence
and knowledge
II. P. DAILY,
President.
Dale P Gear
Secretary.
Lave Cross,
james Mcclure
F. A. JONES'
Grievance Committee.