The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-31

association. which has practically disd out during the prosperous oays or tne war just ended The purpose Is to mead of the reduction in players salaries which the men cannot help but see oefore them when the present contracts Haae at war prices, shall terminate. The players feel the need of some organiza- ion to protect themselves against the magnates. While there is no prospect of immediately curtailing salaries, there is no chance that present salaries VII be maintained any longer than the club owners can help 1t and be honest. some organization of the players Is, therefore, not only necessary but penenclal thtner than harmless, if such organizati~i pc made strong enough to govern us own
 But T. Daly made his mistake in be- rating the American League ana accus- Ing 1t of surrendering to the National League, besides going back on us own platform by submitting to revtVal or the reserve rule, whereby a player can be retained by club after the expiration of his actual contract. Daly IS quoted az saying, The National League compelled Ban Johnson and his cohorts 10 swaiioW the rule they made two year nght against and also foisted in the Ameri- can League the foul strike rule to which every club magnate in the organization is bitterly opposed
 Overlooking the papable fact that Daly was not quoted correctly, because any one who knows Tom knows he doesn't sling that kind of language, 1t may be taken for granted his ideas are expressed fairly correctly His asser. ton is absurd on the face of 1t. It Is not possible he himself believes that the American League fought for two years to abolish the reserve rule. The young league ignored the reserve rule of the National League, to be sure, and even fought 1t in the courts, but those were War measures, aimed not at the reserve rule itself but at the National League. which Johnson X Co had to whip into recognizing their right to exist.
 All the while the American League was observing the reserve rule strictly within it's own ranks and no player could sign with any club in that organization without the consent of the club to which he had been previously signed. There never was any suggestion of peace compact with the reserve rule left out. There could be no organized baseball without reserve rule. It IS the club owners only protection against dishon- est players. who would otherwise have it in their power to nullify the efforts of years and render valueless thousands of dollars invested in property.
 Players of the class to which George Davis, DelehantY. and many others be- long could at the expiration of a contract do just about what they have done now. They could sign with two or three differ ent clubs after making them bid against edcn other, get advance money rom all the clubs, and then let the clubs settle 1t among themselves at their own ex- pense. A club owner would never know what players belonged to him, or who had signed contracts which would in. validate his.
 If all players were like Tom Daily, Fielder Jones. and a host of others, who can be depended on to live up to their contracts. there would be no need of the reserve rule and players could sell their services in the open market for the best price. That is their inherent right and that is what they want. But so long as dishonest players can do as they please the honest ones must suffer injustice for the faults of their comrades. When the players can form an association or union strong enough to govern it's members and absolutely prevent such men as Davis from double crossing club owners, then the players will have some right to ask for consideration.
 The old players union was helpless tc accomplish any such thing. It was asked to prevent its members from jumping contracts during the war and was power less in the matter. The members paid as little attention to the orders of theil officers as they do to the feelings of ar umpire on the diamond. If the players cannot govern themselves they must sub. init to the magnates governing them.'