The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-14
NATIONAL LEAGUE
MAY BE WRECKED
Cincinnati Will Withdraw
if Peace Treaty Is
Turned Down.

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Jan. 13.-When
the conferees of the American and Ma
tlona1 Baseball leagues adjourned here
last Saturday night nothing was heard
but declarations of peace. The Ma
tonal confereeS were as confident as
the American, though the former did
not possess plenipotentiary power.
PRESIDENT Robson, of ST. Louis, said
that the call for a meeting Of the Ma
tional league here for next Thursday
was simply to say Amen" and then
all proceeded to jollify over the proc
lamation of peace.
The spell was unbroken until mid
night, when John T. Brush, at Indian
apolis, was heard from regarding the
dissatisfaction of the New York club.
On Sunday there were rumorS from
the Brooklyn club; on Monday from
the Boston club and today from the
Philadelphia club, the later two not
being regarded as serious.
If the four Eastern clubs should hold
out next Monday against the Pitts
burg, Cincinnati, Chicago and st. Louis
clubs. the result would be a tie, which
is held to be the same as a negative
vote.
When it was announced on Saturday
night that the agreement, then reach
ed, was practically final, 1t was thought
that Barney Dreyfus was here rep
resenting Philadelphia as we'll as Pitts
burg, but Col. Rogers and other Phil
adelphia interests are quoted as say
ing that Dreyfus had no power to bind
them.
It is thought that with Hermann
signing for Cincinnati, Hart for Chi
cago, Robson for st. Louis and DreY-
fuss p1edging both PittsbuFg and Phil
adelphia that the vote on ratification
next Monday would not be less than
five to three and probably six to two.
Practically no opposition was ex-
pected from Soden, of Boston. The
conferees were so confident Of ma
jority that they insisted that ratifica-
ton would be unanimous after they
talked the matter all over with the
Eastern managers.
Minority Can Interfere.
What is taken now to be a most sig
nificant declaration is that made by
Hanlon, who says:
The peace agreement cannot be
ratified by a majority vote Of National
league club owners. The National
league has a constitution which will
not allow a majority to do something
distasteful to q minority"
Notwithstanding the adverse reports
that are current, Hermann and Robi-
son say they are still confident that
the National league next Monday will
ratify the agreement, and that their
advices are not such as to justify the
reports that the National league IS
equally divided on the peace agree
ment
Soden, of Boston, is counted on as
for ratification. although he may not
be satisfied. While the national con-
ferees are positive their work will be
Endorsed, it is evident that. the meet
ing. next Monday will be nc such per-
functory formality as at first predicted.
Herrmann's UItimatun.
August Hermann, president Of the
Cincinnati league club, said today if
the National league, at it's meeting
next Monday, did not ratffy the peace
pact with the American league, he
would get out Of the National league.
J. e. Bruce, attorney for President
Ban B. Johnson, Of the American
league, and partner of Hedges and
others in the st. Louis American
league team, said If the National
league did not ratify the peace COM
pact, that the Cincinnati club would
be taken care of.
If New York, Philadelphia, Brook
Ign and Boston should refuse to enter
into the agreement, it would result in
a split in the National league with
the owners favoring peace with the
<AlAeIfCdh 1ettSue Oh the oasis or the
terms agreed upon, Joining the Amer
lean league and severing relations with
that branch of the National league
represented by Directing factions.
The plan suggested by President
Johnson of a ten-club circuit might
be carried out by having the Western
circuit made up Of Cincinnati, Chica-
go, st. Louis, Detroit and Cleveland,
and the Eastern division of Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Washington
and Pittsburg.