The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-14
SPORTS
DOVE HAS ESCAPED
Bird of Peace Still on the Wing
Will National Ratify
Peace Pact?
-Four Magnates Of the Older League
Object to Terms Of the
Truce.

When the conferees Of the American and
National baseball leagues adjourned at
Cincinnati last Saturday night, nothing
was heard but declarations of peace. Fhe
National conferees were as confident as
the American. although the former did not
possess plenipotentiary power. " %
- President Robinson of ST. Louis said
that the call for a meeting of the National
league there for next Thursday was simply
to say amen and then all proceedings
to jolify over the proclamation Of peace.
The spell was unbroken until midnight,
when John Z. Brush at Indiana polls was
heard from regarding the dissatisfaction
of, the New York club. Sunday there were
rumors from the Brooklyn club, Monday
from the Boston club. and to-day from the
Philadelphia club, the two latter not being
regarded as serious. II the four eastern
clubs should hold out next Monday against
the Pttsburg, 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 Satur-
day night that the agreement, then
reached. was practically final. it was
thought that Barney Dreyfuss here
representing Philadelphia we'll as Pitts
burg. but Colonel Rogers and other Phila-
delphia interests are quoted as saying that
Dreyfuss had no power to bind them. 1t
for Cincinnati Hart for Chicago Robinson
for ST. Louis and Dreyfuss pledging both
Pittsburg and Philadelphia, the vote
ratification next Monday would never
he less than to 3, and probably s to 2.
Practically no opposition was expected
from Soden Of Boston.
The conferees were so confident. or
majority that they insisted that ratif1ca
tion would be unanimous after they talked
the matter all over with the eastern man.
ayers. What is taken now to be a most
significant declaration Is that made by
Hanlon, who says:
The peace agreement cannot be ra tilted
by a majority vote of National league club
owners. The National league has a con-
stitution which will not allow ma jority
to do something distasteful to a minor
fly"
notwithstanding the adverse reports
that are current, Hermann and Robinson
say they are still confident that the Ma
tional league next Monday will ratify the
agreement and that their advices are not
such as to justify the reports that the Ma
tional league is equally divided on the
peace agreement
Soden of Boston is counted on as for
ratification. although he may not be sat
isfied. While the National conferees are
positive their work will be Endorsed, 1t is
evident that the meeting next Monday
will be no such perfunctory formality as
at first predicted
J. r. 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
compact that the Cincinnati club would
be taken care Of
The plan suggested by President John
ID son of ten-cIub circuit might be car
ri cd ont nv I11
made up Of Cincinnati. Chicago. st. Louis,
Detroit and Cleveland, and the eastern
division Of Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia. Washington and Pittsourg. "
/ President Hermann Of Cincinnati last
night stated that he had no intention
whatever of getting out Of the National
league If the peace pact was not ratified
at the meeting next Monday. He said:
IT am satisfied the matter will be am
icably settled at the coming meeting an6
the peace pact ratified
There is now the queerest Of tangles
to the baseball situation. An agreement
to maintain peace in baseball at any COS
has been signed and agreed upon by rep
resentatives Of the two leagues. Nov
comes the assertion that both league.
have been bound by contract not tt
change their circuits without the consen
Of the other party. That is if the Ameri
can league cannot get into New Yorl
without the consent of the Nationa
league, it cannot locate In any othel
town. Now comes the question whethe
or not the American league can secure
grounds in New York, and If not, whethe
or not the National league will hold /
to the agreement and force it into
seven-club body with d disjointed cir
cult.
Although the books Of Winnie Mercer
who committed suicide in a San Frau
cisco hotel, have not been examined. 4
IS known that he was short $4,000 d
more of the funds of All-American aa1
National teams, Of which he was treas
urer The men have been drawfn
against funds in MERGERS hands. but, oinl
few are ahead. While MERGERS friend
won't admit he was a. defaulter. ther
is no question Of the fact, as he had bee
gambling heavily and apparently saw n
way to make up the deficit. Is fl.
President Ban Johnson of the Amer
can league says that Delehanty will ha1
to return the $4,000 advance moned' Sc
: cured from New York If he plays 4
Washington.
. 1t seems Delehanty secured $1,000 frol
Postal and $4,000 from New York, whic
pretty we'll wipes out a seasons salar
and some verbal provision was mlade
the case at Cincinnati. but unless
memorandum was made Wastingto
probably will have to advance him tt
money to reimburse New York and take
out Of his 1904 salary. H.; -
When asked concerning the rtroubl
within the National league. Ban Johl
son smiled knowingly and said: II que
they'll ratify the peace agreement g
right. Anyway. we've done our part al