The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-30
CALL THE |RONCLAD
AGREEMENT A JOKE
Sporting Writers of Assocla'
ton Circuit Show Up Club
Owners Game.
BY BILLY MAC.

Although the highest legal talent"
that passed upon the ironclad agree
ment of the American association
'charter" members, declared that in
strument free from loopholes and a
most binding document, it has failed
in almost every town of the circuit, to
create the sensation that the magnates
pictured when they attached their sig
natures to this imposing paper.
Already the sporting writer's in the
Eastern end of the circuit, the end that
will be with the winners when the as
sociation is wrecked, are declaring
what The Glob maintained from
the start, that the agreement was mere
ly designed and drawn up to quiet the
Western fanatics until the smashup
date arrives.
Though the owner of the st. Paul
club has, according to an evening pa
per- declared these claims so absurd
and ridiculous that they are not worthy
of attention. the fanatics may dis
agree with this opinion when they read
what other writer's about the circuit
have to say in discussing the agree
ment and the plans of the magnates.
Tom S. Andrews. sporting editor of
the Evening Wisconsin, of Milwaukee,
and recognized as one of the leading
sporting authorities of the West, tells,
without mincing words, the real worth
of agreements signed by baseball mag
mates, and his one observation, Re
member what Tebeau and Hickey did
to the Western league" tells a story in
itself.
Still more evidence is offered to the
fans in the clipping from the Columbus
Dispatch, paper recognized as one of
the stanchest friends of the American
association to be found in the Eastern
end of the circuit. Sporting Editor
Milers declaration that the agreement
was prepared as "a palate ticker for
the Northwest and Kansas City fans"
is also liable to be branded as a "con-
temptble attack on the ST. Paul team"
by the evening paper that fails to see
any signs of syndicate ball or an ap-
preaching wreck.
In the Evening Wisconsin Tom An
drews says:
The magnates of the American asso-
citation are beginning to wear gum shoes.
AT the meeting in Chicago Monday four
OF the men with the Rockefeller title met
in secret. so it is said, signed a document
binding each one to stick to the other
through thick and thin for a term of
seven years. SWOle secrecy and then pro-
ceeded to quietly give it to the press.
So secret We're the magnates that even
the president of the association was not
let in on the deal President Griffo feels
terribly aggrieved and will Iall a grand
jury to investigate the affair. The re son
given for signing the alleged secret
agreement was the, fact that each mag
nate thought the other was going to hand
him the "harpoon.' However, as one of
the maSnateS says, the agreement does
not amount to the worth of the paper it
XHynC + o1,,,
some of the papers which had been roast
ing them for being mixed up in an al
legged deal to throw out certain towns
and form a big minor league taking four
association cities and four from the East
ern league The fact is, if the magnates
wanted TO throw out certain members
they would do it irrespective of any secret
agreement. Remember what Tebeau and
Hickey did to the Western leaguel
Agreements did not prevent the Arneri-
can league from expanding when Milwau-
kee was dumped If Mr.. Tebeau wants to
expand with certain other members, why
they can resign from the association and
go ahead with their plans. Then would
come the question of the national agree
ment protecting certain territory but
sooner than face another war compro-
mise would be reached and the expan-
Sionists would no doubt carry their point
rms would not come about, however, un-
less the National and American leagues
combined"
In laughing at the simple-minded
fans of the West Harvey Miller adds
to Mr.. Andrews contribution with the
following in the Columbus Dispatch:
That little agreement, a sort of mutual
"handcuff," entered into at the American
ASSOCIATION meeting at Chicago between
the charter members of the league never
to leave the circuit as it is now nor to
Join the western nor Eastern leagues for
the space of eight years, was the neatest
move yet on the part of the magnates in
question 10 make themselves solid with
the fans of their cities and allay their
fears for the existence of their franchises
In league of good standing and to bring
about the feeling of security that good
paseball would continue to be dished out
to them.
Up in st. Paul and Milwaukee there has
been great 'hub-bub'' and a Il told you
SO. The league, they claim, is now solid
and the chance for the Eastern division
club to go into merger with four cities
of the present Eastern league has gone
gllmmering. 1t is sufficient to say that
that agreement and he is known to be
one of the moving spirits in getting a
merger through in the year to come.
1t seems to have been merely palate
tlckler for the Northwest and Kansas
City fans. shrewdly worked out by the
owners interested there. The merger is
now no farther out of question than be-
fore Baseball is such a strange business
that the merger is just as possible now as
ii ever was, aud there is a strong feeling
even at present in this end of the circuit
that even with this resolution of the
charter members there are plans in action
just the same to get the Columbus. Louis
Vile. Indianapolis and Toledo clubs into
a new circuit. There is "hen'' on, de-
spite the circGlationS of the agreement.
The baseball horoscope presages some in
tereStlnS developments before another
nine months roll by.