Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-02-18
THE DIAMOND.
SMALL LEAGUES
 GET LEFT
Ban Johnson Makes a Good Offer But They Reject It. Manager Hanlon Warned Clubs Lost Money.

New York, Feb 1S.-It will probably be long time before the minor leagues will consent to, take stock in the promises of the National league again. Acting in perfect harmony, the National league and the American league, through President Ban John son of the latter organization, made what was deemed to be an exceedingly fair proposition to the representatives of twenty-six small leagues, at the Flo tel Breslin yesterday, but after due consideration 1t was declined, with the prospect of disruption in the ranks of the National association,
 The minor leagues case was botched and bungled in such manner that no other result could have been attained. Several weeks ago the National league men informed the minors that they were with them ill their requests for alleged justice; but with John T. Brush, who professed to be their friend, away in Hot Springs, the other National leaguers jumped at chance to throw their support to the Ameri- can league.
 For several hours Thursday .night Johnson listened to long winded ar. gument from minor leaguer who re- gently pushed himself to the front and will consequently have to shoulder the blame for the fizzle. Johnson soon learned that the minor league organi zation was on the verge of disruption. It developed that the men who were instrumental in making the demand for an increase of the drafting price for Class A players to $1.50O were vio- lently onposed to a proposition from Judge W. H. Kavanaugh of Little Rock. the president of the Southern league. to raise that organization into Class A. Johnson stood with Kavan- augh on the proposition, ard the Sonth- ern league. in receipt oY a turndOwn, can now he relied unon to stand with the American league in case of trouble. It also deve'oned that George Te- beau. who renresentad the American association. did not have the united sunnort of his league. as Edward Rar- row was on the ornund. representing the Tndi"nancIis Columhns and Ninne- anolis cluhs which he aoid. were not in any way sotisf'ad with the present national arrnenent Furthermore. If was shown in tho course of time that thnrp is f'orna fac+ional fioht under wav in tl,, Caste-n lao o,,e the ohtect of whinh is tho oretioo of ?. T. Pow CTS tho man who made and sored this or~noi7ot ton f~op ru'", 8 half do-eu tirns. fron, tha prasidnncv of the leoorn nnd ",so from +hn nroe'dnncv of the Not'oraI Association of Minor T Innoras Tho~a woe additional pvi- f1nnca If f~iot'o, hotwoe4, HarIoo of Poitir,ora and St"l''uos of RuHaio both To ctn~, 'no~v n,nn Nncnusa tho Jatto~ cI"i'~nd thnt unnlnn did mt 'ccvo~ vr" twn Ruffnlo n,"ra~s Civ r,nr and rnr-trer. wh.. wnrn eveotu- cl'r tv~rnd ovn~ to National lea p,,a cIrhs. w%iIn rI"nIon ercrendnd tn "corn~ino rn'' tho whole R"'timnra team h,. nIocin~ tbom on tho ara ftioo 1ist of tho prooir,v-, c'uh. Tn nttnr wcrde thn~a was eva~v indication thot tho r,iro~ loo runs wpre rnadv to tear ono anotr,o- to rieros ratnnr than to ctond to~nther in fight for so- co,'oa r'rhts,
 When Johnson t,rnd of Iistonino tN fha rnnr-- t"ln oe woo hn tu~nod ahout with q ho~,tchn'l in tho shane nf 9 stctnr,art thot hn tua~v it tn hn 9 fact that Stallincs and Hanlon. at the rt.- cent Eastern league meeting. had Vprn0 shown disposition to inture the American lea"re in various ways.
 "you can withdraw from the nation nl agreement" said Johnson, "and we will respect vour contracts. hut not the reserve rule. But let me say that if you make war, and Hanlon takes the initiative. as I understand he wants to do. will predict that he will be without club or city inside of a year."
 Then Johnson. backed up by Herr mann and Pulliam, representing tn! sentiment of the National league, made this proposition to the minor leagues:
 we will pay you s1OOO cash for players drafted from Class A leagues, two players from each club: SIJO for Class B. and $500 for all other leagues, in cash. the moment player Is draft. cd. If you will accept this proposi- ton. and you can show me next fall that it has been hardship for the mi nor leagues. we will be ready and will ing to adopt your plan. that of s1.5OO for Glass A. s1.O0O for Class X. and O on down. The present arrange ment calls for sIJO for Class A play CTS. to be paid in installments. $500 for Glass R. and 800 for Class c. in view of which our proposition must seem to De eminently fair"
 But the minor leagues were head strong. They were looking out for their personal interests and not those of the small fry. SO they concluded to refuse. with the result that the pres ent scale of prices will remain as it fs to the detriment of many clubs that usually find it a hard task to make ends meet. Win this turn in the tide # developed that the two big leagues had succeeded in killing the alleged sentiment in favor of the minors. incl dentally showing up the grasping pol fcy of a few men who have been work ing an the time for their own per sonal ends. And so the poor minor league<. as usual. have com out at the little end of the horn
 souARING THE ACCOUNTS.
 The New York American league club succeeded last night in squaring ae- counts with Stallinxs of Buffalo. Last