Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-21


 resolution is not worthy of the prom thence that has been given it either by you or the press.
 did not anticipate the develop mept of such zeal, energy or indig- nation from you or any one else as has followed in the wake of said resolution.
 You call said resolution "un- American, unjust and ultra-Rus- sian. "" Now as to your reasons for this: Is 1t because you believe the said resolution is predicated on an actual blacklist as living fact, and of this l had personal knowledge be- fore said resolution was proposed and adopted?
 l believe this to be a reasonable assumption because u is self-evident that you have laid great stress upon inclosed clipping to support and sustain your position. To say I am astounded at the statement but fee ply expressed my feelings, and lan- guage utterly fails me to express my true feelings for a statement for which in absolute truth there was not the remotest existing circum- stances to either justify or excuse.
 l positively swear 1 did not have base ball conversation with New York newspaper man, and solemnly swear l never furnished any one with list of the blacklisted players, as stated by the following reasons: First, because l never had such list; second, because I never saw such list, and, third, because no such list was ever prepared by any person associated with our associa- tion to my knowledge.
 Now as to the said resolution. It was dignifled and respectful in lan- guage, and not intended by the au- thor to offend any member of the National commission. nor do injus- tice to a single player. whose rights l will go as far as any man in cham pioning and upholdlIg. Mir Herr mann wrote me regarding said reso- lution prior to your Cincinnati meet ing. My rely Is in his possession. l assumed same was iead by you as we'll as by your associates on the board, and concluded my explana- tion was emlnently satisfactory until your letter came this morning. Pre- sumably you never read either letter to Mir Hermann. If you did l fail to comprehend how you possibly could place upon said resolution the interpretation indicated by your communication unless influenced by what you read in newspapers. By ton I did not think it possible that said resolution was susceptible to such an interpretation as to discrim- mate, establish and oaild up and in- clude within it's operation a special blacklist of the players reinstated by the National commission. Such is not the scope or purport of said reso- lntion, nor was it contemplated by me when said resolution was offered. So when NIT Farrell answered you-l as appears in your letter to him he was right in saying that the Ma tional association had rot taken any steps to place certain ball players re- instated by the National commission | on the blacklist of the National asso- regardless of their reinstate- ment by the National commission
 I believe in the principles of fair ] play. square 1eal." the grand prin- l ciples of equity and justice. and their | IS f1r as in the nature or | things it is possible to extend or apply them.
 I fully bei'eve as you do in the rules and regulations of organized l base ball IS deterr1ined by honest men and just men. nocause upon it l depends the integrity and perpetuity 1 of the game. be..eve no player I should be condemned without the Co be heard if he SO vills. and. furt1erDcFt. no player l should be adjudged guilty of ;he l capital ofense of ineiiwibiIity unless ! adjudEed upon the evidence. and the l evidence conclusive in each and 1 every individual case This is only I just and fair. and [ am confident | that sneh mea as yea. having the courage of yOas convictions end the I best interest of the. game al heart. I sill see that no player suffers from I he application of this principle. In ru1clusiOn reTbiit me to say that I sald resolution is ic harmony with l his sentiment. Tnd shat said resoia- ion is neither the father oT a ''bIaek I ist. un-Amsriean. unjust and ultra l Russian bat. TH substance. s reiter- 4 atf01 of agreement adopted by the I Satfonzl commission and National I sssociztbon al the tine of admission I yf TrI4State leaxue- Yours truly.
 q IT, O'R0TRKE- k