The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-18
ELEVENS ARE
 STILL APART Auburn Answers Ala bama Committee. ONLY DATE NOW NOVEMBER 2I Manager Bragg Scores Tuscaloosa
 Authorities for Delay. Declares Alabama waiteI Until Au- burns Pronered Dates Expired and Then Proposed others New
 Impossible.
ONLY DATE NOW NOVEMBER 2l

That 1t is dificult to arrange games of football after the season is in pro- gress, Is shown by the reply, of Thomas Bragg. of Auburn. to the University of being made public Saturday. It now looks as if schedule complications may yet prevent the playing of the much disputed Alabama Auburn annual game.
 Graduate Manager Bragg replies pos- itively that November fg with the Orange and Blue an impossible date. This was one of the propositions of the Alaabma arbitration committee. The alternate proposal was any reasonable date after Thanksgiving.
 Since Alabama authorities who have been engaged in the negotiations for this game | new that a resolution of the Auburn Board of Trustees has sat down on any football after turkeys are mas sacreed, Auburn wantn now to know why post-Thanksgiving dates are .0f- fered. In the letter of Saturday, there fore. Manager Bragg makes 1t plain that If the contest ie to be pulled of at all 1t must be arranged before Thanks. giving N
 The offer of November was the only thread that Manager Bragg says he could hang on to comply with Ala bama's latest overtures. On this date, by five-year contract. Auburn had long ago arranged to play the Georgia Techs at Atlanta. It is regarded as an especially profitable game for both of these teams. yet Manager Bragg says in his eagerness to bring Alabama and Auburn together. he got In telephonic communication with the Tech people, making as desperate effort to cancel the game and pay forfeit. Against this Tech firmly set her head. declaring that if the game were cancelled or even transferred. it would completely dis arraneg their schedule and cause them too dear sacrifices.
 A copy of the Tech letter. which should satisfy the Alabama committee, Is enclosed in the reply of Manager Bragg. VI
 could do nothing to bring the teams together, Manager Bragg now de- clares that so sincere is he and the Orange and Blue authorities about wili be hell open for the game if Ala bama is willing. It is understood that Alabama has | minor engagement for that date. but 1t is taken that this Crimson and White are in earnest te play their old. time rival.
 Before offering this proposition, Man. ager Bragg reyiewg the Negotiations the charge Of the Alabama committee that Auburn has never made any con- sessions. This letter follows:
 Auburn. Ala, Oct. 17. .1v0S. Messrs. Hin Ferguson and Jeiks Cab-
 aniss, Birlain@haIn, Ala
 Eentlemen:-
 Your favor of the 12th inst. has been ssrfisr sxespf @ for tns fact % tst the pSo iss ter. not having been mailed until the afternoon of the 1ath, did not reach me until the morning of the 18th.
 note that you state In your conl- munication that we have never made any concession from the stand origin. ally taken by you" and you further eharacterize all of our deE:ands as "un- al and NHnN
 In view of the very broad and sweeping statements which you make and which have quoted above. I wish 10 inquire why 1t is that you term 'un- the selection of an umpire be delegated to the Central Board of Officials of the General Rules Committee of the United States, a board which by reason of it's competency. fairness and impartiality Is called upon to designate ofiicials for some of the most important games played in this country.
 Your contention that we "haVe Lever made any concession from the stand originally taken by us'' is readily re futod by the correspondence which has taken place on our part with regard to
 At stated several times before we only requested that an Eastern offlciaI be selected after the two managementS had made futile efforts to agree upon some Southern official as umpire, and when negotiations with regard to the game were again resumed, We receded from our original position with regard to an Eastern umpire and proposed to leave the selection of that ofFicial 10 a committee of reputable coaches and athletic directors of Southern coIIe0es. a proposition which the press and the public quite generally pronounced em. inently fair.
 You rejected this proposition. as you will remember. chiefly on <Se ground that that the Southern colleges with might be desirous of having some of your formations and plays declared illegal and irregular. You will also rsS- member that in order to meet tffis oh. lection, we proposed that the commit tee of coaches or athletic dIrectora should be selected from Southern coI- ieges other than those with whom you nad games this season. this being a stiU further concession on our part. As evidence that we were disposed to make all possibly concessions in the matter, would say that we suggest ca In the same letter the alternative