The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-14
ELECTION OF WARD
means WAR
so SAYS BAN JOHNSON. WHO
TELLS WHY HE OPPOSES
MuRPHY'S CANDIDATE.

New York. Dec. 13.-Tha American
/ league simply will not tolerate John NJ.
Ward being elected president of the
National league TO succeed John A
Heydler. according to Ban b. Johnson.
American league president, who ar
rived in New York today If he is
elected. said Johnson. IL means war.
As outlining his position in the matter
ON the eve of the National league
meeting. johnson gave out a letter
which he has sent to August Herr
mann, chairman of the committee
which was instrumental i'm ending the
war between the National and Amer
lean leagues In 1903. The letter, dated
Chicago. November 30. and addressed
TO Hermann at Cincinnati. says:
When information was brought to
me from an authentic source that
John NJ. Ward was seriously copsid-
cred for the presidency Of the Ma
tional league, ii occasioncd me much
surprise and raised the question as to
the sincerity OF purpose of your or
ganlzation. Since the signing OF the
peace pact and the creation of the ma
tional agreement. organized baseball
mas moved along in n broad. straight
channel. with moderate friction. The
chief snag encountred was our effort
10 recover Player George Davis after
he had been awarded to the Chicago
American league club at the Cincin-
natl peace conference. Mr.. Ward, act
ing as attorney for Player Davis. drew
up the original contract with the Chi
cago club. II was a three year agree
ment ironbound and riyeted. At an
other date. Davis signed another con
tract with the New York National
league club.
The New York club sought to re-
tain Davis, regardless OF the Cincin-
matt award and. i'm fact. did use him
in one game. despite n vigorous pro-
test from the American league club.
The Chicago club was finally Obliged
To go into the courts to enforce its
contract and John NJ. Ward represent
ea the player in the proceedings Da-
Wis was checkmated. but the Chicago
club did not have his services during
the entire season, The cost of litiga-
ton to the Chicago club exceeded
$4,000. The entire transaction was
clearly conspiracy. and wan,on vi
nlation of the peace pact entered into
at Cincinnati. American league in |
terests must be considered and
weighed i'm the construction of the ma
tional commission each year. II is far
from our purpose To say, or even sug-
gsst. who the National league should |
elect as its president. but common |
sense and the interests Of other par !
ties to the agreement should he con-
sidarcd II the present cordial relations /
are to continue.
The unbounded prosperity the game !
has enjoyed under its present govern !
m.nt should serve as a safety valve To |
any unprejudicial act that might tend |
Ia destroy healthful. sound and !
spnrtsmanlike condition in baseball" |
Plenty of compromise candidates /
have been suggested thus far. Almost /
all of them will he here To attend the /
Pittshurg clubs banquet on N'chnes /
day night The Murphy Ebhets fac /
tion is expected Ia select Joseph y. ,
a'Rrien as its compromise candidate.
while If Hermann. Droyfuss and /
Dewey find they cannot elect Heyd /
Ter they are likely. IL is believed Ia
place In nomination Robert Brown Of 4
Louisville.
adrian Arson has little or IN
chance according In one OF the mag
mates. "and his appearance here Is
regretted. II being the general opinion
that whoever was responsible for the /
veteran making the trip eastward has
been hoodwinked
Stanley Robinson. the st. Louis club
owner. announced he would he on
hand here today but Horace Fn.el,
who represents the new owners of the
PhllaieIphia's viii not arrive until to-
morrow. Friends II Farel We're quot
ed here today as asserting that "as
Yet he has not pledged himself 10 the
Murphy Ehbets faction and he will
come here ready 10 swap his vote tn
any magnate that will give him some
good players III this Is the case
philadelphia's vote is unlikely To 20
Ia Heydter. as the Hermann Dreyfuss-
Dewey collection has stated that il
would elect its candidate by making
no trades. T