The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-07
Meeting Of Directors at Cedar Rapids
Yesterday Was an Amlable One
President Justice is
Lauded.
LEAGUE Is BEHIND HIM
Vote of Approval Made on Handling
of the Rock leland Matter
Fort Dodge New
Member.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, March t.
Fort Dodge was admitted to mem.
bership in the Central association OF
baseball clubs at meeting of the as
sociation directors in the rooms of the
Cedar Rapids Commercial club Mon
day afternoon. The action of the d.
rectors regarding the Fort Dodge ap-
piication was taken after officials OF
the Keokuk club surrendered the
franchise owned by the Gate City as
soctation.
R. NJ. Stevens and II. G. Greene
represented the Fort Dodge associa-
ton and made formal application for
membership in the Justice circuit.
Some objection was raised by the Wat
erloo officials to Ksokuk being allow
ed to withdraw without FORGETTING the
$500 guarantee fund. The .constitu-
ton, however, clearly stated that any
club in the association had the right
to sell its franchise with the consent
OF the directors Of thu league.
The expected friction between Pres
ident NJ e, Justice Of the Central as
ISOLATION and President J. D. BURNER
OF the Waterloo club did not mater
ialize and everything Is peaceful In
the association. Trouble was indicated
in the opinion Of the meeting when
Waterloo voted against accepting the
minutes of the last meeting and
again when the same officials declared
that the Keokuk club should forget
Its $500 guarantee. Other directors Of
the association, however, made 1t
plain that they would stand with Keo-
kuk and the proposition never came
to vote.
+ Upon the suggestion OF President
R17rtnor 5pciHaS
public accountant to audit the books
of the president A vote of approval
was given President Justice for the
manner in which he handled the Rock
Island case. incidentally a little light
was thrown on that situation by Pres
dent BURNER. He declared that sent
iment in Rock Island is by no means
unanimous In favor of Three-Eye
baseball and asserted that the four
teen men back of the move to secure
e Central association franchise in
case the ruling of the national COM
was favorable, are among
the most prominent citizens of Rock
Island. With one exception these
men were bankers and merchants.
according to Mr.. Justice. These men
did not care to cause friction in Rock
Island and would make no effort to
secure a franchise until the national
made it's ruling. Under
such conditions, President Justice de-
clared it to be only natural that
these men did not care to have their
names made public. Other directors,
familiar with the situation, backed
President Justices contention as to
Rock Island men who were after the
c. A. franchise.
Entertained at Lunch.
The visiting directors and sports
writers were the guests Of the Cedar
Rapids association at a luncheon In
the Commercial club rooms at noon.
were in attendance
from all Of the cities with the excep-
ton OF Muscatine and Mason City. 1t
is known, however, that these cities
favored the admission of Fort Dodge
to the organization. Those who at
tended the meeting, In addition to
President Justice, were as follows:
Neutrality-suspicious. J. D. BURNER,
Jos Sullivan, A. e. Johnson, official
statisttcan of the league and sporting
editor of the TImes-Tribune, and F.
]. Hanlon, sporting editor OF the
Courier-Reporter.
MarShalltown - PRESIDENT a r.
Strube.
Clinton-President u. L. Root and
NJ. w. Purcell.
Burlington-William Bongert and c.
w. McIaury, the latter sporting editor
of the Burlington Hawk-Eye.
Fort Dodge-R. M Stevens and Fl.
g. Greene.
Cedar Rapids-President Belden
Hill. Secretary y. G. Blake, H. w.
Houser. Joe DanZiger, Frank Johnson,
sporting editor Of the Times, and ].
V. Harris, OF the Gazette.