The New York herald., 1876-07-12
AMATEUR OARSMEN.
oARsMEN QUALITIES AND DIsQUALTIKs ANA
TEURs.

New YORK. July 0, 1875
To THE EDITOR HERALp:-
In an article published the HERALD Juno 20 atten.
tion called to the Executive Committee of Amateur
Oarsmcn undong past business' Wore this all it
might be allowed TO pass without comment, but il the
.'National Association OF Amateur Oarsmen persist in
their present line OF action boating men will be
traminelled and dlsgusted that friendly competition
will become mpracticabe. or else the shifting policy
adopted by certain members of the National Associa
ton will bring its judgments into such dsrepute that
they will lie dsregardcd las In many in
stances is already the factl mado
ridiculous in the eyes OF air-mlnded connected
with other associations The gentleman who is the
moment, and has been for months past, forced
into prominence as victim of the indecsion pcrse
cutor of certain members of the "National Associa-
tom is of the Neptune Boat Club of Staten
Isand-a club composed OF representative men second
10 none in New York city or State The Neptune Boat
Club entered Mr. James Riley Tor his first at the
Saratoga open regatta of 1915 under the rules OF the
Saratoga Rowing Association" His qualifications
were submitted to and investigated by committee
who had every opportunity TO obtain ample inior-
nation about his antecedenis in Saratoga,
MT iiicy's pace OIL. residencc ny ms
TO under the rules in tho regatta OF 1876.
few days after Mr.. Riley competed in the Troy regatta
under the rules of the National Association ITSELF and
security OF oarsmcn status than ihe statement
that soon after the National Association held meet
ing New York city, where, TO their SURPRISE the
Neptune Boat Club were obliged anew TO bring In their
evidence aud by 1t Mr. Riley again declared fully
qualified, and the question was supposed to be detl-
nitcly settled Some months passed. during which
entries made for any race,
new circumstances transpircd to call Tor action,
when, on looking over OF the New York papers,
member OF the Neptune Boat Club read statement of
a meeting OF The National Association, at which Mr..
Ricy's had been reopcncd and he had been dis
tgation INTO virtually closed given either to
Mr.. Riley, to his representatives or TO any Of his
clubsn apparently surrcptitious mode OF tring with
the rights OF individuals not customary IN any coun-
try. IN appeal to the President OF the Ma
tional ASSOCIATION brought about the meet
| Ing referred TO in the HERALD. where one
| OF the gentlemen OF the National Association in
addition TO hs own vote held iour or five proxies OF
persons who had been present TO hear word Of
the evidence. Under these circumstances the proxies
excluded, and, Mr. Rilcy's being discussed.
he was rcinsiatcd; but fresh effort made he
2sth o June, 1885, when tho injustice OF the proceed
ings eliminated in declaring the action of previous
meeting 'ilieeal null and void, and Mr. Rcy's status
upon the decision OF the equally illegal
| ing when Mr. Riley was secretly and uujustiaby
disqualified without having any opportunity of a
| individual caprice jealousy at work, instead
Of the dspassonatc spirit which should actuatc
claiming TO be national association What right havo
they TO adjudcate in this nquisitorial way? The re-
suit is inevitable. Whore afhdavi,s of the strongest
! ton;' where the members OF tho Bar Qualification
Committee attended, to be heard In Mr. Rilcy's be-
bali; where such gentlemen as the president, Mr. Drx
ter, Nessrs Gustis, Craft and Atkinson voted in Mr..
Reys favor they having heard the testimony, while
the other gentlemen twho knew nothing of tho
case or tho individual except by hcarsayl voted
| by proxies In the hands OF Mr.. Garfield Sucn
transaction Will turn the National Association
| into bywcrd and scon, the unworthy tool
OF petty Ill WILL fear OF superior capacity
| OF rival candidates Tho members of the Ma
| uonal Association will not ali to redress tho
outrage committed under the sanction OF their namc
and the guarantee tor this is that the meeting or
2sth June. motion to ccnsurc The Secretary Mr.
Garfield Tor rcmisDcss OF duty presenting
OF the previous meeting containing only part OF the
proceedings, and also To- publishing. false accusations
against several members OF the committee the Srcrc-
escaped ccnsurc only by using the proxy SYSTEM
which has proved so unia and obnoxio
Far from "pronouncing the action harsh and
severe, II is characterized illegal and dscrcdifahlc
append the proxy forwarded by MIR Dexter be used
meeting OF 2oth Junc--a iair, impartial honor.
able document which unfortunately did reach It's
destination until the day alter the meeting
FrRovIprxcr =. / June 81 1875
JouS f. Ersris, ESQ., Member Executive Committee n. A.
A.. o.
the meeting OF Executive Committee be holden At
knekerbuc Cottage Jun. lsSt the following
ditions. On grcstons affecting the Riley. OF
the Neptune Club II evidence be offered shall
vote TO him II evidence DO offered iinst
nm shall vote to allow him rrbuttng tcst
nony either this ubseanent meeting II this
permission le refused shall him.
rebutting testimony be offered shall
weigh carefully It's nature and and sustain
dquaiy the it, Upon questions this
proxy gives you general powers. Very truly yours.
/ ARTHUR D. DEATER.
member Executive Committee y. A, A. O.