Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-20

And 80 might 20 on. ! am aware thet
with many OF you the l.. A. W Is considered
as q selfshly Eastern organization. Let us
see. Last winter when the constitution was
revised the meeting being in New York city
none OF your officers could 20, But want
to tell you here and now, that our voices we're |
there heard with good effect, since ! can put
my finger on a number OF practical changes
that were made at the suggestions o. your |
representatives and chici consul belieVe IL |
IL generally admitted everywhere IN the |
League that Ohio has the most practical d.
vision in the country.
Then at Buffalo few days ago. Two oil
the Ohio men starteda boom for an Ohio man |
for President-and all that prevented his
election was that he declined to allow his
name to be presented | tell you Ohio is
recognized aud felt AS power in the League
and while the Presidents not from Ohio, you
will see by the report of the meeting in the
Official Bulletin that you have one OF the
three members OF the executive committee.
BY reference to the new rules you will see
that YOU have a representative at the very
head OF the League, have one of the trinity
that govern and manage It, In addition this
committee has by special resolution complete
control Of the secretary. editor and the official
bulletin. | therefore, see no reason tor Ohio
TO complain.
Permit a word regarding the national
league 1t has made mistakes. its officers
have done things they should not have done
and the organization has been, in many
points, weak and shaky But | must insist
that she has improved amazingly this past
year. The new constitution and rules are
| vast Improvements on the former one, all its
| provisions pointing toward more prsctical
work. The machinery is all simplifed and
| predict a prosperous, harmonious year tor
| 1885 aud 6. Look at the decision on the
amateur, professional question IN Buffalo last
week. The unanimry OF the League on
that point was magnificent. One poor fellow
voted "aye" for his own motion and the noes
that followed shook the house. That ques ion
was there settled-forever | hope. Now we
are to try publishing our own
paper-the Official Bulletin. We
ought to do this and | believe we shall
be able TO do it without loss. Is not this suf-
fcient progress for one year? iou cannot
have perfect organization in one, two or
three years any more than you can make a
two-,ear-od calf in Il minute. | corgrstu-
late you, therefore, gentlemen, in beiEg men =
bers OF the Ohio Division, a branch live aud
strong of the national l.. A. W.
am pleased to note n growing tendency
among the membe RS of the League toward Il
more frsternal feeling. like the iremason-
ry OF the League better that that OF the
Knights Templar. This is growing and |
note its growth with pleasure. am glad it
is so. Our way is not yet strewn with roses.
Here and there some sntedeluvian or fossil
coutrives to throw in our Joyous way a
bunch of thorns. The legislature of North
Carolina recently passed a bill driving wheel
men from certain pike. Allow me by way
OF parenthesis to say that at Buffalo IS
shaky old League, which some one-horse
Wheeling papers have repeatedly said would
soon fly to pieces by a tremendou y u1ani-
nous vote, instructed that pioneer herald
of the gospel of wheeling, Charles +.
Pratt, OF Boston, to fight this case if it took
every cent in the treasury and all that could
be raised by subscription. Pretty Rad thy
corpse. A town council in Delaware prohibi-
ted the bicyclers from using 1t. streets Br-
mingham, Ala, did the same thing, and no "
but a few DAYS ago. just across the Ohio, the
council OF Wheeling, ". Va passed similar
ordinance. We must, therefore, still have a
League, We still must stand together, not
only as states but as nation of wheelmen, to
| preserve TO ourselves and our children the
right to ride over the roads of this country OF
bicycles and tricycles.
And then how we all find friends and be.
come attached TO each other through the ias-
cinating use Of the flying wheel. How these
meets do give US a rest in tae weary road OF
life. How dull care flies away we moun,
and ride away over plain and valley and
mountain, meeting every " here members who
wear the same badge, who seek the same end
and who are our friends because We are all
united by the ireemasonry OF those cabaiatc
letters l.. A. W. How we think of ard live
over again in memory the pleasant runs, halts
n the shady woods, that long coast or that
beautiful view, or that pretty face OF the
city girl who blrshed as we caught
her looking admiringly at US, how
theee all come trooping in to tighten many {
weary hour. Truly
'Tis the friendship of life
| That softens the heart Of care,
| While the years that are passing
| Do whiten and silver the hair
| The nrst leaves its traces eternal,
| The last speaks Of the supernal
And both OF the "oyer there"
Aud 80 it is that to me the greatest sdvan
tage OF membership in the League is tn
friendships form and the pleasant time
that grow out Of such friendship.
0 Ia conclusion urge you to go on in tn
|
] growth is encouraging, although with prope
. effort on the part OF each member our lis
E should the next year reach full thousand
II you are q local consul answer all letter
e promptly. Give all information asked 10
promptly In brief remember that tn
t League is beneficial Just as you make it 81
e | by your labers. So labor tor our common
2 | cause; SO cultivate the fraternal feelinI
0 among each other; avoid ealousies, bicker
e ings and strife. Seek only tor the common
u good OF the wheelmen and we shall find tha
II IN 3 few years as recruits are added to tn
l. army Of Sheelmen that out Of { II this worl
! and labor and thought there has been evolve
d the perfect league Of wheelmen. May we al
i be present to take part in its annual meet.
After the applause following the delivery @
the address, the minutes of the las, meetn
: at Cleveland, August 10, 1884, were read b
! the Division Secretary, and approved. Tb
8 minutes OF the eling Of officers at the La
gonda House, January l6, were also read an
: approved, and placed on the records. Divisio
Secretary Paul Staley presented his annus
s report, showing renewals and applications fo
t membership up to June |, l75; from June
10 date, applications So; from June ! to dat,
. renewals, 80; total number OF renewals at
applications, 1926. The report was adopted
. Division Treasurer A. N. Crothers presente
his annual report, showing receipts $476.O3
expenditures, s320.42; cash on hand, $l556l
The report was adopted.
9 The Secretary was instructed to draft tn
Y necessary changes in the Constitution to pro
D vide tor the combination Of the Offices O