The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-26
WHEELMEN'S CONVENTION
National Assembly of the League Took
No Ra dical Steps as TO Amateurism,
But Has Power 10 Suspend on Suspicion of
essiOnalism-Munger's Case-Shrader
Bill DOrmant-Prices Must Fall.

The National Assembly Of the League of
American Wheelmen and it's constitution
al convention met last week in Philadel-
phia. in its annual session. There were
some two hundred or three hundred dele
gates In attendance. 1t was thought be-
fore the session convened that there had
never been time in the history of the
league when it would be called on to de-
eide such knotty questions or ones of such
Importance. but now that it has met and
adjourned there arises suspicion that 1t
did not accomplish very much.
The one great question that was before
it was, OF course. that of amateurism. The
leauge's constitution and rules provide
that only amateurs nay participate in ts
races. and when the strict definition of
amateur is analysed il comes pretty nearly
30 meaning q man th 1t has never heard or
seen such thing as money. The power of
deciding as to whether man is an amateur
or not has always been invested in the
leagues racing board, and there have been
those who have said that the board had
not always done it's duty in that respect.
The board in its own defense has main
tanned that it has known that many
living up to the rules but that it has had
no way of finding proof of it. and conse-
quently no way of punishinR them. The
racing board proposed to remedy the diff
Guilty by making two classes or rIder5-the
one the simon pure amateur. and the other
one to be known as the makers amateur.
or q class of men who are In the employ OF
various athletic clubs and manufacturers
of bicy cies. There has been since last sea-
son decided leaning toward professional
ism in bicycle racing and the settlement of
it by the national assembly, one way or the
other, has been looked forward to with
great interest all over the country by those
who are interested in the sport. The situa-
ton was left practically as it was. The
racing boards rules were not even men
toned, and much less discussed.
listing rules. One was to cut down the
value of prizes for which league wheelmen
may contest to not TO exceed $50. and the
other 10 give the racing board arbitrary
powers in the matter of judging whether or
not q man Is entitled to race under the
league auspices where before their powers
were only to pass upon the question and
refer 1t to the higher body: The prize
Of an international character. The
this much. The board may now suspend q
man If il thinks that he has been indulg-
ing in professional practices where before
it had to have absolute proof of it, and now
the racers cannot expect to compete for
house and lot. rosewood piano or dia-
mond tiara. as " as permissible In the days
gone by. 1t remains to be seen how good
use the racing board makes of it's new
powers. If il lives MP to the spirit of them
there will doubtless be some pretty general
wedding out of men when the season opens
I'D, but If it pursues it's calm and undis-
turbed way as 1t has done heretofore. there
will continue TO he hundreds of men who
will impose on it's generosity, and then
laugh at 1t.
sample of this levity came nd I'm the
session when the board reported the name
of Birdie Munger among others for sus-
pension. 1t seems that Munger and another
proposed the name of Leaning to the
league for membership. and had him ad-
mitted. Leaning is q professional, and Is
not said TO make much pretense or hiding
It. Munger laughed at the way he had
hood winked the board. but when 1t Dro-
posed to expel him. he was profuse in his
apologies. and declared that he knew not
whereof he spoke when he Endorsed Learn
ing's candidacy. He will be given q chance
to appear personally before the board and
right himself. if possible, which no doubt
he is anxious to do. as there are to be
some very rich international stakes the
coming season, and there IS no doubling
Brides speed on the track.
To its credit be 1t said that the assembly
decided not to discriminate against the ne
gro. as was 90 earnestly desired by the
Southern members of the league. There
was hot debate on the question, and 1t
was carried in favor of the negro remain
ing in the league by q close vote.
The Indianapolis Ontlngent, headed by
Chief Consul Thomas Hay, made a strong
bid for this city as the place of the next
meeting, and it IS more than likely that the
assembly of 1894 will settle In our midst.
As the representative of the Zigzag
Club. Mr.. Hay also made application
for dates for this city In the
international circuit. This circuit, in
~ iah al fha m nf
foreign countries. as well as those of this,
has set apart eighteen days to tho West.
and the time has not yet all been taken up.
Chicago has meet. Peoria and Louisville
also. and as Indianapolis is the direct
path of these places her name was strongly
pushed. They received many tlactering
assurances of reaching a successful COM
pletioD. and IL may be set down as more
than probability that these races may be
procured for the coming season.
Nothing has been heard Of the Schrader
bill during the week. except that letters
and petitions have con tinued to pour In on
Chief Consul Hay in regard tOit. IL will prob
ably como up for passage some time during
the present week, and the general opinion
il that it will be showed under. 1t has
been understood that even the Trainer of 1t
himself has decided that it is little severe
and has decided to amend 1T SO that the
bicycle riders will be entitled to half of the
road but he insists that they must dis
mount when approached by q horse that ap-
pears to be in any way fractions. Comment
on this proposed bill by both daily and
cycling papers over the country have not
been of n nature calculated to lay the ex-
treme JUNCTION of fiattery to the soul of it's
author, nor have they been such as to
cause n citizen of this State TO point to it
with pride. During the meeting of the l..
A. w. IN Philadelphia. last week. CON-
munlcation from n member was read which
for downright fooli0hness and ipanity
would be hard to beat. and when IL was
completed some one rose on the floor of the
House and asked If the writer of it lived in
Indiana. lie was greeted with q whirlwind
of laughter. -.
Spring trade is opening mp for the retail
dealer. and his lament is long aud loud. 1t
is his experience. no matter In what part of
the country he may be located, that the
business is being done to death, and he
finds it hard to keep his head above water.
There are on ON average at least ten
travelling men q week who visit Indianap-
oils. aud 60 away without selling any of
their goods. It is proportionately bad in
the smaller places, and the wisest do not
know where It IL goin q to end. As a condi-
ton of this state of affairs prices are being
cut 20 the bone. ana the men with the
standard machines are finding it difIicult
10 maintain their prestige. man comes
along with a machine that look "a good IA