The San Francisco call., 1896-05-02

the last train, which will not get them
home until nearly midnight.
The principal attraction tomorrow is
4: the Olympic 'Cyclers' road race at San
Mateo, besides several runs of the local
clubs to Camp Taylor, Centeryille and
other easy and interesting trips. The
touring season is hardly well on, as the
weather. is too unsettled just at present,
and it win probably be couple of weeks
before the club captains will commence
to announce regular runs. In the East
3, the practice is for captain to announce
in April or Nav all the runs of the season
date, destination, etc.--and a member
can. then figure his engagements well
ahead. This has never obtained here, for
the captains only announce runs from
week to week, and club member has no
idea whether he is going to Peta-
luna, Walnut Creek or San Jose a
week hence. Perhaps this uncertainty is
desira BILE, but / have thought. runs would
be better attended il announced further in
advance than they now area few days or
a week. A'club member often receives a
postal notice of run on Thursday or FRI
day morning, the run being called for the
approaching Sunday: It is more than
likely he has already planned his outing
for that day, and. the captain is thus short
one man; and. this happens in good
many instances.
Shall the amateur rider be allowed to
accept employment from the cycle manu-
facturer and still be permitted to enjoy
his standing in the League of American
Wheelmen? This is the question Chair
man Gideon, the balance: of the Racing
Board and the Cycle Board of Trade are
asking themselves at the present moment.
The racing rules of 1895 are very mislead-
ing; and more than erider has come to
grief through their misinterpretation.
They specify that all amateur riders in the
employ of manufacturers are eligible to
the class B ranks. This, of course, relates
to 1895 only. Naturally q great many
young men forsook their positions in cycle
factories on the apprehension that they
would be transferred to class B, and still
these rules did not specify that q racing
man shall not be employed by manu-
facturer The alternative was with the
racing board.
Now, from the tenor of certain argu-
ments which have been advanced by
members of the Cycle Board of Trade
there will be delicate point to decide.
1t is the opinion of well-known and in
fiuential manufacturers that the L. "A. W.
should impose no such rule on amateur
riders, they believing that rule should
exist transferring amateurs to profess
sionalism in case they are given privileges
only, such as time off for training, loan of
racing wheel, expenses, etc, not allowed
y. L rules
now are that if an amateur is suspected of
violating the rule forbidding his racing as
an amateur while in the employ of a man.
ufacturer, he will not only be transferred.
but will be suspended as well. Naturally
it behooyes this class of riders to pay care
full attention TO the league mandates.
Still, it would seem that the league had
no right to choose vocation for its anna
teurs any more than it has to forbid them
certain employments.
1t may be stated right here that the
National Cycle Board of Trade is not over
partial to professional racing and il is
doubtful if the public will as willingly
support racing where there is divisible
prize at stake. The league had an idea
once of giving solid gold bricks as prizes
fully up to value, and which could be dis
posed Of at par, naturally, by the anna
teurs when they decided to give up racing
or go into professionalism. 1t would be
one way Of establishing a semi-amateur
class and keeping it reasonably pure. To-
day will witness the first big professional
meet since the adoption of the new rules.
at Santa Rosa, where any number of crack
riders Will compete. We will see how the
racers and The public will take to the in
novation.
The California Cycling Club will have a
run to Centervilie tomorrow under Can.
tain Mayo. The start viii be made on tie
8 O'Clock broad-gauge boat and the return
will be via steamer from Alviso. Next
Monday evening the club will hold its
semi-annual election.
s. ]. and Joseph Sims of the Triangle
Wheelmen, formerly the Y. M. c. "A.
Cycling Club, are q weIl-known tandem
team often seen on the park or country
road. They are both sturdy riders. and
can set hot pace when they care to, as