The morning times., 1896-02-12
GIDEON MADE 1 SPEECH
Review of the Years Wheeling
Before the [. A. W.
ELLIOTT, NEW PRESIDENT
Fight for the Presidency Was Sharp
One, But Willison Was Finally
ommends a Series OF Converging
Circuits for the Coming Season.

Baltimore, Nd, Feb. 11.-The National
Assembly of the League of American Wheel
men got down to hard work at the Royal
Arcanum Hall today and succeeded in dis
posing of a lot OF important matters.
First in importance was the election of
officers, this afternoon, in which Sterling
Elliott of Massachusetts, gained the vic
tory over his only competitor, Archibald c..
willison Of Maryland, who was candidate
for reelection.
Later in the day the convention passed
upon the respective claims of Louisville and
Toledo for the honor OF entertaining tue
uadala-S i'm their midsummer meet, in which
Louisville Won.
Preceding these events was the very inn
portant report of the racing board and the
unexpected announcement OF the reinstate-
ment OF the suspended Brooklyn rider
Charles NJ. Murphy. Ii was the m ost import
ant days work in the history of the L. A. w.
The report Of President Willison was very
brief. The president told how during the
past year the executive committee had been
forced by the debt hanging over the league
70 retrench wherever possible, and that in
consequence Tclpiils nhlIn IL Woulu
like TO have instituted Went undone.
LEAGUES GOOD STANDING.
He spoke of the excellent showing made by
the league now both as to members and as
TO finances, and said that he hoped the in
crease embership which commenced dur
ing this year would continue during The
coming year.
Afr A a rp-
port OF the executive committee Treasurer
Mergenthaler delved into the financial
status Of the league. and came up with n
cash balance OF S4,235. Tn he cash balance
on hand last year was less than a thousand
dollars. The receipts from new members
and renewals were Sl4.736; from other
sources 81. .451; total, S16,ls7. The total
expenses were $11,952.
The racing board received from all sources
last year So S31 and paid out So ,164, show
ing that the board is disappearing. After
finishing his report Mr.. Mergenthaler an
nouHced that he would not run again foI
the treasurership.
Secretary Abbott Bassett report bowed
that tb e membership OF TN l.. a. W. had
increased Ia. 1913 during the Nar. The total
figures are now 10.o42. Ne York made
phenomenalrecordi innew wmembership.and
Jumped from third place TO first with a
total membership OF Io.414.
Attention is called TO ihe fact tn at the
list embraces ], ,470 lady members, gain
Of 80.
Following the reading of some committee
reports Chairman Gideon. OF the racing
board. took the floor. He began by saying:
CONTROL IN JEOPARDY.
More than once during 1s95 the control
Of racing by the L. A. w. b as apparently
been in jeopardy The board b as never felt,
however, th at there was serious danger OF
control passing into the h ands OF the trade.
the resolution, framed by tn e Joint commit
tees OF the board OF trade and the L. A. w
distinctly discourages such a step. The
close OF the season demonstrated tb at the
league still controls all cycle racing
upon all tracks in the United States, by al
classes of wheelmen.
"It is proposed that another year il would
be better TO have series OF circuits, starting
one in the West, one in the South and another
In the East, all converging to a central point
which should be the national meet of the
league; from there a, combined circuit should
be continued 10, say October l, after which
time the percentage of failures is too heavy
to warrant continuance.
THE proposed abandonment OF The control
OF racing Just at this time when it is most
thoroughly within the control of the league.
your board considers extremely ill-advise6
and unnecessary. The argument that il
keeps members out of the league is best
answered by the fact that it has been
necessary to keep on the desk of the chairman
a batch Of blank applications for member
ship. which are continually called for, some
times even from Brooklyn.
1T is believed, therefore, that cycle
racing of the league. for the league, by the
league, should not perish, with apologies
TO A. Lincoln"
The report was well received and adopted
Tie convention at l 80 took a recess for au
hour.
The presidential fight came to the surface
with The fall of the gavel for the afternoon
session and was continued with unabat ted
vigor for more than two hours.