The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-08

benefited by the boom, however, and its
membership, even at this time of the year,
is jumping up at the rate of over 800 per
week.
When the plans for gathering in this
million of unattached riders shall have
been put in operation, an organization
will soon be formed that will be truly
formidable in size. There is great future
in store for the L. A. W. Its officials con-
fidently expect to the membership in
creased within year until it reaches 100,
600, and they look forward to the day
when half a million wheelmen shall be
banded together for mutual good.
The possibilities of influencing legisla-
ton by an organization of such strength
are unbounded. Instead of thankfully &C.
cepting any small favors in the way of
just laws they could dictate to the law
makers.
What the league is most in need Of is
advertising. There are many thousands of
riders who have either never heard of its
existence or who have but dim idea of
its character and aims To introduce these
scattered wheelmen to their organization
and to explain the benefits of menu ership
is the task now before the officers. Mr.. I.
D. Potter, chief consul of the New York
state division, is trying to do this in
novel way. He is making an attempt to
have inserted in the catalogues of bicycle
makers an advertisement for the league.
The New York state division, with its TO-
900 members, is probably the only state
organization that can afford to go to such
an expense.
The L. A. ". was formed in 1880 at
Newport, r. l., and Kirk Munroe, presi-
dent of the New York Bicycle club, was
its first president. The league was not
formally organized, however, until the
following fall, when the beard of officers
hald a meeting in New York city. The
mem bership at that time was 527. The
Objects of the league originally defined
by the constitution were "to promote
the general interests of cycling; to ascer-
tain, defend and protect the rights of
wheellnen; to encourage and facilitate
touring" To these objects was added,
eight years later, land to secure improve
ment in the condition of public roads and
highways -
During all the 10 years of it's existence
these objects have been kept in view, and
the greatest efforts of the league havo
been among these lines. Within the last
seven years the league has spent $3.50, 600
in pushing the agitation for good roads,
Its work was begun in modest, almost
apologetic way, and it's early requests for
good roads legislation were met with ridi-
Guile and opposition. Since then there has
been change. Thousands of our law
makers have become riders themselves
and nowadays q wheelmans measure is
received and given due consideration. The
governors of several states have taken IA
vorable notice of wheelmen's requests in
their annual messages, and in a dozen or
more state legislatures bills have been in
troduced, largely if not wholly through
the influence Of L. A. W. members, with
the improvement of highways as the OBJ
ject.
In its good roads crusade tie league
has spent thousands of dollars in printing
and distributing pamphlets and other liter
allure on the subject. 1t published a maya
zine entitled Good Roads, which has
since been consolidated with The L. A. W,
Bulletin, the official organ of the league.
Besides all this good work the league
has fought many legal battles for the gem