The morning times., 1896-02-13
Glass B IS ABOLISHED
Exciting Scene at the |. A. W.
Convention Yesterday.
ONLY TWO GLASSES Now
Resolution Was Almost Unanimously
Adopted-Potter Brought Up His
Anti-Racing Scheme and Also Asked
Reimbursement for Money Expend-
ed on the Good Roads Magazine.

ventioH there are now but two classes OF
bicycle racing. Class Il. generally known
as pro-amateurs, is wiped out of existence.
There are 573 of this class OF riders, all
OF whom viii be given the option either
OF becoming amateurs or accepting pro-
fessionalism.
This definitely settles an agitation that
has been in progress among whceimen for
years, and has taken a most prominent
part in their affairs ever since the sport
was Enowu. Glass b. which is now abol-
iShed, was a middle ground between anna
teurism MISREPRESENTATION, ard wasadopt-
ed by the bicyclers body at the sugges-
tion of Howard Il. Raymond of Brooklyn,
then chairman OF the national racing board,
at the convention in Louisville in 1888,
il having previously been withdrawn at
the convention in New York the year
previous.
When cycling began TO assume its present
large proportions and the making of
bicycles opened q wide field for profitable
investment, competition demanded adver-
tisenent. IL was found by the makers
that, if they could get fast racing men to.
ride their wheels, il aided greatly III the
sales. az some OF the GuilclesS assumed that
ii was the wheel and not the man that won
the races. The reputation OF the great
manufacturers of this country and England
were builded on that basis. The competi-
for tie services of the flyers, and the re-
wards to them reached large proportions
and thus started the scandal of bicycle
racing, which has been wiped out today.
AMATEURISM VS.. PROFESSIONALISM
There has been growing for years SEN
timent 10 class these men as professionals,
and toaay's action is a fIuitiol of that
agitation The immediate result of the
action is TO remove the cloak of amateuriSm
from prof esSionals.
The agitation which led tn the decision
was moSi unexpected. Amendments TO
The CONSTITUTION and bylaws were under
consideration, ard several having a bear
ing on Class b had been adopted without
an effort in the direction of abolishing the
class. In The discussion of q proposed
amendment offered by Chairman Gideon
of the racing board, several amendments
10 the amendment were made, until fira!ly
Albert Mott of Baltimore made motion
10 strike out all reference TO class b and 10
make Eew heading in tie constitution of
Professional
The suggestion was debated with growing
excitement, until the convention was in
an uproar. Tic uEanimiiy OF the senti-
ment in favor Of abolis.iing class was
unexpectedly pronounced. Cries of "Vcte"
came from al parts OF the bail, and Mr..
Motifs motion WAS carried almost unaE-
the result was announced.
TRANSPORTATION QUESTION.
Under the head of new business Mr..
Potter of New York moved that q COM
mittee OF three be appointed to draft and
report a resolution with reference to
bills now pending before the New York,
Massachusetts, and other State legisla-
lures in reference TO carrying bicycles free
on trains when accompanied by the riders.
Adopted.
The L. A. W. suit pending between
Isaac Is. Potter of New York and the
league. under which Mr.. Potter claims
S3,70o for the publication several years
ago of the Good Roads Magazine, was
brought up and discussed. 4 committee
OF arbitration 10 Consist of three members
was finally agreed upon. One of the conn
nitt eeinen is TO be selected by Mr.. Potter,
one by the league. and the third TO be
chosen by the two first named, to take
testimony and examine the facts of the
case and adjudicate the claim. Conway W.
Sands OF Baltimore was unanimously chosen
as the league representative.
The next business was constitutional
amendments. There are seyenty-four of
Of these 10 be considered and Judging from
the time consumed in the preliminary dis
cussion. the convention viii not complete
its work today, as had been forecasted
ba 3bl2Ai7 P'f-Ao-
POTTER SPOKE ONHIS HOBBY.
Chief Consul Potter of New York, was
the first 10 be recognized by the chair.
He spoke at considerable length on his
amendment to strike out OF Section / all
reference TO racing as One OF the objects
OF the league. The amendment is known as
"Potter's aRti-racing scheme" Potter's
idea Is that the league abandon racing
altogether and devote its energies ex-
clUsiyeiy 10 otier branches OF cycling.
Sterling Elliott OF hdsSa chusetts, opposed
the amendment hat said that ''some OF the
silly racing rules should be changed
In concluding his remarks the newiy-elected
president asked that there be no further
argument against the amendment. He
stated that IL was sure TO be defeated
and ;he business OF the convention could
be expedited by plan of silence among the
opponents OF the measure.
Several Northern delegates favored the
amendment, hasing their arguments upon
the statement that with racing under league
control thousands Gre deferred from becom-
ing members OF the league; that society
riders would no { Join under the present con-
ditionS, and that for every member lost
through the adoption of the non-raciug
amendment, there would be an influx of
ten new -conlers. After long drawn out
presentation of the matter, the amendment
was defeated. 125 to 40.
The convention disposed of thirty six
of the seventy four pending amendments
TO the coDstitutio ion before it adjourned, at
6 o. clock. until 10 O'Clock tomorrow morn
ing. OF that number eight were Withdrawn,
four lost, and twenty four adopted.