The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-11
CYCLISTS, AyNuAH CONVENTION.
Opened in Baltimore Yesterday With a
 Good Roads Meeting.

OpcuSu III BaItlnbfS eStelNHy " lkn
 Good Roads Meeting.
 Baltimore, Feb. l0.-The fifteenth an- nual assembly of the League of Ameri- can Wheelmen was opened with good roads meeting in the Young Mems Christian association hall on North Charles street at 10 o'clock this morn ing, Representatives of 4O,00o organized wheelmen will wrestle with L. A. W. problems for the next four days. | To-day's meeting was the first of it's kind ever held by the L, A. w. The provision for it was added to the con- stitution last year, Chief Consul Pot ter of New York, chairman of the high way improvement committee, called the assembly to order and introduced May or Alcaeus Hooper, who made an ad- dress of welcome to the wheelmen.
 The hall was fairly filled with dele gates and others interested in the as- senply in various ways from every sec tlon Of the United States. All were dec orated With .s'ayly colored badges and fancy buttons, most Of which were sup | piled by the Louisville and Toledo del- egations, rivals for the 96 meet.
 | Reports of committees, papers and suggestions on the subject of highway improvements and short addresses fol- lowed Mayor Hoopers welcoming ad- dress. Chief Consul Potter of New York delivered an interesting discourse on the subject of good roads and illustrat- ed his remarks with a stereopticon, showing good and bad roads in this and foreign countries. No one is better ] equipped to talk learpedly on this sub ject than MT. Potter and close attention was given to his discourse. He also ex- plained the great financial saving to the agricultural communities, as well as gain to pleasure drivers.
 While MT. Potter is an undeniable au- thority on good roads, his views on rac- ing are not held in high esteem by some. A lot of fun is being poked at him about ms famous pending amendment that the l. A. w. drop control of racing, and I that another body be formed out of the league for the special purpose of con- trolling it. It is an admitted fact that this amendment will be showed under and so those who are opposed to it think that they can use it as a football of fun. Potter takes the fun serenely, and generally replies with some anus l ing story,
 l Another proposed amendment that is viewed with disdain by majority of the delegates is that presented by Mr Jacquish of Illinois to bring in the color line again and to make professional racers members of the league, They think this amendment will have snow white path to oblivion together with that of Potter.
 Sterling Elliott's boom for presiden- tial honors received quite an impetus this morning when the New York dele gates arrived. but drop of discomfort came to the delegation and Elliott through A. c. Batchelder, the handi- capper of that division. Batchelder, l Who IS looked upon as a future chair man of the Racing board announced his resignation as one of the New York delegation. As a New York delegate he was pledged to support Elliott whereas I his judgment indicated Willison, so that, as he could not vote the way he 1 thought, he resigned This gives the o+tC NS'tCs UA lNGlily -oiA. Elliott has the enthusiastic support of his own state Massachusetts and of ] New York, while all New England is I generally for him. Elliott is a man of large personal magnetism and warm friendships, so that his friends are de- 4 voted to him and his interests.
 When asked what particular reforms | he thought necessary in the manage ment of the league and upon which in l a measure he based his candidacy Mir. Elliott replied that they Were princi- l pally two: First, the systematic agita,- tion of highway improvement, and sec ondly. systematic work to increase the 1 membership of the league. He said that it was a conservative estimate to say that there were 100000 cyclers in the United States and that onfy per cent belonged to the league. He thought at least 100000 should be members. He stated that over 100000 bicycles were sold last year and that over 1,00O,0o0 would doubtless be sold this year. MT. Elliott is sanguine of the election of his whole ticket, which is as follows: For president, Sterling Elliott, chief consul of Massachusetts; first vice president c. F. Cossum of New York; second vice president, w. A. Connolly of Danville, H.; treasurer, E. S. Hartwell of Den yer Col.
 The Willison advocates claim every thing and say they do not see how the northern ticket can possibly be elected One of the chief workers for Willison ct al said that he had positive informa- tion that Cossum would not run on the Elliott ticket, and that the Elliott wing could get no strong man to take sec ond place.
 Palisades Will Be Preserved.
 A Tho ,a1r L,ol, 1n --uthn m lica dns nf Inc