The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-26

The head of the venerable old organization
concludes mis- letter with one OF his chief char
acteris,ics-that of papgiving. He says: "All
the mem Ders of the division for the year 1897
Will have good reason to remember that fact"
That is but bait. Why doesn't he come out
fairly and say precisely what ne is gong to do
for them? He has already made other and
more definite promises of this kind. What
are they worth? For instance, Potter. in his
wild search for chief consul in this State,
offered the National League of American
Wheelmen meet of 1898 to Californi The
laws of the League of American Wheelmen
don't vest in the president or any other man
the power of disposing of that white elephant.
1t is disposed of by mail vote of the delegates
to the National assembly. Again, suspended
professional riders have been promised by
Potter's representative here reinstatement if
they would abandon the colors of the local
organization and return to the fold of the
League of American Wheelmen. Potter
has overreached himself as he must
know he has no such power. He also
delegation, which was clay in Potters hands,
to the local option amendment, in which Cali
fornia was so vitality interested, ct the last Ma
tionai assembly. On the strength of that
promise he was elected president of the l.. A.
W.. but the agreed support to the local option
amendment never materialized. Who takes
Potter at his word as an eel by the tail finds he
holds nothing. From these instances the
wheelmen of California can Judge the worth
OF POtters word.
On the other hand. they may be assured OF
LQ0 permanently ana bona nQeS OIL the CHiltOr-
mia Associated Cycling Clubs, of its ability to
look after their interests as wheelmen, and
they should identify themselves with 1T at
once. 1t is an organizations that stands for
state pride, State energy and the advancement
OF wheeling interests within our confines.
There never has been any reason, since the
formation and success of the c. A. c. c., some
five years ago, why the organization should
not have broadened its scope of usefulness and
afforded the wheelmen of California the bene-
fits and protection of which this division was
guardian, except the solitary one OF the
leagues control of bicycle track racing. When,
alter successive attempts, 1T became obvious
that the National assembly of the L. A. W., in
legisating for the pastime. was wholly out OF
sympathy with 1t and would not take into
consideration the condition OF affairs IN Cali
fornia and other divisions and make laws, to
some extent at any rate, accordingly, the only
reason why Califurnia should remain an int
grail part of the league disappeared and the c.
A. c. c. stepped into the breach and grated
upon itself the functions heretofore OF the
division. Why should it not? All that had
ever been accomplished for the C, clists OF Cali
fornia had been done wholly as the result OF
our own energy and efforts, without any as
sistance from the National body. The dlvi-
sion got out a roadbook each year since
1891 except one year, AT its own ex-
pense of not less each time than $3.50
its own handbook, secured duced hole.
rates, provided y division attorney, paid sal
airy OF It's sccretary-treasure Its immense sta
tlonery bills, the expenses OF the members OF
It's board OF officers to meetings OF the board,
anu VI Ats CommlttceS dI CaCidMohto ouiihs
sessions of the Legislature, of its delegates
East to the convention and, as have said. all
as the result of our own exertiOns aud entirely
without the assistance OF The parent body.
Why, under the circu instances can't affairs
wheeling in the State of California be guarded
as well by the State organization as by the
foreign one? Nay, why no. better, since all
the money received from members Is kept and
spent here, instead of sending dispropor-
tionate part thereof East l65 cents out OF each
dollar on the renewalsl, and par ticularly since
a iPn rfr <@ftl NJ q q
is poured into one organization and not diss.
pated as here tofore?