The San Francisco call., 1897-02-23

they are. however. They must promote
Sunday racing to pay even expenses. II
the executive committee permits II all
discomfort will be allayed and we will
have no immediate grievance. Otherwise
the tracks will promote it anyway, and
there will be plenty of men who will ride.
Who of our California boys will 60 East
this year? Probably only four-Ziegler,
Mcfarland, Wells and Bob" Terrill.
Sunday racing for plethoric purses may
keep them here to say nothing OF attract
ing the Eastern cracks.
II don't believe there will be much OF
this so-called circuit racing this year. l
don believe the manufacturers are going
to support teams l heard Tom Eek dis
cussing it at the New York show. He said
he thought there were only about twelve
men signed so far. And there are 1900
profession ais in America, whom the league
felt itself too good to admit 10 member
ship. With no teams or circuits what are
these men going to do2 1 think, with
frequent opportunities for racing here and
good purses, we will attract large num-
Der of them. l imagine Sunday racing
will develop new men FAST too. We are
really in better position to start out tor
ourselves than any other State.
1.-THE only reason for California adher-
ing to the league is for our racing interests.
If we cut loose in that regard nothing re-
mains. In what manner did the East as
sist In the passage of our baggage bill?
1t was by our own individual efforts. We
could have got it under any other name
besides the l.. a. W. with the same efforts.
And this applies to our roadbook and
everything else. Everything is done by
the divisions, and yet we turn over one
third of our dues TO the home office which
helps 10 pay fat salaries TO favored few.
Continuing, Mr.. WeIch talked very
rapidly as he enthused to his subject.
i -xNEs ~
just now were badly demoraliZed. Mr..
Gideon would not accept reappointment
as chairman of the racing board, and he
himself would no longer represent 1t in
California unless Sunday racing be per-
mitted. Mr.. Croninger of Kentucky
would probably be the only incumbent
reappointed. A. G. Batcnelder of New
York was a likely candidate for chairman.
Mr. Welch said Gideon had been an ex-
ceedingly fair and impartial man. gentle
manly and popular, who ruled with rod
of iron, yet was admired and respected.
He pared him with George II. STRAIT
| ton, late chairman of Associated Cycling
Clubs racing board OF this State. Of
x-President Elliott of Boston he could
not say too much. He was a splendid
man and deserved reelection. But he
was victim OF the questionable politics
of the New York division and was turned
down for Potter.
Monahan, the chief consul of the South
California division, stood in with the
Potterites and fought the Sunday-racing
proposition tooth and nail. He was very
| unpopular with the delegates, but
could be utilized TO good advantage, and
| they made the most of him.
Mr.. Welch said both he and Mr.. Ker-
rigan were thoroughly disgusted. They
| had given several years to the work OF the
| league in this State and felt they had
Il Mi ahpd rnuph Onnd for itS m berS
here. He says Kerrigan is all broken up
over the result and of their treatment
| there, and does not feel that he can come
back here and do any more.
The Potterites promised their support
| to California and to every one else who
wanted anything at the assembly in re-
| turn for the election of the Potter ticket.
| This ticket went through with the eXcep-
| ton of the treasurer. And then the fall
| came. Delegation after delegation was
| turned down, California included. Or
| course New York with the tifty-six dele
gates, whose vote Potter held in the palm
| OF his hand, so TO speak, had practically
| the control of everything, and Potter
| broke his promises faster even than he
! made them, eager as he was. MasSachu-
setts. Illinois. the South and the West, all
have grievances, and they will not be
| easily assuaged. Some OF the methods
employed at that assembly would make a
\ NdTu pOAAilSA1u buln sAC-h WIN envy oAN
| put Tammany Itself TO shame.
ave had an agreeable trip both going
and coming" Mr.. Welch concluded. 1T
| showed little in New York and also at
| Albany the morning of the day our Sun
day racing proposition came up. 1t was a
| Friday and l remarked something about
superstition to Judge Kerrigan at break
| fast The Judge was pretty glum then,
for our efeat was foreshadowed by the
turn OF events of the previous day, but his
| usual witness asserted itself and he said
it would be a cold day if We got left-and
| it was"
Mr.. WEIGH returned alone. Mr.. Fuller
stopped off at Chicago and Judge Kerrigan
is still in New York. Bth will be home
in the course of the next ten days and
their return will signal something startling
| in the North California Division of the
/ 4 A