The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-01
OFFER WITHDRAWN.

The alleged disposition of the College
Regatta Committee to put their boat races
up TO the highest bidder after they had
decided earlier I'm the season to hold them
at Poughkeepsie, has caused considerable
indignation among the people Of Pough-
keepsie. Chairman William H. Booth Of
the Local Committee yesterday instructed
Secretary Reynolds To write TO the COM
mittees of both the Cornell Yale Harvard
and the Cornell Colum bia- -Ponnsylvania
combination races Withdrawing the offer
made by the Local Committee on behalf
Of poughkecpsie Mr.. Booth and DIR.
Reynolds, with Treasurer W. ii. Frank,
form the Executive Committee, and they
have been given full power to deal with
the college representatives.
I'VE are very sorry 10 take this course.
but we feel that the colleges have had
sufficient time to consider ii, and rs they
have not seen fit TO accept IL, we deem 1t
expedient TO Withdraw the offer, said
Chairman Booth, who is a Harvard grad
uate and "A veteran oarsman, TO the Associ-
ated Press reporter today. "Our offer was
the most liberal that had ever been made
for boat race before 1t was equivalent
TO over 5000 whereas New London had
never given the colleges more than $500
before Now they make an offer equiya-
lent TO 5000. The College Committee does
not secem disposed 10 consider our vastly
NuUtIlDT tDllfNc DOT lilt tAttlitHl ldtilliltN
afforded here for sightscers 20 say nothing
of the superior hotels and boarding houses.
How do we know that If we meet New
London's $1,000 bid that they will not
20 us a hundred or two better and get the
racosy You can say emphaticolly that
Poughkccpsic will not offer any more
than they have offered.
Postmaster Frank Hasbrock, Harvard
~ said: THE people of Poughkeopsic
are so disguised with the diplomacy OF
Yale and Harvard, the backing and filling
Of the college men concerning the selec-
tion of n course and the hagglng and
petty discussion of the crews, as set forth
in the papers, that IL would bc extremely
difficult to raise even the amount required
to meet the committees offer. | think
that I'm rowing matters the college mon
now show spirit of professionalism that
IL disgraceful TO gentlemen amateurs.
Later it was learned that Chairman
Booth of the local college regatta com
mttce spoke without the concurrence of
other members of the committee yesterday
when he told the reporter of the Associ-
ated Press that the committee withdrew
it's offer for the boat races. He stated em-
phatically that he had instructed Score
tary Reynolds To write to the committee
90 that effect and when the Associated
Press reporter asked Mr.. Reynolds about
the matter he did not deny the chairman :
statement but said that he should not write
until today. Mr. Reynolds now says that
he misunderstood the reporters query and
that he never received instructions To
withdraw the offer Mr. Reynolds said
this morning. In a conversation with
Mr. Booth few days ago, he told me that
he was in favor of withdrawing the offer
and | told him that | was not in favor Of
doing such a thing and refused to agree
to his proposition. i never understood
that | WAS To notify the colleges that the
offer had been withdrawn. "
Mr.. Reynolds says that Poughkeepsic' S
proposition still holds good.