The herald., 1897-02-13
CYCLISTS IN CONVENTION
Decide Many Questions Interest
ing to Wheelmen
SUNDAY RACING IS KILLED
No Professional Will Be Admitted to
the League
The Color Line Is Drawn and Road Racing
SUNDAY RACING IS KILLED
Placed Under Espionage Of the
Racing Board
Press special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
ALBANY, N. Y, Feb. 12-What the
League of American Wheelmen in an
nual convention today declined to do
was Of equal Importance, if not greater,
than those things they did. They de-
clined to allow professionals, no matter
Of what standing, to either full or asso-
ciate membership in the league. They
refused to allow the assembly at it's meet
ings to select the city for the annual
meets. They declined, by a heavy vote,
to allow local option for Sunday racing.
They declined to cut off the club initia-
tion fee of 50, or allow consuls to pass
upon racing board suspension. They
declined to amend at all the section If
the constitution that provides only for
amateur riders, and draws the color line.
They declined to offer salary for the
racing committee.
The things they did were to divide the
league into consulates of twenty-five
clubs each; allowing amateurs to ex-
change their prizes for anything but
cash; increasing the bond of the secre-
tary to $4,000, and that of the treasurer
to $4,000; placing road racing under the
espionage of the racing board
The greatest interest was in the ques-
ton of sanctioning Sunday racing, but
it was defeated by vote of n ayes to
l61 noes, the states voting as follows:
Arkansas, ayes; Colorado, 4 ayes;
Connecticut. l aye, noes; District of
Columbia, 8 noes; Illinois, 10 ayes under
the unit rule, 8 dissenting; Indiana, 5
noes; Iowa, noes; Kansas, 3 ayes, l no.
Kentucky, ayes, noes; Louisiana, 3
ayes; Maryland. 3 ayes, noes; Massa-
chusetts, / aye, "a noes; Michigan, 5
noes; Minnesota, noes; Missouri 8
ayes; Nebraska, 4 noes; New Hamp-
shire, 3 noes; New Jersey, IA noes; New
York, 10 ayes, a3 noes; Pennsylvania,
8 ayes, 26 noes; Rhode Island, 5 noes;
South California, 4 noes; Tennessee,
ayes; Texas, ayes, l no; West Virginia,
l aye, 5 noes; North Carolina, ayes.
Eleven of the executive officers voted
no.
Mr.. Welch of Northern California
moved to take up and adopt the amend
ment of w. s. Roberts. to add to article
w., section Z, that the racing board shall
GRANTS sanctionss1o race meetings to be
held on Sunday in divisions where the
board of officers of the divisions shall
adopt a resolution permitting the same,
the resolution to be subject to revoca-
ton at any time by the board Of officers
filing the same.
Mr.. Welch said that in California Sat
urday was the busiest day of the week,
and Sunday was the only day at liberty
to the masses for enjoyment. Other
amusements were sanctioned, and why
not wheeling?
Mr.. Monaghan Of Southern California
said that while he was not opposed to
Sunday racing on general principles, ne
did not believe the league should grant
it, inasmuch as the majority of league
members are opposed to 1T. 1T it
goes out this afternoon through the AS
sociate6 Press. said he, that this league
has passed this amendment favoring
Sunday racing. it will hurt US severely
in the eyes of the public
The speaker was heartily applauded.
A. E. Dunn of Philadelphia thought it
was dangerous question to handle. The
wisest thing they could, do was to keep
as far away from the danger as possible
and thus be ON the safe side. If this
amendment is adpoted an explosion of
some sort will surely follow.
f. w. Hartwell of Denver, Col, IA
vored the amendment. He did not believe
that if the league sanctioned Sunday
racing, 1t would reflect on the league 1t
was merely local option and the differ
ent sections Of the league would take
the responsibility.
gued that as many as $4,000 or 10000 peo-
pie were drawn to ball games and balloon
ascensions in his state on Sundays,
while on other days it was hard to get
500 people. Sunday was the only day
that paying audiences could be obtained d
for wheel meets. The fact was that the
granting of this local option would cast
the onus of holding Sunday racing upon
the various state leagues, and that would
not hurt the American league. There
were road races every Sunday even in
the east, and the league did not object
to that. THE theaters were open in CAL
ifornia and so were the saloons, and there
is no reason why the tracks should not
be-"
A. c. Willis of Maryland spoke in favor
of the amendment. He believed this was
eral permission was granted, under
which every state could do as it pleased.
AS to the morality of the subject, he be-
lieved that Sunday racing in California
would mean drawing away from dis
reputable sports to reputable one.
]. B. Townsend of New York said it was
not a question of morality or sentiment,
it was merely a question of business,
and it would be very bad business to
drive out those people of moral sense
who might object. 1t would hurt the
league in every section of the east.
A. F. Aiken of Louisiana argued for
the question on the ground that Sunday
was the only day for such recreation in
his state.
Thomas c.. Welch II New York spoke
for the amendment on the ground that
the league had no reason for assuming
to forbid the people of California to
hold a Sunday meet. 1t was like hav-
ing Neal Dow or John Raines' temper
ance ideas crammed down ones throat.
G. w. Sands of Maryland opposed the
motion. 1t was throwing the doors open
too wide.
Mr.. Roberts spoke briefly for the reso-
luton, and Chairman Gideon of the rae
ing board stated that the board was
unanimously in favor of granting Sun.
day racing.
The vote was then taken and resulted: !:
Ayes, 81; noes, 161, and the resolution
was declared lost
w. s. Arthur of Illinois moved to re-
consider the vote by which the striking
out of the word amateur" was rejected
this morning and professionals thus kept
out. There was row at once, and he
was attacked as taking unfair advant-
age of the large number of members who
had already left. There were some live
ly words and then the motion was lost
by heavy vote in the negative.
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