The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-03
VOTE OF WHEELMEN
NOVEL SCHEME TO BE TRIED IN
BEHALF OF c. f. SMITH.
Associated Cycling Club Evanesces-
Mr.. Van sicLIen Is the Last
of the MOhicans.

Tt is reported that there is a movement
on foot to concentrate the wheelmen's vote
on c. F. Smith at the municipal election
next week, not with any hope or desire of
eecting Mr.. Smith, but for the purpose of
showing the strength of this element to the
winning candidate The movement bears no
relation whatever to that of the Associated
Cycling Clubs. That movement does not
move. In fact the Associated Cycling Clubs
IS dead letter, as would be apparent to all
were the minutes of the last meeting read.
That meeting was called to order by Frank
Erdelmeyer, the vice president. President
A. c. Newly was not there and his resig
nation was accepted, though it was not
formally rendered in writing. There was
only one other member of the organization
present. He was F. w. Van SickIen. Both
men represented defunct clubs, and really
were not entitled to act as delegates to the
Associated Cycling Clubs If there was such
an organization.
Mr.. Van Sicklen moved that the resigna-
ton of Mr.. Newly be accepted, and in vot-
ing he declared that he had six proxies and
named the men who had verbally consti-
tuted him to represent them. There was no
objection to this and Mr.. Van Sicklen for
one Of his proxies, nominated himself as a
candidate for president, and, for another
proxy, moved that the nominations close. 1t
was so ordered and he was elected. The
newly elected president then tried to force
upon the meeting a resolution indorsing
the administration and the candidacy of
Mayor Taggart, and expressing the opinion
that it would be to the interest of all
wheel riders regardless of politics, to
vote for him. Chairman Erdelmeyer de-
fba os,f e nd
there followed a hot debate" Mr. Van
Sicklen tried to show the reasons for
his resolution and Mr.. Erdelmeyer tried
to make it clear that two men could not
thus commit the several wheeling organiza-
tons OF this city, to say nothing of the
thousands Of unattached riders. Then Mr.
Van Sicklen attempted to force it TO vote
on the strength of his six proxies, but Mr.
Erdelmeyer declared that while verbal
proxies might do to elect a president of the
defunct organization, proxies must be in
writing to commit that organization to
political declaration. The meeting adj
Jcurned without the passage Of the resolu-
ton.
In the new movement the promoters pro-
pose that wheel riders, without regard to
politics, support Mr.. Smith for mayor. 1t is
claimed that if this is done it will not affect
either of the leading candidates, for the rea-
son that the wheelmen are about equally
divided politically
1t is said that the leading bicycle dealers
are at the head of the movement and that
they will call meeting within the next few
days to take some steps toward bringing
the matter before the wheelmen A plan
which is suggested and for which, it is
claimed, there can be no objection from
partisans. is for Democratic and Repub-
lican wheelmen to pair off and vote for
Smith. The object is to demonstrate to the
public and the successful candidates the
strength OF the wheeling vote, so that the
demands OF the wheel-riders of the city
will receive more respectful attention.