The record-union., 1897-02-28

| thing respected the first day of the
week, besides making its branch of
athletics clean, honorable free from all
manner of reproach. That the rule
does not prohibit to the membership
wheel riding on that day in friendly
! private and unannounced contests any
more than driving abroad is prohib-
! ited but that it does wisely condemn
| entertainments on Sunday for gain or
for public entertainment even if it be
not for gain.
| Furthermore, 1t was argued that
large part of the people respect the
cay from religious conviction and the
| teaching Of their youth, and that to
sanction Sunday racing is to needless
| ly offend that body of people and out
rage the sentiment that prevails among
| them. 1t was also held that wheel
events to which the public is invited
can as we'll be given on some other
| day in the week; that Saturday is IN
some States a half-holday, and ought
to be in all, and that racing events
worth patronage under gate fees will
draw on any day.
The main contention, however, was
that respect to the extent of the rule
should be shown for Sunday, and the
convictions of people who observe IT.
To this it was rejoined that a large
body of working people have to toll
every day in the week the day through,
except on Sunday, and that the rule
debars them from enjoying bicycle
events and it is therefore an injustice
| to them.
On the vote being taken, the rule
was sustained, and now the opponents
of the rule propose to withdraw, ana
say that they can carry off fully one
third the membership and one-half the
local leagues. But if they do this the
swift men in the league will have to
choose under which master they Will
serve, for assuredly the American
FLeague will excommunicate every one
of them who violates its Sunday rule,
| anu lndI VIII ucDdI IAOiiA .
in any events given under league sane
ton.
| Here we have the Sunday question
| presented in a novel form, not as re-
| ligious question, not as one involving
the argument of the need for a day Of
rest but purely on the ground that re-
spect should be shown ITO the belief and
| the sentiment of sabbatarians. The
vote reflected the teachings of the de-
vout mothers of the youth Of New Eng
| land and the Atlantic East 1t brought
TO the surface the deep implanted re-
spect for Sunday that is characteristic
of a large body of men and women who
are not themselves protesting Chris
| tians. In particular it Was reflection
| of a deep moral sentiment and of re-
gard for the teachings of youth in the
older and more sedate populations Of
the United States.
| 1t Will be regretable if the issue
the league that has been such potent
agency in the good roads agitation. 1t
will be regretable if considerable por-
tion of 50 large a body of the decent
manhood Of the land leaves the league
| with the avowed intent of racing on
| Sunday 1t will be far better for those
who hold Sunday racing to be harmless,
to submit to the judgment of the ma
| jority, and join with them in this small
| respect to the honest convictions Of
| Christian people.
| This cannot be denied, they Will take
no harm by such submission while they
will do harm to a reputable and re-
spected body of Americans, combined
| for promotion of interests related TO
| physical and moral we'll being of the
membership, and will weaken it's infiu-
| ence as a consevator of public good if
| there is secession.
| 1t is not a question of religion or of
| faith; 1t is not a question whether we
should or should not have Sunday laws;
it is not a question whether the first
| or the last day of the week should
| be kept holy. 1t s simply question of
propriety, one that SO far governs other
men who indulge in racing contests,
| that no Sunday racing Of horses is
| favored by the horse racing associa-
| tions. Even gamblers refuse to turn
suspended on Sunday, and generally
there is among the better class of ath-
| letic sports regard shown for the day
Of rest.
The League of American Wheelmen
should not break asunder because a
majority of the representative bo1y
deems II the right thing to do to re-
fuse sanction for wheel racing fer
money on Sunday. SO far as the wheel
men of California are concerned, with
their clubs and organization of associ-
ated cyclers they cannot withdraw
and not intensity the belief that Cali
fornia is wild and woolly." Let
them stand by the National League,
adapt themselves to Eastern conditions,
by agita.ing at once for the half hol-
iday on Saturday, which is the law in
| the State of New York, and we
| believe in some other States. That
accomplished, Saturday will be far and
away a better day for racing than Sun
! day. There is every reason why the
Saturday half holiday rule should pre-
vail in California Ii viii make US a