The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-22
FOR THE NATIONAL MEET
AN OUTLINE or WORK TO BE DONE
BY THE INDIANA DIVISION.
League Membership VIII Have to BE
DoubIed-SprinIEiing the Via
duct-BicycIe Notes.

To secure the national L. A. w. meet for
1885 Indiana will have to join with Indian
apOlis in doubling the division membership.
The support of those officials Of the league
and those old veterans whose interest in the
organization goes beyond their own re-
spective divisions is always conditional to
some extent on the fulfilment of an I'M
derstood agreement that the membership Of
the division shall show a material increase.
Pennsylvania has made the best showing
in the history of the League. From mem
bership of less than five thousand the divi-
sion, by the united and individual work of
its members, has increased this TO over
twenty thousand. Indiana is not expected
80 do anything so great as this, but it is
pledged by the delegation which went to
philadelphia to double it's membership The
last bulletin shows the membership now as
being 1907. This ought to be run up to $500
by the first of December, when the annual
election of delegates to the general assem-
bly, occurs Illinois and Ohio each have be-
tween $500 and 1900 members 1t is the hope
Of the l.. A. w leaders in this division that
an equal number of members may be OBJ
tained for Indiana. A showing Of this kind
will make the chances of Indianapolis bet
ter for securing the meet than pledges Of
the visitors.
1t is estimated that there are zoe, 900
wheelmen in the State and only one-half Of
! per cent. of them are members OF tie
league. There is lots of room for improve
ment and any decided increase will show
up splendidly in percentage. AS weak as
the division seems to be it increased its
membership about 400 per cent. Ii st year
similar increase this fall would insure
the 1898 meet for this city.
The work which is calculated to increase
the league in this State has already begun
This city alone is expected to furnish at
least thousand new members. There are
nearly twenty thousand wheelmen here and
only 16l league members. Committees will
soon be appointed to solicit among the bust
ness men Of the city. Business men viii be
asked to join the league just az they would
De asked to subscribe to a fund for the en-
tertainment Of any body of visitors who are
expected to spend large sums of money in
the city. 1t costs but 81 to join, and the 81
which each merchant or business man
thus contributes will be worth a great deal
more than the same amount contributed to
a regular entertainment fund. For upon
these first two-dollar contributions largely
depends the success Of the whole venture
After the work of these committees has
Deen dOne, OLHer committees Will call
the employees in the downtown stores. 1t
is believed that solicitation is all that is
necessary to secure thousands of members
Tor the league. The benefits to wheelmen
are many times. greater than the cost of
keeping up their membership. Charles X
Henderson, of this city, has been appointed
senior consul for the consulate OF Indian
apolis and he is now engaged in organizing
the wheelmen of the city into a more per-
fect consulate. He Is appointing junior con-
sulS in various parts of the city and will
himself put in a great deal of time solicit
ing for new members.
AS the rivalry between various cities of
the country brings about a competition Of
divisions in the securing of members so it
cities of this State shall help the division
increase it's membership to the extent of
aiding Indianapolis in securing the national
meet. AS the national assemblymen are in
huenced by the showing made by divisions
in which are located cities applying for the
national meet so will the board Of officers
Of the Indiana division be influenced in de-
Gliding which town of the State shall secure
Terre Haute. Members will win for the city
which gets the meet next year. Already
there are five applicants for the State meet
TO be held a year hence They are Madison
Jeffersonville, New Albany Canneiton and
Richmond The wonderful success Of Terre
Haute will doubtless prompt others to APP
ply for the meet The Prairie City or
rather, the Wabash Cycling Club of that
city, realized the handsome sum of 81, 100 on
the meet in addition to the thousands Of
dollars which the meet was worth to the
business men OF the city. Ohio, Illinois and
Michigan lost money on the State meets.
1t will probably be the policy of the
board of officers of the division to award the
prize to the town making the best showing
in increase OF membership Only one city
can win, but those who lose in the fight
will have the satisfaction of knowing that
their efforts materially aided in bringing
the national meet to the capital city of the
indiana division.