The times., 1898-10-23

of where a State practically ruined its
opportunity for improving its highways is
shown in New York. where the appropria-
ton made was only $4,000. This is now
all expended and the result is just twen-
ty-one miles of roads. Massachusetts
and New Jersey have hundreds of miles
completed under the same system. but
the legislators of the Empire State got
stingy and the roads that have been
built under State aid would not make Il
mark on the map.
Protection in Bicycle Racing.
One of the most essential points In the
proper government of cycle racing has
been thoroughly demonstrated by the
professional riders who are attempting
to defy the League of American Wheel
men. This point is of such Importance
that it really amounts to being the most
important, if not the actual. reason. for
the existence of governing organiZa-
tion. And that is the protection of the
three classes interested in cycle racing
viz, the racing men. the race promoter.
! and the public. The first demonstration
| of the necessity of this control was
| manifested at st. Louis. when the pro-
moter had to change his program at the
! demand of the riders. This would not
| have been necessary under proper gov
| ernment. If his progrma had been ar
/ ranged according to just rules, for the
| governing authority would have COM
| pelled the riders to compete as they had
! entered. In this case the promoter had
no protection. as he was conducting his
meet without the sanction of any organ
| ization But he was wise in his gen.
/ eration." for. having been .'buncoed'
| himself, he was determined to get even,
! and this he did by forfeiting his promise,
! thereby compelling the riders to run tie
races as originally intended.
This he was able to do by circumstances
| In that case the riders had no insurance
that the promise would be kept Had
the promise been legitimate a proper
| governing authority would have COM
PEELED the promoter TO keep it, and,
| therefore, the rider would have been pro-
| tected. 1t will be seen by this case that
/ reither the rider nor promoter have any
| protection against each other when there
is not respected controlling power be-
hind them. a second instance of the
| same kind, but more important, happened
within the same week. This was when
| Major Taylor refused to ride at Cape
Girardeau, Mo, because of some fancied
| insult. He had been extensively adver-
tised to appear at the meet, but left the
town before the races were called BY
doing so he affected the interests of two
of the classes interested. The promoter
was not protected and the public also lost
in not seeing a star who had been ad-
vertised. In these instances are shown
the absolute weakness of the cause of
the outlaw professionals. If no one class
is protected IL is simply a question of a
very short time until none of the three
classes will have anything to do with any
of the other two and the races con-
Quoted without a respected head will not
last longer than it takes the public TO
realize the conditions.
on this point of protection the League
of American Wheelmen has always been
particularly strong 1t has compelled rid
ers to appear after entering at race
meet 1t has compelled the promoters to
keep all legitimate promises with the rae
ing men Ii has instilled confidence into
the public by making racing men and
promoters keep their agreements. This
fact is not generally known, but the EVIL
dence of it is the large number of suspen-
sions weekly for infractions of the rules
compelling it. The best evidence that the
league compels this mutual protection is
shown In the now famous cases of sus-
pension of the leading Eastern tracks.
These tracks are now blackiisted to COM
pei the payment of salaries due to racing
men and for prizes which have not been
forthcoming. With the racing men assist
1 ing the league, not Single one VI 'iese
extremely valuable properties can be used
for cycle racing until the amounts due
from them are forthcoming.
On the other side there are dozens OF
cases weekly where riders are suspended
for non-appearance at meets in which
they have entered. In this way both class
es are protected. and this. with the rules
compelling absolutely honest racing. gives
the public confidence in races run under
league rules 1t is also this fact which
is causing hundreds of letters to be writ
ten to the racing board vouching for the
LOYALTY of the writers to the league.
SO long as the public knows that cycle
races are conducted honestly they will be
patronized. but where there is breath
of suspicion they will not. The present
agitation and rebellion. therefore. is not
receiving the encouragement that its pro-
moters expected. and never will. The rae
ing man wants protection; the promoter
demands the same thing: and the public
wants to know what 1t can be sure OF
seeing when 1t attends a race meet. II
conducted under a competent authority
there is no question but that these re-
uuirements will be fulfilled. If conducted
by an aggregation of racing men, wrest-
ling fakirs and short track officials they
will not. DIXIE HINES.