The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16
NEWS OF THE wHEELMEN.
GIDEON WILL DECLARE FOR SUNDIT
RACING If NOMINATED

Outtonk Tor the League Presidential Campaign
san v~nrur-Reint,op OF Department stores
to the Seasons cycling Markei-un Ing Wen
Not Much In Demand By manufacturers
Announcement is made that in tho event OF
George d. Gideon of Philadelphia contosting for
the office OF President of the l.. A. W. ut tho
annual meeting next month no will figure as an
advocate of Sunday racing. Gideon has declared
h'instl in favor of divisional option on the qucs-
tion and his friends claim that this platform will
bring all the Western votes to him. Up to yes.
terdny no statement had boon made by Gideon
defining his position on the Presidential issue,
and the Potter men arc still entirely at sea. 1t
is anticipated that Gideon will not declare him
self until the special meeting OF tho pcnnsyl.
vania division on Tuesday, when his friends
expect that he will state whether he will sane
ton tho presentation OF his name to the Assem-.
bly, rs a candidate for office.
There has been no lack OF speculation on the
part of cyclists generally. and dealers in par.
ticular, concerning the outcome of tho move.
ment on the part of dry goods stores in acquir.
ing the exclusive agency and control Of high
grade wheels. Some comments by the buyer
and manager Of one of the largest department
establishments which controls several lines Of
high-grade wheels in the Eastern territory. are
therefore Of interest. The remarks were
prompted by statements by tho manager of q
large manufacturing concern. which appeared
in THE Sun OF Jan. IL. and in which 1t was pre-
dictcd that tho department stores would cut
prices and cause n general slump" before the
end of 1898. Tho department store representa-
tive said:
I'VE shall not cut prices on our high.grade
wheels. Regarding the statement that we have
probably bought more wheels than we can un-
load at full prices, you can say that we have
bought $4,000 bicycles and have not half
enough. We sold 10000 at retail in our two
stores last year when We had no wholesale bust
ness. Now we have two men OH the road placing
agencies and expect to sell 40. 900 before the
end of 1898. No. we do not seek to place agen.
cies in department stores in the smaller cities.
Our men have instructions to avoid them. We
are selling 10 regular bicycle dealers. and they
are all obliged to sign "A contract not to cut
prices. A large manufacturer has said that
persons 60 to department stores to buy wheels be-
cause they find lower prices and n larger variety
from which TO select. That man hit the nail on
the head. So long as the department stores offer
those two advantages they will continue to abb
sorb the retail cycle trade and l preuict that in
two years there will not be a small bicycle dealer
left in any largo CITY,. We do not believe in cut
as siH bi gr prices Se as it can mic for Ht oVc pyii6hes 4" We se'S viii
not let anybody beat us on p"iccs. though. and il
the same kinds Of wheels that we sell and cut
the prices. well, we would meet them.
what seems zee to DC a peculiar point IN the statG :
may be possible for other stores In this terri
tory to get wheels on which his firm has con-
tracted for the exclusive control. 1t would seem
to imply n belief that in the summer some ofthc
makers may be So hard pressed for ready cash
any way, in order to realize. In regard to the
statement about making sub-agcnts sign n con-
The reporter the printed contract form that
is used. In three different clauses it stipulates
thas the i, and I,s' P Fh"s it shs Shall not not eG be sp ped Ensai e eVsn
then unless the first contracting party lthe dc.
OF July l occurs SO often that it is apt to creaie
an impression that the contracting parties an
ticipate a general reduction at that time.
1t now appears that manufacturers are not
running after racing men to ride their wheels
for a salary during the 1899 season. The
Began in 1896. In 1897 the lack Of support nle was
marked, and this year there are precious few
racing men who can boast of being salaried by q
maker. Many who last year drew salaries and
expenses cannot this year get even expenses.
back to first principles and actually buying
their racing wheels according to their judgment,
performers and then waiting for the various
makers to come to them with ohers to
tactics will succeed in bringing any considcra.
BILE number of manufacturers to make terms
may well DO doubted. IT was practically in this
when nearly all the crack. jacks now riding
We're amateurs. Times now are very different.
uHu uldhClb huNc loI lDc iOIlCN " opNlo u
this kind OF advertising. The change NAV have
some interesting effects upon tho sport. AT
enough in cash prizes to pay their necessarily
heavy expenses of training and travelling. and
lights in tho professional class can make prac:
tically no showing when out against the real
stars. Their only chance to got an occasional
piece OF prize money ls 10 avoid the tracks
where the 1lrst-raters are entered. With no
factory salary 10 depend upon. the army of mid
dlc-raters must get into races with only their
peers or get out of the business. 1t was partly
because this situation began to develop last
success. Recognizing that a CIRCUIT this year
would again be a failure, the Racing Board
Track Association in order that the latter may
run q circuit OF Its own on n straight-out bust
nesslikc basis. This, however, does not seem to
promise much in the way OF supporting the ma
lority of third. fourth and NTH rate men and
keeping the racing ranks from thinning out.
mon may get from handicaps will not be sufti-
cient to keep them In the game when they do
MIN nine na would eikdpf hardlyy Papa pay y the eirt "rabb aneF S Yet
these same men of lessor than first magnitude
Ing, and the public is Interested in their appear
ance. Without them it would be impossible to
make ninos up the > big entry Lists lists im9Sro obtained san and
cap events as in tho past. Without them BIZ
cycle racing would lose much of the per
also some of its spectacular quality rtSo
and. falling away in these respects, would
lie. Bald. Kiscr. and Cooper or Michael. Chase.
and 1aylore would not continue to draw crowds
by racing together over and over again. The
proposition to race cycling men in classes, as
Is done with trotting horses. has been made. but
hsip n %"ifa to" s"m %H Il fh fsy We're II do mould H% P5Sss'IIy X
the . $50 class frequently make as spirited con-
tests as the 2:15 steppers. What certainly seems
needed Is more variety in the character of
events. This would increase tho interest of the
public and widen the opportunities of tho men.
AT present there Is too much samcncss in
the average race meet. Two.thousand- dollar
handicaps and Misunderstanding races cannot
be run every week. and n variety for filling in
is needed. Tho Increased number of trucks
promised in Greater New York next season will
meets. and will probably give more opportuni-
ties to the third.raters. In order that these
tracks may pay. though. the public interest
must be maintained. 1t must he whettcd from
time TO time to be increased. More variety is
the thing TO accomplish this. Those who have
been managing race meets in the past have
much to learn from horse racing associations
and British and European promoters of cycle
racing.