The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-19
BREAK in RACING TRUST
"aIAJOR" TAYLOR ASKS TO BE REIN
STATED BY THE L. A. w.
Arthur Gardiner, of Chicago, Also
Ready to Leave the Combine of
Crack-a-Jacks.

The National Cyclists Racing Association,
which was organized several weeks ago at
Trenton, N. j.. for the purpose of wrestling
the control of cycle racing from the Leagne
of American Wheelmen, received what will
probably be it's death blow in this city yes
terday.
The association was inspired by the al
legged grievances of Eddie Bald, Jay Eaton,
Mcfarland. Freeman, Orlando Stevens,
Major" Taylor, Arthur Gardiner and Tom
Cooper, who were aided and abetted by Il.
Ed Spooner. No accurate statement was
made by the men at the time of the revolt
as to the causes which impelled the move,
and none was asked by Chairman Mott, OF
the national racing board The men had
been entered in all the championship meets
on the national circuit, and when they re-
volted they refused to keep their engage
ments unless the track owners agreed to
repudiate the l.. A. w. and run independ-
ent racing. This, in most cases, the tracks
refused to do. and, as a consequence, the
condition of the new racing game became
chaotic from the start. In spite of the fact
that Eddie Bald was made president of the
new association, his sincerity was doubted
by both the L. A. w. officials and the
was after all the advertising he could get
through public sympathy, for his play, IA
Twig Of Laurel" in which he is now STAR
ring in New York. For some time keen fol-
lowers of the game have been aware that
all is not well in the camp of the insurgents,
and while nothing tangible could be gained
from the mutterings of the apathetic ones,
it was expected that before the league
Win of hi
would drop. The first drop came yesterday,
when Major Taylor, the fast colored
rider. who claims the championship of 1898,
went to Chairman Foitz, of the Indiana rae
ing board and asked that official to inter-
cede for him with Chairman Mott, of the
national racing board, in order that he
might return to the league fold, pay his
fines and let bygones be bygones. He also
intimated that Arthur Gardiner the fleet
Chicagoan, was also ready to bury the
Ratchet and play quits.
The reason advanced by Taylor for his
desire to once more race under the auspices
of the l.. A. w. was that the cyclists as
ISOLATION gradually passing into the
hands of undesirable men, whose honesty
was not above question. The new associa-
ton, according to him, before it was two
months old had violated one of the cardinal
features of its constitution. Nearly all the
better class Of the racers had gone into it
with the understanding that no racing was
to be done on Sunday. and this was unani-
mously agreed to by the incorporators.
OVER SUNDAY RACING.
Hardly had it been started, however,
when. at St. Louis, a Sunday race was
scheduled and run over the protests of sew
eral of the best of the men. Taylor, accord
ing to his story, stronger than most of them
in his convictions, did not confine himself
to protests, but refused to enter the race.
This was the first step in the disintegration
of the new organization, and, while most
of the riders are waiting for a Moses to
lead them out of the wilderness of fake
managers and outlaWed tracks with their
accompanying fines, Taylor has for himself
and Gardiner made up his mind to take his
medicine and charge 1t UP TO experiences.
This action was undoubtedly to q. large ex-
tent due TO the announcement made by
Chairman Mott a few day ago that all rid
ers who wanted TO come back into the fold
had better do so at once, as after the
league meeting, reinstatement could only be
made by application and would be accom-
panied by heavy discipline Under the pres
ent conditions, all that is necessary
to reinstatement is declaration
or the part of the trangressor to have no
more to do with the Cyclists Association
inally for refusing to ride in races in which
he was already entered. In the aggregate
Tayllor's fines amount to $780, While While these of
and Freeman amount to $500. The Cyclists
Association has, according to Taylor, no
backing, no organization worthy of the
name, and the sentiment, which inspired its
inception has to an immense degree died
out because Of the influx of ''fakirs" who
There is, according to Major Taylor little
doubt but what all the good men will be
back in the fold before the time for the
league meeting this winter.
According to a private letter sent to this
city by Chairman Mott recently, there will
be radical reforms pushed through at the
coming league meeting Chief among them
will be the acceptance as members of all
the professional riders. This step will be
taken under some class regulation not yet
decided on, but that all the professionals
will hereafter be given some voice Ia the
league legislation is a certainty. AT pres
ent, while the professionals are under the
control of the league in every respect, they
have absolutely nothing to say concerning
the framing of rules by which they are con-
trolled and bound Another matter which
Chairman Mott will be asked to take up
with a view to reforming the game, will be
the placing of all the state racing officials
under salary of about $1,000 a year. In
bility of making the state racing boards
political machines. where ability is secon-
chairman. 1t will be seen by this that
every reform which has ever been asked for
by the racing men will be voluntarily grant
ed by the national board, and while the
matter has not been made public by Chair
man Mott and probably will not be until
the league meeting. the riders of acumen
realize what the future of the game will
be if allowed to drift into the hands of I'M
scrupulous promoters. and give full weight
10 the warning sent out by Chairman Mott
that all riders who do not make their peace
with the league before the annual meeting
will find the work much harder after that
time. According to Chairman Motifs letter
the league has little disposition TO keep its
grip on the racing game, but will refuse
to give Il up until some reputable organ
Ization is brought into existence which win
insure the honesty OF the game for the good
OF the game.