New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-03
POTTER ON HIS CRITICS.
HIS REASONS FOR REMOVING CERTAIN
OFFICIALS.

THE sHoRr-TRAcK SCANDAL BROUGHT UP AoAiN
r,r,. ". PRESIDENT SAYS A LEAGUE
OFFICIAL, SHOULD NOT BE RACE-PRo-
MorrR-cAUsE OF THE oRGANIzA-
TON SAID TO HAVE BEEN
INJURED AND THOU
SANDS OF PEOPLE
HuMBUGGED.
Isaac r. Potter the president Of the League OF
American Wheemen is not the sort OF man 10 re-
-, ,,,,.. and allow his enemies do all the talk
,rg When used properly he is a remarkably even
hammered man but when his feelings are rulied'
and the fur is rubbed the wrong way ne mas way
of saying what he thinks In a terse sharp ana eur
phatic manner.
The good roads man and leader Of the League OF
American Wheelmen takes exception to some OF 'he
thinrs which have been said about him recently
md when he seen by reporter OF Inc lr'D-
une yesterday he was not in any 100 pieasa"'
frame OF mind Mr.. Potter has been criticised Sc
yerely for the part he has taken recently IN recon-
mending the appointment OF certain oihcla's ho
now replies 10 these attacks follows:
Common consent OF the athletic and sporting
bodies OF this country has committed 10 the League
of American Wheelmen jurisdiction over the sport
OF cycle racing. and this trust We are expected 10
administer faithfully. Impartialy and with clean
hands To this end we appoint our Racing BOARD
and Handicapped not for the purpose Of issuing
valuable official sanctions 10 themselves ther AS
eociates appointees, nor TO enable them 10 pro-
mote races partake In the pecunary proh's Oh
race meets but rather to supervise these race
meets from an official and neutral standpoint. ana
TO maintain the purity Of the sport by the enforce
ment of salutary rules In the enforcement oil
these rules the attitude of our Racing Board
toward the race-promoter sometimes goes 10 the
point OF censorship. and In view OF the power gwen
n by cur bylaws TO impose penalties upon race
ha
either the Racing Board It's official appointees
should hold rice meets for their personal gain. AID
thus subject themselves TO the penalty OF their own
discipline? That this plain principle has been vio
lated Mt one time another will not dispute but
the violation carried Its attendant peril and finally
Its logical result.
"Ther, was a six-day race sanctioned by our
League and thousands Of people went TO see 1t
and paid thousands OF dollars for the privilege
From hour to hour, for whole week. bulletins
were issued and published and public Interest was
vellous records were being made. In due time the
people became inqusitive. and then suspicious ana
finally the track was measured. Then II turned
out that the track was short the records false and
the bulletins bogus The had been sS m nrs
motors and managers Of this race was an Official
Of the had no nowef tn COM
pei the attendance Of or 10 Ie91e any
the race-promoters had either been ,overcOnident
or careless, and that the public had been msled
consderate friend of this Handicapped and with
modest consideration declared it to be AN iInpro-
Rs1ssy a and
noting association and resigning his office. I have
never known to what degree ne has exercised this
ri.Ing men. one Of whom. at least came from
F'.nce under contract with the six-day race-pro-
this: have not attempted 70 dictate the appoint
erty TO recommend the appointment OF a new