The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-19
BICYCLE NEWS NOTES
fl STRONG PLEA FOR L0oAL ORGAN
 IzATIoN.

A' A. w. Constitutional Amendments to
 be Proposed-A Veteran Wheelman's Lament-Notes.
 The value of Nocal organization among cyclists cannot be over estimat- ed. If the national organization of the league of American Wheemen can ae- complish so much for the benefit of cy- clists at large, and the respective state divisions comprising the same can ob tain for and diffuse lasting benefits among the members residing in their respective commonwealths, there is ev- cry reason to believe that local organ izations of cyclists working in har- mony with the state and national bodies can, by concerted effort, effect much that would be beneficial to users of the wheel in their immediate com munities
 The board of officers of the Connecti- cut division of the l.. A. w. is espec- ially desirous of establishing local or ganizaton in every city and town in the state during the present year. Live, active citizens, who are in touch with modern ideas of road and street Improvement, and are willing to de- vote little time to the requirements of their offices, are the men most de- sired for local consuls. In the cities of the state it is proposed to form boards of local consuls whose duties it will be to see that existing laws governing the use of the wheel are enforced; that cyclists are not discriminated against in proposed public improve ments; to impress upon owners of of flee and other buildings used for busi- ness purposes the necessity of provid- ing suitable shelter for wheels; in short, to keep posted on what is go- ing on in their immediate vicinity that will be of interest and benefit to the users of the bicycle, and to every ready to turn point to good advantage.
 With local board of this character ef- Actively organized the membership of the division can be doubled before the year is half over. With fully 70000 cyclists in the state to recruit from, the time is ripe for demonstration on the part of the l.. A. w. workers. The di- vision officers will hold a meeting in a few weeks to formulate a plan of cam paign, and it is to be hoped that their efforts will be seconded with hearty response on the part of the division members.
 L. A. w. AMENDMENTS.
 George l.. Cooke, the chief consul of the Rhode Island division of the L. A. W., who is one of the leaders in the league, will offer a a>number of amend ments at the meeting of the national assembly at St. Louis. He proposes to change the method of electing the na- tional officers, an important suggestion and one likely to provoke widespread interest The proposed changes are as follows:
 The officers of the league shall be a president, first and second vice presi- dents, treasurer and secretary. The president and first and second vice presidents shall hold office for two years and shall be elected by mail vote >nf the members of the division between October 15 and November 15 in alter nate years, beginning in the year 1898. The treasurer shall hold office for one year and shall be elected by the na- tional assembly at the annual meeting. Tine secretary shall be elected by the na ational assembly and shall hold office as long as he shall render satisfactory service, but the national assembly may by a two-thirds vote of the members and proxies present at any meeting de- clare the office of secetary vacant and f~. k; ov,a months notice of the intended dec laration of vacancy having been giv- en; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed as ef- fecting the tenure of office of the pres ellt. officers of the league, but each shall hold office for the term for which , he was elected.
 MT. Cooke also provides that the cleo ton in the divisions for national of ficers shall be by the Australian ballot system Also that one nomination for the national offices may be made in each division containing one or more members, and that additional candi- < dates may be supported by the signa- lures of at least twenty-five division members He leaves the enforcement of rules counting the ballots to the ex- ecutive committee and provides that the candidates receiving the greatest number of votes out of all the divisions shall be declared elected
 The question of the adjustment of the national meet has also been consid- cred by Chief Consul Cooke. He urges that there shall be at least one annual meet, but provides that the executive committee may divide the country in- to two or more sections, in which case there may be one annual meet for each section. If there be no contest for the award of the meet, he pro- poses that the executive committee be empowered to act in the matter. But when contest for this fixture is made the decision must be by the mail vote of the members of the national as- sembly. MT. Cooke is disposed to open the l.. A. w. ranks to all wheelmen in good standing, and wants the di- vision to act upon the eligibility of riders irrespective of their color. and also to decide upon the question of Sunday races. For the acceptance of such radical movement he has pre- pared the following amendment:
 Any wheelman of good character eighteen years of age, or over shall be eligible to membership in the league if endorsed by two league members or three other reputable citizens; provid-