The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-02
LOCAL CONSULATE.
Bicyclists Will Meet
For Organization
Thursday.
WILL PLAN TO BENEFIT RIDERS.
Prominent Officers of the
L. A. W.. Will Deliver
Addresses.
WILL PLAN TO BENEFIT RIDERS.

League of American Wheelmen has
taken decisive steps towards the forma-
ton OF local consulate in this city, and
has called a meeting of all who desire
to see the consulate formed, at the
rooms of the Worcester Cycle club, on
Beacon street, Thursday evening.
The meeting will be called to order
by Mr.. Holland and will be addressed
by Aaron Woolfsen of Boston, secretary
and treasurer of the Massachusetts
division of the L. a. w. Mr.. Woolfsen
has written that he would come at any
time and would do all in his power to
give the consulate a successful start
Consul Holland has notified him that
the meeting has been called fer Sept Z,
and he will be present to explain the
modus operandi of the consulates and
the good they can accC mpiish in such a
city as Worcester.
Consul Holland has done considerable
work towards the formation of the con-
sulate. He has written to the officers of
the Massachusetts division and has
| seen them personally in his endeaVor to
get the thing started, but many things
rendered the formation Of the consulate
| before this time impossible. The sum
| mer vacation, with almost the entire
| membership of the L. A. w. in this city
| away at some time or another, made
| the formation of the consulate earlier
out of the question. Then the national
| meet of the l. A. w. at Boston made it
impossible to get the state officers here,
and without them the effort to form
| the consulate would be abortive
! local Consul Holland thinks that the
| time is ripe for tie organization of the
consulate and expects to see a large
membership at the meeting. Consul
Holland and many of the members who
| have signed the call for the meeting
are enthusiastic for the new consulate
ard say there is a great field for that
| organization here.
When asked whether the consulate
would enter the political arena, the
members who are at its head said that
it would be impossible to ten just at
present. 1t did intend to advocate
many municipal reforms, that would
all their influence to make the way
of the wheelmen in this city easier, and
will call for many reforms. They Will
not attack any one without having the
best Of reasons, but are to see to it
that the roads are kept in better re-
pair or they will know the reason why
from those in authority. They are not
made on Street Commissioner Prior and
do not hesitate to say so. They look
higher, and say that the mayor, accord
ing to the city charter, is the man who
should be held responsible for the con-
dition of the streets and Main and
Front streets in particular. The case
was cited of the recent work that was
done on Front street, which was left
in a wretched condition since the city
hal II was poD1 plptad and b1It a few DAVIS
ago, put in anything like decent repair.
1t took about five days to do it, and
the Wheelmen are wondering why that
five days work could not have been
done earlier in the year, and let some
stretch of road on the outskirts wait
One of the things that the consulate
is to advocate is the maintenance of a
board of public works such as is in ev-
cry city of Importance in the country.
Then street committee of councilmen
or aldermen cannot swerve the street
commissioner around to do their bid
cling, letting really important work
wait while the side streets in their
neighborhood are looked after. Then,
If the streets are to be torn up after
they have been neatly macadamized,
the board of public works must know
the reason and its permission secured
before a street can be ripped to pieces.
While the constitution says that the
consulate shall be strictly non-partisan
and non-political in it's collective char
acter, still it may at any meeting rec
ommend, endorse or approve any pub
lie measure, movement or proposition
calculated to benefit the public within
the purview of L. A. W. objects, as
set forth in it's constitution. or to adj
vance the interests of cyclists, or to-
achieve any patriotic purposes 1t may
in like manner disapprove, condemn or
or proposition which, in the judgment
of the consulate, Is hurtful to such pub
lie interests or to the interests of cy-
clists; but no resolution, motion or
proposition for the approval or disap-
prevail, support or condemnation of
any political party or political candi-
date, shall at any time be entertained
or acted upon, or in any manner Off
cially recognized at any meeting of the
consulate, or by any officers or MEM
bers.
While the foregoing article restricts
the consulate great deal in regard to
mingling ir politics, it is done so that
wheelmen Of all political faiths will be
attracted to it's ranks. The consulate
may make widely known its position
on questions Directing the works and
objects of the l.. A. w. such as road
improvements, cycle paths and local
improvements, but should make the
rule to allow it's members to decide in
dividually what candidates they should
support, and not to commit the con-
sulate to the support of particular per-
sons or pal ties.
The objects of the consulate is out
lined tersely in the second article of the
constitution, which reads: THE objects
Of til, organization shall be to promote
the general interests of cycling; to as
certain and defend and protect the
rights of wheelmen; to facilitate tour
ing; TO secure improvements in the
conditions OF the public roads and high
ways, and generally to sustain the
work and object of the l.. A. w. as set
forth in the constitution of that body,
In the pursuit of these objects the or
ganization shall aim to enlarge and
prom tie fraternal spirit among cy-
clistg generally, and by unity of action
secure to its members such mutual BEN
efits as may be consistent with the our
pose of the L. A. W.
The officers of the consulate, and
these will probably be elected at the
meeting Thursday evening, will con.
sist of a senior consul, a Junior con-
sui, q secretary. treasurer, and
board of governors, which shall be
composed of the four officers named. to-
gether with three other members of the
consulate, duly elected for that pur-
pose.
In addition to these officers. the work
Of the organization will be materially
advanced W the appointing of various
committees, which will include tha
house committee, whose duties will not
differ from similar committee in other
organizations
The touring committee will be COM
posed of five members of the consulate.
whose duty II shall be to collect, ar
10 fst11 i,,fn ft.Nx.