Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-26
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| price which no "assembler" can hope to
! compete with. In the meantime chalnless
! bicycles Will be turned out at a retail price
of from $50 to SIS each. The fact that the
price of the trust-controlled chainless wheel
Is sure to be maintained is expected to be
strong argument in favor of its purchase
by the rider, who has grown tired of paying
' $75 for a bicycle one day, only to see the
same make of wheel offered for half that
price the next
Aside from the beve -geared wheel there
are two chainless bicycles manufactured,
each of which is declared by its maker to be
( the equal of those which will be controlled
by the trust. Terms have already been
offered to these independent concerns, which
Will probably be accepted
The New York Sun, a faithful supporter
of the League of American Wheelmen, notes
the steady decline in membership and moral
ICES in these tear-staned tones: ION the
whole there has been a marked falling off
! since the election of the new president and
study of the figures week by week affords
nothing on which to hang hope that it
will be checked. The same that is true
! of the national organization may be said of
! the New York state division Chief Consul
Milo NJ. Belding, who entered upon his off,
/ cial career with the laudable intention of
: raising the membership in the state to 50,-
600, has not been able to do anything except
to watch the falling mercury in the mem
bershp thermometer The vigorous policy
which 1t certain would be pursued by
President keenan, has been inaugurated, but
| the activity follows the beaten paths. The
greatest objection that is made against the
league and the cause for wheelmen deserting
1t Is that it has been ruled too much by
n1i ,t.ith tinr
Of patronage. President Keenan, has made
some departures, but recently there was
abundant comment on the fact that those
departures created new offices for the same
faithful allies who have been in the league
political ring and holders Of remunerative
offices under the other administrations. The
need for new blood has never been more
manifest, but the circle that runs the as
semblies and holds the offices remains un-
broken. The power of the league is great,
and under wise government it's future would
be greater than it's past, but at present
it is pursuing a policy of arrogance that is
arousing fresh antagonisms almost daily.
At short session of the executive commit
tee yesterday forenoon it was resolved that
! the league should apply for membership in
the International Touring club, which was
organized in Luxembourg last summer. The
Cycle Touring club of England and the
J Touring club of France are members and
convention is to be held in London the
coming summer. The New York member
of the League of American Wheelmen press
committee was named yesterday, and, as in
the case of the New York member of the
Racing Board, who was chosen on Monday,
the appointment was made because of faith
full partisan service and previous disappont-
ments The laughter in the National Cy-
| cling association camp has been loudest over
the Racing Board appointment"
Tom Cooper is reputed to be worth nearly
| $40 0OO which he has acquired during the
! four years that he has been on the cycle
track. When he began to ride he was a
| drug clerk with a small salary. He had
good financial advisers in Detroit. and he
| new holds $22, 900 worth of telephone stock,
which pays him 81 800 annually. A capitalist
| Of Detroit last fall let Tom in a lime
company that was being organized for all
! that he could scrape together, which was
, $1,000. A month after the company came
| into existence Cooper was offered $50, 900
for his interest but refused it. His judg
| ment has since been vindicated by still
| greater increase in the advance of the stock.
| Washington, D. c., has a barroom for
wheelwomen. AS 1t does not dispense cock
tails or mint julips it may be considered an
imitation affair, but in other respects it is a