The times., 1899-01-08

manifested in l.. A ". politics during the
past week. The only chance for Il struggle
is on the treasurership. For this office the
present incumbent James C. Tattersall,
| of Trenton, n. j.. has but recently made
his appearance, and seems. at the present
time to have the best of the running. He
practically withdrew from the field two
months ago when he started the campaign
for c. Frank Kireker for the presidency,
thereby placing himself on record as being
in favor of his State making claim for
the one Office only. Since ii has been dem
onstrated that kireker has no chance of
success. Tattersall has discovered a latent
ambition to succeed himself.
His State has fifteen votes in the COM
ing assembly, and, being the fourth larg-
est in point of membership has to be
considered. He has made an excellent
official and no objection can be made to
him because of any Of his official acts. 1t
appears that he will have the support OF
the combination vote, and if that it ac-
corded him he will win. The other aspi-
rant for the Office is ID. j. Brien OF
Omaha, who was first suggested for the
position when it was understood that Tat
tersall would not be a candidate. The two
men are strong in their respective sections
and if the fight is developed it will be an
interesting one. With the office of treas
urer there are no emoluments and not
even a position on the executive commit
tee, but being one Of the national Office S
of the League is generally sought
Local Option and More Freedom.
One feature of the attitude of the lead
ing American racing men against the
League of American Wheelmen is the fact
that it has brought to the notice OF the
latter body the necessity for permitting a
greater freedom in the management of
certain cycling matters than heretofore.
The l.. A. W. has about 1900 members
today. Should those -. goo members fail to
renew their membership, and no others
came to take their place. where would the
L. A w be? 1t shows that in order to gov
ern a people those people must accept the
government.
The wisest legislators in the l.. A. "
have tried to convince their fellows that
local option was absolutely necessary to
the success of the organization 1t has
been shown in the case of the professional
riders that without the consent to be gov
erned the L. A. w. may not govern them.
This means that there must be local op-
tion, there must he a professional mem
bership in the League Of American Wheel
men and that there shall be no partiality
shown between the amateurs and the pro-
fessicnals in dues or levies.
l.. A. W. and 4. Al
There have been two strong cases
brought to notice recently where the eff
cacy OF League of American Wheelmen
suspension among amateurs has been
shown. The first of these was in the case
of the knickerbOcker Athletic Club, which
Intends TO conduct its athletic meeting in
Madison Square Garden and which has re-
spected the league suspension Of the Gar
den bicycle tracks by not including bicycle
events in its programme. The other is
that of the Military Athletic League of
America, which VIII hold its annual ath-
ietic carnival in the same building in
March. This league is composed of men
who are affiliated with the various
branches of the Amateur Athletic Onion
and in this case also there will be no BIZ
cycle events unless the League OF Ameri-
can Wheelmen has reason for lifting the
suspension in the meantime.
AS this meeting Will be held after the
new racing board is in Office. ii is difticu t
TO say whether ii will be go lenient that
the Garden owners will like the suspen-
sion. However the impoI tance in III Sc
two cases is the fac that they show the
strength of the / %ague CT American
Wheelmen in its contracts with ether
athletic organizations by which each re-
spects the decisions of all the others aid
assists in enforcing them. Thus any man
who is suspended by the League Of Amer
lean Wheelmen will not be allowed to
compete in any of the amateur events in
running, jumping, throwing and the other
yarioIis forms of athletics. 1t strong
combination and one which the thinking
athletes do not hastily ignore. They re-
alize that a suspension in one is binding
in all and rather than be shut out of ath-
letics they keep out of trouble.
Banker az Soothsnyer
few heeting months ago George Bank
er declared that the racing men would not
have the temerity to make a stand against
the League of American Wheelmen The
racing men are being msled' he declared
with great emphasis. and the sooner they
realize this fact the better ii will be for
them. | do not think. however that they
will make stand against the League of
American Wheelmen anyway. II they do
they will surprise me"
That was the prophecy of George Ban
ker before leaving this country. 1t was
only one of The many times that the erst-
while swift rider of the American track
has made a mistake. One of his previous
utteranCcs was that Frank Netscer. presi-
dent of the ]. G. A., would not be rc-elect-
ed. Since that time Mr.. Nctscher has been
reelected three times. He then studied the
stars and annuonced that Tom Butler
would be the champion Two years ago. The
dimnutive Apollo from Boston failed TO
score more than twice during the season
Then Mr. Banker prophesied that Major
Taylor would never he good pace follower
and said it was waste OF time and money
for him TO attempt TO break the existing
mile record, which was, at that time. :32
20. Major broke the record three times
after that.
Sherwood nn Race Control.
Wallace Sherwood chief of Indiana, and
one of the acknowledged leaders Of the
League OF American Whcelmen national
politics, is the author OF new scheme for
control OF racing. In a circular letter i.d-
dressed TO the delegates of the coming as-
sembly, he says: The League of Ameri-
can Wheelmen assumed control of racing
OF its own voliton, and the responsibility
for its character has rested upon the or
ganiZation since the time such action was
taken. II cannot relinquish this respOn-
sibility with honor to itself by simply
dumping the whole matter, but must see
TO it that its successor is capable of con-
tinuing the control OF the sport along lines
as high in tone as at present maintained
| believe that the League OF American
Wheelmen will drop this control eventual
ly-nOt this coming February, but sooner
or later-and meanwhile the question will
be a disturbing factor.
why not take this matter up now. and
see if we cannot do something with il?
Can we not secure from the membership
of the different divisions $500 or 5000 good