New-York tribune., 1899-02-12
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE l. A. W. AND
WHOM?

so MANY ASSOCIATIONS SAID TO BE ORGANIZED
THAT THE PUBLIC is ALREADY CONFUSED
MOTT SAYS SOME PERTINENT THINGS
REGARDING THE PROFESSIONAL
AND THE AMATEUR-NoTEs
AND COMMENTS.
The sensations expected at the National AS
sembly Of the League OF American Wheemen
a, Providence last week did not develop Inc
convention went along smoothly. and the dele
rates attended to the various questions at issue
In n thorough and businesslike way. just as any
other men with we'll balanced minds would nave
done The decision Of the League to retain the
control Of racing. which was predicted In these
columns. not a surprise except 10 'hose
who heard only one side of the question. Ihe
question OF the control Of racing furnished the
lveliest topic Of the convention. but when Ster-
ling Elliott presented his famous resolution TO
cast racing to the dogs he did not have enough
supporters 10 make a presentable showing NO"
the convention is over and the delegates have
separated. The sensible men Of the League OF
American wheelmen realize that harmony must
prevail in the organization. for they know that
with internal dissensions few reforms can oe
carried TO a successful conclusion. While the
amendment 10 admit the professional to mem
bership was lost by few votes. those who IA
vor such plan are getting new converts and IL Is
safe 10 predict that at the next assembly the
doors of membership will be thrown open to the
men who race for cash Coed Roads Day was
an emphatic success. and the prominence given
to racing matters should not discourage good
road workers. This is an important depart
ment Of League work. but the trouble IN the
past was that the gOOd-road workers covered
up their tracks too much. and in consequence
their left hand did not know what their night
kop
this department. and IL behooves the committee
to go 10 work and get IT, The anti-racinG men
have been routed and they should take ther
medicine like men, All are Interested IN tne
welfare Of the organization as Whole ana an
disappointments should have been buried De-
fore the delegates left Little RhOdy. a meHl-
ber who now continues TO grow about racing
Is not loyal TO the l. A w 1t is good plan
In any organization 10 abide by the OPINION 9i
the majority and get out and hustle The good
road workers will have plenty TO do this year:
Let them leave racing affairs in the hands OF
those competent to manage this an'. prahcn 80, -,
League work. Some one will say possibly that
there will be big fight between the League
and the newly organized outlaw associations
All the responsible heads in the outlaw move
rnent et present could be hit with handful OF
brooms and it would not take a tWo-handed
fighter TO swing the brooms at that: Lhere t may
the country viii probably know little about it.
In speaking of the various sorts Of amateurs.
Albert Mott chairman of the Racing Board
said in his annual report:
The classification of racing men as profess
sionas amateurs still gives rise to the same
conflict that has existed since Inc amateur
definition was first incorporated in the constltu-
ton. Many amateurs after they nave peeh
transferred to the professional class have frank
ly admitted that they preferred 10 he amateurs
simply because they could command larger
revenue in tn amateur class than they could IN
the professional The records Of the Racing
Board will show that in some cases their pref
erence is well founded 1t tas been found that
tome amateurs were employed by manufactur-
ers or dealers, subsidized by them directly or IN
directly or that they were given certain sums
FOR winning positions in heats and races. gradu-
ated in price with the prominence Of the place
whether a first, second OF third. Furnishing
amateurs with wheels tires and saddles Tor
racing purposes quite common. and the
name OF the wheel ridden was frequently re-
quired to be placed on the racing suit. until al
last an amateur bicycle race had in ap-
pearance something in common with a pro-
cession Of advertising sandwich men on a
city street In the last season. however.
much OF this corrected. Many so-called
amateurs who under the conditions above
ramed were 10y false pretences robbing actual
amateurs Of prizes were investigated. caught in
the act and transferred to the professional class
Advertisements were also inserted in the papers
and on scorecards by some manufacturers and
dealers. calling attention to the fact that such
and-such amateur racing men rode their wheels.
and giving the record Of their winnings upon
them This naturally called the attention Of
the Board members 10 the men so pubiShed.
Other sO-callcd amateurs were. without visible
means Of support. going about the country from
race meet 10 race meet. travelling In palace
cars putting up at only the best-class hotels,
and were fitted out with racing paraphernalia
consisting Of wheels in wheel trunks, trainers.
ETC. in the style usually adopted by the most
prosperous professionals. at the expense only of
some manufacturer. Some Of these amateurs
have practised upon the supposed igno-
rance Of members Of the Racing Board when
they were officiating at race meets. In one In
stance. where a majority Of the Board was Off
ciating amateur who had won qualifying
place in a heat. although il second.
claimed first and when ne told II made no
difference TO him so that he had qualified still
persisted and stated that first. even in a heat
where there was no prize was worth more TO
him than a second OF course, this an in
advertent confession. and the man eventu-
ally transferred by the Board.