The times., 1899-04-23
STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL,
in THE CYCLING WORLD.
Another Side of the Contro-
versy Over Racing.
Che ter Park Track Not Closed to
the Outlaws.
officials of the American Racing
Cyclists Union Mny Soon Meet
ut Louisville.

Aprl 3-.-it HOW u
call halt ON this constant misstatemsnt OF
facts in connection with the cycle racing
game. Cycle racing as a sport is much
admired, and has followers by the thou
sands. These followers have watched tn
progress of the struggle now being wagei
Tor control with no little interest, but hav-
ing be6n so misled by false reports without
number, are losing patience rapidly, and
are as rapidly losing ali confidence in the
news as it is printed. Misstatement after
misstatement has been printed of late
without the least attempt at Correction.
The reaction will come sooner than is ex-
pected, and when it does come the effect
will be terribly damaging both to the sport
and to the organization which wou.d d
again gain the control.
During the past week the report circu-
lated that Chester Park track at Cincin-
natl had closed its doors to the outlaws
proved to be absolutely untrue. the track
owner and track manager having received
Kiser and Cooper with open arms. The
fact that both riders left Winton Pace
without training there was the foundation
for the story, but little investigation
would have proven that neither had been
refused permission to train, and that beth
had left owing to their dislike for training
alone.
lne action Oh tne Associated Cycling
Clubs of New York was twisted around by
the versatile press agent to appear as a
slap for the n. c. A., when as a matter of
fact the A. C. C. refused to be coerced into
the promotion of meet under L. A. W.
auspices, voting 16 to 0 against the promo
tion OF a meet even though the L. A. w.
offered to guarantee the organization
against loss. The n. c. A. made no efro. I
in the matter, Berkeley Oval bsing an n.
c. A. track with meet scheduled for May
~. This will be promoted by the track
association itself.
Ambrose Park has scheduled its meet for
May 20, with over 81. 900 in prizes, and this
in the face of a purported interview with
Nate Salisbury, the manager, sent ont by
the press committee of the L. A. W.. which
quoted Mr.. Salisbury as saying that his
track was Tor rent and might not be opened
at ell.
To Pay the Fine.
Statements made that every professional
would have to pay his fine in full before
returning to the League were so made TO
offset an impolitic interview given out by
Chairman Gerlach, of the L. A. W racing
board, In which that gentleman stated that
every professional would have his case con-
sidered separately, and that inducements
| would be made as befitted the case to Sc
| cure the return of the erring one This
past week letter has come into the pos
| session OF the writer which was written
| by Mr. Gerlach TO cousin of Orlando
| Stevens out in Iowa. Mr.. Leo Stevens is
an Iowa worker in the L. A. W. ranks, and
| Mr.. Geriach asks him to use his influence
to secure the return of Orlando, offering
to remit the fine providing such an appli-
| cation is made. There are other round
about offers being made.
| Talk being constantly nna1a aharrt n
probable match race between Elkes and
McDuffee and between McDuifee and Nc
Farland, when such races are as impossible
! as can be. for the reason that the Bostonian
has cut himself off forever from competi-
| tion against Ellles and Mcfarland, who are
| y. C. A. riders.
When the continued mlsstatements made
regarding Nat Butler were refuted by the
| declaration Of Nat that the chairman had
! allowed him to train providing be would
| pay his fine when he got up in an L. A. w
race, Butler was not given the lie" but
! the matter was dropped then and there.
Another statement that Gardiner. the
union S vice president. was soliciting Chair
man Gerlach to return him to the fold, was
! refuted by the Chicagoan, who was very
much put out over the matter
Statements that the amateurs of he
metropolitan district are falling over each
| other to secure reinstatement to the
| League are neither borne out by condi-
! tions nor facts. Inasmuch as the pure in
the district in question would, in event of
reinstatement, be forced to travel a great
/ distance at considerable expense in order
| to race, would indicate no desire on his
part to return, and the evidence of the
riders themselves offsets such claim.
Chairman Gerlach's positive declaration
that he has evidence in hand to prove that
I the professionals will all be back in the
organization before May 80 is made for a
| purpose, but the evidence OF forty letters
and kilograms received from the forty lead
| ers, all of which, without exception, are
! contrary to the declaration of the chair
1 man, quite Offsets this claim.
The Merry Ha. Ha.
Statements that but three tracks will be
! open to the y. C. \. men are laughed at
/ by the board of control of that organiza
| ton. and as there are three tracks in New
| York alone, one in Buffalo. others at BaIti-
mere, Washington. Dayton. and numerous
other points already announcing meets. the
statement is wrong, very evidently
! Delighted claimants that the n. C. A. is
/ knocked out in Chicago viii find an n. C.
| \. track centrally located in the business
! district of the West Side, reached in five
minutes from the business centre of the
| city, and promoting the greatest meets
| ever seen i'll Chicago.
| Officials OF the American Racing Cyclists
Union may soon hold an important meet-
| ing here and take some decided action in
| relation to the claim so freely made that
| the professional racing men and their sup
| porters are aDtasOnlstic to the L. A. W.
| and would welcome the demise of the or
| ganiZation. They say that nothing could
! be more untrue they are not at al
| sore against the body itself, their fight
| being against the racing department.
which, by the testimony OF the L. A. w
! officials themselves, is a self-supporting
and practically independent organiza-
| ton. The racing men cite the recent ac-
| QUESTION 10 the ranks of N C. A. officials
! OF men as interested in the sport as Pop"
| Brewster former treasurer of the League;
| c. z. Root, former Handicapped; George c.
| Greenburg, former auditor; Harvey Uhler.
prominently identified with the League:
| II. F. Kelsey, former Handicapped, and
Walter w. Wilson. former chairman OF
! the New York State racing board. These
! gentlemen have not been antagonistic TO
| the League itself. confining their attacks
to the racing department. The racing men
! say that they firmly believe in the League
| Of American Wheelmen and would like to
see it mount in membership to far over
the 100, coo mark.
They believe with the other whaeImen
| of the country in the cause OF good roads
| all being ardent wheelmen from other
standpoints than racing. and they also be-
| leye in the baggage bills as they them
| selves receive benefits in this way. But
! they say that they do not believe in the
Leagues controlling racing and they cite
instances in great number where incom-
petent men have received positions rs
| authorities in the racing dcDartment