Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-24

IN THE WHEELING WORLD.

/ tt tttA "tHAhAtINo VNoskAos
Secretary Bassett Of the League of
American Wheelmen has made public
the official roster of membership in
the various states and the number of dele
gates to which they will be entitled in the
national assembly, which meets on the seq
ohd Wednesday in February. The district
representation will be 210, to which must be
added twenty-nine for ex-presidents and
committeeman, making the total 239. The
| membership in the league is 51,146, just
about one-half the membership of two years
ago. Pennsylvania heads the list with 12,O3S
members; New York and Massachusetts fol-
low with 10, 1852 and 10,07S respectively.
Nebraska reports 1873 members; Iowa, 4C5;
Kansas, 147; Colorado, 266; South Dakota,
IA; Wyoming, none; Utah, II, and Idaho T..
J. T. keenan,, president OF the League OF
American Wheelmen, was in New York last
week and had a long conference with Sec
retary-Treasurer Bull OF the New York state
division. A reporter asked him as to how
league matters were generally. His reply
was:
''They are now in excellent shape, |
think. The tumbling membership has about
| dCutu Tue pOllODl. - Z seiIS x We
would have thought that so, 900 members was
a great many. Most Of those who have
dropped out belonged to what was known
as the boom membership. The boom has
settled now and we are on a solid basis. /
see no reason why We shall not hold our
so. 900 and build up the organization to a
greater size. 1t cannot be done without
building up the touring department, how
ever"
When asked about racing Keenan's talk
was guarded. but it was of a character in
dicating that he recognizes the fact that the
League of American Wheelmen has lost it's
fight. When the absurdity of an amateur
body debating to professional riders, track
owners and professional promoters was men
toned, he smilingly assented, and added,
"and it seems that if the business men don't
want to they can't be made to obey. Mine
has been called a racing administration. 1t
has been only in the sense that the assembly
decided to continue racing control, and l.,
as an executive officer, had to abide by its
decision. The assembly voted to make a
fight on racing, not l."
While it is difficult to predict the action
OF the national assembly of the League of
American Wheelmen, it is said by these who
have watched league politics closely that
there has been a decided change in senti-
ment regarding the control of racing. Many
veteran members Of the organization have
come out recently in favor of continued con-
troll. A statement has been issued to the eff
feet that both Ohio and Maryland had taken
a vote on the racing question, and that each
had shown a majority in favor Of no racing.
From official sources it is learned that just
the reverse is true. In Ohio the official
vote showed 7i2 in favor OF continued con
troll, as against 61O favoring withdrawal
from all connection with the sport. In
Maryland, where Conway w. Sans Is
spoken OF as a presidential candidate on an
anti-racing platform. the official vote on the
question was PAS ~favoring continued con-
troll, as against 2O4 members who thought it
best for the league to give up racing.
One circumstance that will make it very
hard for the antis 10 win is that to change
the constitution requires a two-thirds vote,
not OF those present at the assembly, but OF
all the delegates. AS some assemblies have
been held with only two-thirds present It
will be necessary for those who want TO save
the league from another black year like
that of 1899 to do som hard work gett ng
proxies from those who will not attend.
Ways OF carrying lamps on bicycles have
exercised the ingenuity OF makers ION the
beginning, and numerous have been the de.
vices brought out for the purpose. When
the high wheel was in its glory the diff
Guilty was great, owing to the desirability
of placing the lamp as low as possible 50
as to make the best use OF the light. II
was usual TO attach the lamp to the axle
OF the front wheel, but this method was
anything but satisfactory. The lamp had
to be placed exactly in the center OF the
? axle or it would touch the spokes, and il
was nothing extraordinary TO have the
3 bearing of the lamp bind and the latte,
turn with the aXle-a proceeding highly
: detrimental to the lamp.
The adoption OF the safety gave a bis
: hllip TO the lamp trade. II was easy tC
I attach the lamps so they would give a gooi
light, and makers began to improve their
product. The head was the favorite pace
} Of attachment to the machine, and prac-
t tically all lamps were made with spring
} backs to absorb the vibration and prevent
the lamps from Earring out. 1t was moi
long before the lamp bracket came to be
e regarded as a part Of the bicycle, so genera
2 was the use Of lamps, and the onus CI
: furnishing them was placed upon the bicycl.
, makers. All the lampmakers did was Il
5 use a standard construction at the back, IS,
5 that any lamp would fit any bracket.
The next step was the appearance OF tbs
4 lamp Of distinctiyely American design, ant
with 1t came the lamp bracket which wa!
an integral part Of the lamp itself. Il pos
sessed all the advantages of the wire brack.
, cts, together with the greatest one OF all