The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-10
RACING MEN PREVAIL
SHOW THEIR STRENGTH IN THE
CONVENTION OF THE LEAGUE
OF AMERICAN WHEELMEN
WILL NOT GIVE UP SPORT
Opponents of Control of Racing by
the National Body, When Found
to Be in the Minority, Are Given
Chance TO Argue the Question
Selection of Officers Made by
AccIamatiOn.

PROVIDENCE. R. l.. Feb. s.-The conven-
tion of the National Assembly OF League OF
American WheeImen began work In earnes:
today, with a good attendance. Few states
were without representation and nearly all
the league leaders were present. Chairman
Mott. of the racing board, was among the
absentees.
President Potter's annual report and Sec
Tetary Bassett's summary Of the years work
showed that the membership had fallen of
1T is to our credit" the report said, that
We retain the better class of wheelmen. The
veterans are still with US, and they stand with
1I.0Sl members. including applicants and re-
hewaiS. In accounting for the falling off of
membership. It may be said that there were
5sar Sa prize competitions by the Bulletin this
The report Of Treasurer James G. Tattersall
showed the league TO be on firm financial
basis.
The report Of the committee on rights and
privileges in contested elections was the first
one of the important matters TO affect the as
Semoly- The case was that Of A. X. Peck,
who protested against the recent election OF
state officers in Massachusetts. The COM
mittee found hat the counting was improper
ly conducted. and the checking was irregular,
but the result as declared should be allowed
10 stand as 1t would have been the same
no evidence of fraud. The report led to a
sharp discussion, but by an overwhelming
vote the assembly adopted the report and
the officers OF Massachusetts, as declared elect
ed viii continue Office.
s REPORTS PRESENTED.
Otto Dorner's report as chairman of the
highway Improvement committee, Chairman
Motifs report of the work OF the racing board
and the report Of the committee on local or
ganiZation. were presented IN order.
The report Of the auditing committee was
then discussed and recommendation that the
racing board in future keep it's books in a
business-like way was adopted with only
slight opposition.
The first business of the assembly at the
afternoon was the consideration Of the
report of the executive committee on the
question Of turning over the control of racing
TO some other body. The committee reported
body or organization existed in the country
in whose hands the control of racing could
be placed at this time and the committee
unanimously recommended that no transfer
be made. There were only a few votes in
opposition to the adoption of the report of
the committee.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The annual election of officers followed
". J. Vanwalkenburg, of Milwaukee, nomi-
mated Thomas ]. keenan,, of Pfttsburg, for
president. The nomination was seconded by
Chief Consols Boyle, of Pennsylvania; Kiere-
kes, of New Jersey, and Elliott, of Massa-
ehusetts. Mr. keenan, was elected by unan-
imous vote. He made a short speech In
which he thanked the assembly for the honor
and said that furtherance of the interests
OF the league would be his only purpose.
Herbert W. Fouitz, of New Jersey, was
nominated for first vice president by C. NJ
Sans, of Maryland, and seconded by Sterling
Elliott and a number of others. AS In the
case of the election of the president the
secretary was directed to cast the vote OF the
assembly for Mr.. Foultz.
Unexpectedly there no contest for Sec
ond vice president, for the nomination. NJ
Robert K. Kingsbury, of New Hampshire. by
0-%~
applause, but his two chief opponents for the
honor, Cook, of Rhode Island, and Locke of
Illinois, both seconded the nomination Again
the secretary by the vote of the assembly
cast the vote for Mr.. Kingsbury
The same proceedings were carried through
In the reelection of James W. Tattersail as
committee, consisting of Howard L. Perkins,
of Portland; Thomas NJ. Skiles, of MARYLAND
and Clarence W. Small. of Portland Ne.
NEXT ANNUAL MEETING.
The first real contest came on the question
of selecting a place for the next general as
sembly.
Mr.. Hines, of Michigan, presented the
claims of Detroit; Mr.. Ball, of Florida, urged
the delegates to come to Jacksonville; Mr.
Boyle, of pennsylvania, hoped that the as
sembly would favor Philadelphia, and MT
Potter, who had given up the chair to the
new president, was in favor of leaving tic
selection to the executive committee.
warm discussion followed, and an at
tempt to place the matter in the hands of the
executive committee, recommending that
Jacksonville be favored by that body was
voted down, was the plain motion to let
the executive committee make the selection
There then came long wrangle over the
presentation of three names-Jacksonyille
Philadelphia and Detroit-and by proxy
vote it was decided that the next assembly
should be held in Jacksonville. This was
afterward made unanimous, with the proyiso
that II satisfactory arrangements cannot be
made the executive committee is authorized
to change the place
RACING QUESTION UP.
AT $50 the convention started to consider
the all-important question of divorcipg racing
from the league. Before the advocates of the
amendments to the constitution to that effect
realized the situation their opponents had
made and carried the previous ouestion
which cut off all controversy.
Sterling Elliott then rose on a question Of
privilege, and pleaded that the assembly had
not had a chance to debate the question at
all, and that it was a trick to get vote
without hearing both Sides
There was a sharp contest for half an hour
but at Rngth the advocates of league racing
feeling themselves strongly in the majority
asked and obtained a reconsideration of the
vote On the previous question.
It was then agreed that the matter should
be taken up in the morning and the Ieaders
of both sides, Sterling Elliott and g T
Mears, were instructed to arrange the tina
limit of the debate.
The contest was decidedly sharp wbiIa 4,
lasted, with the New York delegates stand
ing by Massachusetts all questions and
an exciting time is looked for tomorrow.