New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-02
TO LIMIT AUTO RACING
FOR SAKE OF DRIVERS.
American Automobile Association
4gnnst Courses Built for Horses.

-r. ,+b annual meeting of the directors Of the
American Automobile Association was heio yes.ei 80.
dsv at the national headquarters. NO. 4o' 80
avenue and a resolution adopted prohoi'ihs
racing on circular tracks built for horse races
The association decided to take this action ai'
two years of agitation. Automobile racing U" SUI
courses has been condemned by many ProI'i'i
manufacturers for some time. and several OF them
have come forth with strong statements asdllis'
such contests They point to the danger not only
TO the contestants, but also TO the risK Oh selo9
accidents to spectators standing near the track
They say. further that such contests 90 not oile'
d test of the merits OF an auIoiio''i''
The resolutions read:
Whereas, Automobile speed contests on circular
tracks built for horse racing have ceased 10 Se'
Whereas Such contests do not have the Approval
Of the general public or any considerable porton
Resolved, That speed contests by automobiles on
or less in length be condemned by this assoeiatioh'
'i Resolved. Tibet hereafter this association have
nothing VIVA teveT to do with such tntests
The association has now membership composed
of twenty-five state associations. as against SIX
teen a year ago. and 1877 clubs as against l'z men
while the official membership of its present ciuos
was then about 1900 and is now upward OF Zo'oo'
The motorists of practically all Of the North
ern states with the exception Of Maine. Ne"
Hampshire and Iowa. now federated INTO state
associations. Similar associations exist IN Can
fornia Colorado and Oklahoma. while hopefui
der Uav in Iowa Arkansas, Montana North ana
South Dakota, Washington, Oregon, LOUISIANA anu
several of the other states. notable fact is the
growth of some of the more important cluDs thaI
of Buffalo having increased from 1l5 TO 5ol mem
bers; the New Jersey Automobile and Motor CLUB
of Newark from $40 to $50: the Philadelphia AuT
tonobie Club. from 800 TO 500: the Automobile Cluo
of Kansas city, from 800 to $40; the Automobile
Club of Southern California from 800 to over 0oO;
the Automobile Club of Minneapolis, from 400 to
-Soa no6a Automobile b..
from 80 to 800
The report Of President William H Hotchkiss
was read. The report begins with this outline Of
the associations work:
The notable feature of the years work is the
growth and strength of the national idea. During
The first years of the associations history the sport
was Pro am1 Of New
York and the association did little to stimulate the
tonal idea was not brought out; II was not tnen
club and one neighborhood could not control or
dictate. This is understood and appreciated
nature OF things, national headquarters should for
tine be IGGsteG IN Hew foT New Guy Work ay as c6n
trolling upon the affairs OF motordom In al OF the
win Inevitably fail In this connection quote from
the 6b mo1n b Of 9uf ha tor Of the
"A word to the motor user; AS an indi l-
want nor YET local club nor as singh state ate
ae 60 the 6 Sa eb that eab n0 Sae
the existence of this club the Pennsylvania Motor
Federation and the American Automobile Assoc1a-
tion; No single club local or state can do this
sentative body, rejecting the will and action OF
the local movement everywhere.
This is the national idea!
President Hotchkiss recommended that the ex-
ecutve committee be increased to twenty-one, in
stead of seventeen, it stands. He praised
the work done by the legislative board through its
chairman, Charles Thaddeus Terry. Regarding the
scope of the maps board President Hotchkiss said:
This work involves the maintenance Of a touring
bureau in connection with national head
quarters and POSSIBLY. the establishment of sub
bureaus in centres like Chicago st. Louis and At
Ianta ! am informed b. Chairman Evans that his
plans include the collection from clubs of pre-
else data concerning routes, particularly through
routes, and the publication of these data, perhaps
for time largely through the Official jour
nal Mt should doubtless also include the prepa-
ration of a reliable hotel and garage list with guar
anteed rates. 4 beginning of this work was made
by the touring board proper, under Chairman n
Hover. in the list which formed part of the
route book of the 1908 Glidden tour.
Chairman Evans also has in mind a plan which
will result in the proper mapping Of the touring
centres along lines already aGODted by him in and
about the neighborhOOd of Philadelphia
A uniform road sign will also, il is thought be
insisted on, and the country divided into club
territories, that each club do its proper share
of 2 bic r..Flr