Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-18

| InlS emu III view L Snail LeHueE my
entry fee to the stakeholder at the
proper time. He can accept 1t or re-
| iect 1t, as the case may be.
/ have hundreds of friends in Ari-
zona who will remain my friends, no
matter how the dealers here in Los
| Angeles may treat this proposition.
Arizona people stand for fair treatment
and square dealing, and l am not
afrai1 of their verdict in this case.
OF two things 1 am sure. | shall not
allow the automobile dealers of Los
Angeles to force me into joining their
association and T shall most certainly
put a car over the Los Angeles to
! Phoenix race course at or about the
! same time the rest of the cars go over
| 1t, whether | reduce the time or not
| | shall protect the cup that was pre-
! sented to me last year by the Arizona
Republican. Mr.. Shelter says the cup
may not be worth much, but the as
| sociations connected with 1t are worth
a whole lot to me. This may the last
time that [ will run my car to Phoenix,
for, unless l can make the fastest time
/ will lose the cup, but you can just
bet as long as I hold the cup l will
| protect 1t and my title. Yours truly,
e. c. FENNER.
| Ralph Hamlin, President Automobile
| Dealers Association, Los Angeles
| Cal.-Dear Sir: Knowing. as do, that
| the majority Of your association are
fair minded l herewith submit this
letter for such action as you and the
association may see fit to take.
| The race to North Badly has been
run for three consecutive years. The
| first two years one of the contestants
did not belong to the association; in
fact. was not even in the automobile
business. Last year, while both con-
testants did belong to the association,
the sanction of the association was not
| asked or granted, and the sanction of
the A. A. A. was not even mentioned.
The Los Angeles to Phoenix race
last year was between four contestants,
all belonging to the association Sane
tion for the race was not asked for or
granted. The race was pulled off sue
cessfully and was talked of all over
the United States.
A few months ago the White garage
rendered their resignation to the Deal
| ers' association, which was accepted
in due form. 1t certainly did not hurt
or harm the Dealers association to
have the White garage resign, and If
the White garage was hurt in the
premises they had no one to blame but
themselves.
The meeting at Mr. Shelters office
III ltSdld W lH6 GnOeDtN race was not
dealers meeting, but the stand that
the dealers propose to take concerning
the Phoenix race was voiced very
forcibly by Mr. Shelter, and according
to what Mr.. Shelter says, the White
garage Is not to be permitted to enter
a car in this race from Los Angeles to
Phoenix simply because they are not
members of the association.
As you are aware. this Phoenix race
is an affair promoted by the Maricopa
Automobile club of Phoenix. Mr.. Bull
lard. president of the club, was present
at this meeting. All the prizes, are to
be given by Arizona people, and the
race is to be finished i'm Arizona The
automobile dealers of Los Angeles
most certainly have nothing to do with
the promotion of the race.
Any make of automobile and any
driver certainly should be given a
chance to win the purse hung up by
the Maricopa Automobile club, provid-
ing it is satisfactory to that club to
have it an open race. An open event
makes it a clean sporting race, and
everybody will go in to win. The race
last year was an open race. Every
body was invited to participate. The
White won the race.
This year L. T. Shelter is placing
Mr.. Billiard in very embarrassing
position by creating conditions where
by no one but the Dealers association
may participate in this race, thereby
barring out the winner of the last
race. Do you think this Is fair?
The objects of the Automobile Deal
ers' association are primarily to pro-
mote the sale of automobiles
True, it is probably a fact that the
races do promote the sale of automo-
biles, but the public would not take
much interest in these races If you
were to come out with a statement In
the newspapers that a race was run
for the express purpose of selling ma
chimes.
Don't you think the dealers are get
ting dangerously near a point where
they are going to say, Join the Deal
ers' association or get out Of bust
ness?"
Has it come to point where the
Automobile Dealers association is go
ing to say to anybody that starts in
the automobile business in Los An
geles, "Either join our association or
get out of business?"
I am not now and never have been
antagonistic to the Dealers association.
did not withdraw from the as
sociation to boost my own game.
I resigned for private reasons of my
l.
real reason why I resigned, and never
will. 1t is sufficient to say that it
had nothing to do with the dealers as
a body.
Anyone who has ever called upon
the White garage for help or con-
tributions of any kind has always
found them ready and willing to con-
tribute as literally as anyone else.
l have carefully thought over what
both you and Mr.. Smith said to me
this afternoon, and. while I should like
to associate myself again with the
Dealers association, 1 cannot do it
now
I maintain the point that both the
Badly and Phoenix races have nothing
to do with the Automobile Dealers as |
ISOLATION of Southern California, and
when they are made official and recog-
nized races by that body. that /, as
the winner of both races, should have
something to say about it and not be
deprived of the right of racing again
for trophies that have won honorably
and on the square.
1 address this letter to you as presi
dent of body that contains fair
minded men and 1 know has at least
some real true sports Yours truly,
e. C. FENNER.