SOUR, SELFISH AND NARROW - Attitude of Eastern Wheelmen Toward Western Brethren. - The San Francisco Call, 23 Feb 1897

SOUR, SELFISH AND NARROW Attitude of Eastern Wheelmen Toward Western Brethren. 23 Feb 1897, Tue The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com

SOUR, SELFISH AND NARROW

Attitude of Eastern Wheelmen Toward Western Brethren.

Return of R. M. Welch From the National L. A. W. Assembly

What He Thinks and What He Says of the Delegates He Met.

Robert M. Welch, a member of the National racing board of the League of American Wheelmen and one of the delegates from the North California division to the National assembly of the league recently held at Albany, N. Y., returned last evening. He was met at the Sixteenth-street station, Oakland, by a number of his friends prominent in local wheeling interests, and representatives from the different papers.

R. M. WELCH, Who Has Just Returned From the National Assembly of the League of American Wheelmen.

As is pretty generally known the purpose of the North California division in sending its delegates East was to secure an amendment to the racing roles providing for divisional option on the question of Sunday racing, that is, that each State should have the right to decide for itself whether or not it would sanction cycle racing on Sunday. This division was entitled to seven delegates, two of whom, Mr. Welch and Judge Frank H. Kerrigan, went in person, carrying the proxies of the other five. In New York City they met Frank W. Fuller, who accepted a proxy, went with them to Albany and materially assisted in the work.

Mr. Welch felt rather tired on his return last night, but said to a CALL reporter that he was glad to be home and among his friends once more, and to have an opportunity to express himself on the L. A. W.

"We went there," he said, "expecting that we were going to at least a quasi-fraternal association, to deal with a lot of fair, generous men. We found then sour, selfish and narrow-minded. We received absolutely no courtesies from any of them, and, accustomed as we were to the warm-hearted hospitality of Californians, the surprise was most complete.

"To show you how little sympathy the L. A. W. has for its racing interests - at the time we were discussing the admission of professionals to membership, which was defeated, by the way, and the argument was made that we controlled them and yet allowed them no representation, the reply was that we did not ask them to come to us, they sought us and asked for our protection. If they don't like what they get, let them get down and out.

"During the argument on Sunday racing one man from Louisiana was telling how badly they needed it there; that meets were only held on Saturdays or holidays and tracks were a financial loss or had to be abandoned entirely. I saw and heard men in that assembly nudge each other and say they were glad to hear it.

"As a matter of course, the L. A. W. does not care a snap for racing. It's hue-and-cry is good roads; and yet that is the biggest farce in the world. There is absolutely no interest in it and the L. A. W. is not creating any. I saw that man Potter presiding at a good roads meeting at Albany and listened to some crank tell how you could put down cloth and lay asphalt or macadam on it and make a splendid road. The good roads banquet was a farce. There was to be a night session of the Good Roads Congress, so the members of the Legislature could attend. Well, I believe there were six people present, newspaper men included. It was an awful fizzle. Nobody of any importance took any notice of it. The league gets its prestige and its name from its racing interests, the very thing those short-sighted Easterners are trying to down.

"Now, the position I take is just this: At present we cannot do much, although Illinois, Missouri, Colorado and all the Western States, save and except that little South California division, are only waiting for us to take the initiative and they will follow. But there must be some organization, some head to it, and who is going to take it? There must be somebody of character and energy to take hold of it. and the trouble is those who have been doing the most talking have no standing.

"What I suggest is that we first wait and see what action the executive committee takes at its meeting in New York to-morrow, Kerrigan is there and will ask them to instruct the racing board not to suspend any riders who race in California on Sunday. If they agree to this our point is partly gained and we can struggle along for a while longer. If not it is time to call a meeting of the local board of officers and discuss what action is to be taken.

"If the racing board gets into shape and a circuit is arranged to start from here, and many Eastern riders come here, perhaps it would be best to wait until they have gone. Our tracks cannot exist as they are, however. They must promote Sunday racing to pay even expenses. If the executive committee permits it all discontent will be allayed and we will have no immediate grievance. Otherwise the tracks will promote it anyway, and there will be plenty of men who will ride. Who of our California boys will go East this year? Probably only four - Ziegler, McFarland, Wells and "Bob" Terrill. Sunday racing for plethoric purses may keep them here to say nothing of attracting the Eastern cracks.

"I don't believe there will be much of this so-called circuit racing this year. I don't believe the manufacturers are going to support teams. I heard Tom Eck discussing it at the New York show. He said he thought there were only about twelve men signed so far. And there are 1900 professionals in America, whom the league felt itself too good to admit to membership. With no teams or circuits what are these men going to do? I think, with frequent opportunities for racing bere and good purses, we will attract a large number of them. I imagine Sunday racing will develop new men fast, too. We are really in a better position to start out for ourselves than any other State.

"The only reason for California adhering to the league is for our racing interests. If we cut loose in that regard nothing remains. In what manner did the East assist in the passage of our baggage bill? It was by our own individual efforts. We could have got it under any other name besides the L. A.W. with the same efforts. And this applies to our roadbook and everything else. Everything is done by the divisions, and yet we turn over one-third of our dues to the home office which helps to pay fat salaries to a favored few."

Continuing, Mr. Welch talked very rapidly as he enthused to his subject. He said the racing interests of the league just now were badly demoralized, Mr. Gideon would not accept reappointment as chairman of the racing board, and he himself would no longer represent it in California unless Sunday racing be permitted, Mr. Croninger of Kentucky would probably be the only incumbent reappointed. A. G. Batchelder of New York was a likely candidate for chairman. Mr. Welch said Gideon had been an exceedingly fair and impartial man, gentlemanly and popular, who ruled with a rod of iron, yet was admired and respected. He compared him with George H. Stratton, late chairman of Associated Cycling Clubs' racing board of this State. Of ex-President Elliott of Boston he could not say too much. He was a splendid man and deserved re-election. But he was a victim of the questionable politics of the New York division and was turned down for Potter.

Monahan, the chief consul of the South California division, stood in with the Potterites and fought the Sunday-racing proposition tooth and nail. He was very unpopular with the delegates, but could be utilized to good advantage, and they made the most of him.

Mr. Welch said both he and Mr. Kerrigan were thoroughly disgusted. They had given several years to the work of the league in this State and felt they had accomplished much good for its members here. He says Kerrigan is all broken up over the result and of their treatment there, and does not feel that he can come back here and do any more.

The Potterites promised their support to California and to every one else who wanted anything at the assembly in return for the election of the Potter ticket. This ticket went through with the exception of the treasurer. And then the fall came. Delegation after delegation was turned down, California included. Of course New York with the fifty-six delegates, whose vote Potter held in the palm of his hand, so to speak, had practically the control of everything, and Potter broke his promises faster even than he made them, eager as he was. Massachusetts, Illinois, the South and the West, all have grievances, and they will not be easily assuaged. Some of the methods employed at that assembly would make a ward politician turn green with envy and put Tammany itself to shaine.

“We had an agreeable trip both going and coming,” Mr. Weich concluded. "It snowed a little in New York and also at Albany the morning of the day our Sunday racing proposition came up. It was a Friday and I remarked something about superstition to Judge Kerrigan at breakfast. The Judge was pretty glum then, for our defeat was foreshadowed by the turn of events of the previous day, but his usual wittiness asserted itself and be said it would be a cold day if we got left - and it was."

Mr. Welch returned alone. Mr. Fuller stopped off at Chicago and Judge Kerrigan is still in New York. Both will be home in the course of the next ten days and their return will signal something startling in the North California Division of the League of American Wheelmen.