Page:20th annual meet- League of American Wheelmen, Aug. 14th to 19th '99, Boston, Massachusetts.djvu/13



An organization to promote the general interests of cycling; to ascertain, defend, and protect the rights of wheelmen, to encourage and facilitate touring, to promote the improvement of public highways, and an intelligent care and repair of the same, to promote and regulate cycle racing by amateur contestants on the track, and to regulate the government of all other amateur sports connected with the use of the wheel.

Genial companionship, easy intercommunication, mutual protection and defense, sensible laws and reasonable administration of them, good roads, constructed and kept in repair with intelligence after the most approved methods, and some degree of freedom in the use of them, comfortable hotels and moderate charges; these are indispensable auxiliaries to the progress and safety of cycling. In such matters the individual wheelman is powerless and the ordinary club ineffective; but a league of many thousand cyclists can exercise a great influence in obtaining public recognition of what wheelmen want and in promoting the success and increasing the popularity of cycling.

The crying need of the hour is for better roads. To obtain reform in this direction is one of the objects of the League. Already much work has been done, but there is yet very much to be accomplished. From its infancy the L. A. W. has been at the front in the Good Roads movement. By means of this body legislative action has been secured in many States relative to the improvement of the public highways, the people have been educated up to the point where they now see the absolute necessity for good roads, roads that will not be a drag upon our civilization and progress. The League has expended over $120,000 in this portion of the work, and has printed and circulated something over five millions of pamphlets and magazines pertaining to the bettering of our highways.

Third in membership among the Divisions of the National Body, Massachusetts stands in proportion to her population without a peer among the loyal L. A. W. States in the American Union. The Division has actively pursued at all times, a course which entitles it to the support and admiration of the wheelmen and the commendation of the entire citizenship of the Commonwealth. Through the activity of its representatives the present highway commission was established, and hundreds of miles of finely constructed roads have been built and maintained. It has secured the passage of an excellent guide-board law and has placed danger signs wherever required throughout the State. It has prosecuted cycle thieves and other violators of the law and has obtained legislations by which the rights and entitlements of wheelmen have been ascertained and defended.

In short, the Massachusetts Division L. A. W. stands for all that is best and broadest and insures to its members just equality under the law and many special privileges within its own province to bestow.

In the matter of local organization as recommended by the National Organization, this Division has already taken a lead, and several splendidly officered and well conducted Consulates are lending their influence and aid to the Division, and ably assisting in their sections in the work of recruiting, good roads and wheelmen's rights.

With just laws for the government of the Division and a board of officers entirely disinterested in personal motives, but laboring with unanimity for the general good, as a Division, it is bound to hold the high place now attained, and may hope yet to reach a grander position in size and strength.

All wheelmen ought to join at this time and assist the Massachusetts Division, through new blood and freshened enthusiasm, to continue in the path of loyalty by maintaining the good work so well inaugurated.