The sun., 1899-12-27
the TRACK sANzsERS sToRy.
Horse Owners Have No Grievance Says
Secretary Tomsn.

The track manugors' side OF the controversy
concerning installment purses was set forth by
Secretary 4. 3. Toman OF the Empire City
TrottinR Club In talk yesterday with h re-
porter Of THE Sun.
Il can hardly believe" said he, that men
like the Hamlina, the Hubingers and james
Butler will maintain the posltion which they
ssem to have taken regarding early-closing
purses. They are the very men who profit by
this System. II some OF the little fellows who
have. perhaps. only one or two horses to cam
paign had started the movement. II wouldn't
have been 40 surprising. for they undoub btedly
get the worst Of II. Everybody knows II Ia tho
almost universal custom for trotting as
eociations to permit an owner to nominate
as many horses as he wants to
upon paying one entrance fee. the understand
ing being that he is to choose the best horse
In his string when the time comes for the race.
Sometimes the Hamlins and other owners
having big stables pay one entrance fee and
name half dozen or more horses. II goes
without saying that they have six chances to
one to win over the man who has but one horse
to name. Why should they object1"
That IL not the feature OF the instalment
purse system to which they object Is It :" sug-
gested the reporter The terms Of their
agreement would seem to indicate that the
early spring In races to be uotted In the fall
10 the basis OF their complaint"
We'll" SAID Secretary Toman. that position
10 still more untenable. No association could
afford to hang up biR purses on the installment
plan II the entries didn't close until July l. the
date the strikers have agreed upon. BY that
time every ybody has got q line on his own horse
and those he will have to start against. Only
the few crack. n Jacks would be entered at that
time In the year. and some OF those would. OF
course. drop out before the day OF the race.
Such purses wouldn't Iy at ALL and " the
signers Of the compact hang together and carry
out their agreement. why installment purses
will have to 20. that's oil.
These men complain that they have to enter
their horses 10 the early spring and winter.
when they cant know much about them. and
40 n good many nominators must aitetward
drop out and lose tho installments they have
paid in. ! see no hardship In this It's the old
familiar principle on VIII ch all life insurance
business Is based. The men who pay a few as
sessm.nts AMI then let their 20 icles lanse are
the men who make II posal hle Tor the CO ~ pan es
s,Gn} l" '"' pO''S''' u '1''' WV ''"' y, " ,"'
mands ~ the horse owners 10y making all In
E'al M ent purses subscription purses ke the
Transy.vsns where ,hr snpscr Gns per. , pay w ,her
Gulred to name their horses until a short time
before the race takes placer asked the re-
THE subscrption plan will do well enough
FOR two or three races at eah meet
ing. but IL won't do for the entire
rrosramme ..11T installment purses" was
right at the start what horses they Will
have to beat. and OF course thsN can't know
thia In a subscription purse. Thers isa loi OF
ohl"ctio ion right now on account oi the mum her
o' subscrip ion races. They tried the rlan OF
making nearly everv'h,ng on the programme
a suhscr' r. on purse A. II g'y park.i Portland.
two or three years Hgo. but hey hai 10 give
tup The horse owners woull int cnt"r."
~ hat about tho assertion that the horse
owners pay into the associations more money
in entrance fees than they receive IN pursesI"
was asked.
"Thnt is true In measure. have no doubt"
enil the SECRETARY Nearly every assOciAt ION
In the Grand Circuit makes n hig profit on tts
sArly-Cloaug purses. Sometimes the entrance
fees pal In ~ the horsemcn amount To nearly
or uu.te double the face a. the nurse. and this
cScaSs revcrts to the association. But the assoc
citation nearly always has to pAT II back TO tho
horse owners IN he purses closing shortly be.
3 fore the date ~ the meeting TAX" the GRIND
Circuit meeting n III" new track for example;
In one OF the instaliment purses W" received
sever J. 'oVr entries. more Than twenty-five OF
which m aie the final rAvment There was n
big profit IN this particular race, But ook a.
the two tr-r-for-al : at the same mee,inx We
paid out 81 900 To the pac"rs without taking In
a dollar In entrance money In the trotttng
free for all there were three entries at sl25
each, while the purse was 81. 500"