Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-22

sition to racing In New York has
stricken terror to the hearts of devo-
tees of the sport of kings throughout
the country and speculation is rife as
to where 1t all will end. In the west,
and particularly in California, pro-
moters of racing and patrons OF the
sport are putting their ears to the
ground to catch the first dread rum
BILE of the approach of that bugaboo,
the moral wave which they now
fear Is apt to break over the Rockies
at any hour. 1t must be admitted
that there is ample justification In the
fears that, since New York Is safely
within the reform fold and no further
concentration of efforts by the re-
formers Is required in that state. the
few remaining states in which the
sport prospers at this time will be put
on the docket for early attention.
Now Is the time for those interested
in the future prosperity of the sport
In California to get busy with speedy
reforms that must be admitted as nee
essary to ward off the blow that 9TH
erwise Is inevitable. Instead of sit
ting with folded hands and wonder
ing when the blow Is to fall, at which
time they would be in no position sue
cessfully to combat it, these promot-
ers can fill in the intervening time with
profit to themselves by adopting re-
forms that will assure the continued
prosperity of the sport that is so pop
ular on the coast.
Reform Booking Evils
There is only one argument that the
opposition to racing can, or ever, uses
that the once sport of kings has
been annexed by the gamblers and
subordinated to the commercialism
I,ot 1oc IA l.
fed in a great measure the criticism
hurled at 1t. Bookmaking. therefore,
is the evil that the reformers are
fighting, instead of the sport itself.
Sporting blood runs freely in the veins
of every man on topside of this ter
restria1 sphere, and while the excite
ment of keen contest of speed and
endurance between high class thor
oughbreds is good sport, 1t seems to be
a natural characteristic of mankind to
gamble upon everything of an uncer-
tain nature and that Is the why OF
bookmaking.
AS conducted in this day, bookmak-
ing Is unsatisfactory to the patrons OF
racing and the ring control OF the
sport is the root from which springs
all criticism, just and unjust. 1t Is
quite common these days to hear OF
cliques, gambling syndicates and dis
honest combinations between horse
men, Jockeys and the bookmakers to
defraud the public and crook the sport
for commercial purposes. In the ma
jority of cases such charges are alb
solutely without foundation and In
only occasional instances do they exist
in fact. Yet the popular belief that
they do exist has prejudiced the pub
lie mind against the game so that 1t is
moving to kill the sport as the means
Of DESTROYING the game.
Parl-Mutuels the Remedy
About the only reform that can be
made in the bookmaking end of the
sport is to do away with the present
system of booking and substitute the
pari-mutuel machines. These machines
are operated by the association and
act only as shareholders for individuals
who desire to bet on a race. The as
ISOLATION makes a charge of, say per
cent for holding the stakes and the
winners take the money of those who
bet on horses that are beaten.
Wherever tried, the machines have
become popular, as much so as they
were twenty years ago, before the day
of the modern bookmaker. The install
lation of the machines does away with
dishonest racing in q great degree, In
that the owner who is inclined to run
his horse according to the price laid
against 1t is encouraged to try all
the time because he has no method OF
ascertaining what price he will get fol
each dollar he bets on his horse. Con-
sequently, the temptation to pull OF
''shoo-in'' a horse is SO slight that 1t
really Is not worth the risk.
With the machines running for the
association and paying sure dividend
on each race, there can be no unholy
combinations between the racing and
gambling departments of the sport
and Jockeys and owners will be trying
all the time. No such thing as pre-
post favorites will be known and the
betting end of the game will be sub
ordinated to the real sport, thereby
restoring the sport to the high pinnacle
from which 1t tumbled when captured
by the gamblers.
Change Would Be Profitable
Racing associations would profit by
the change in betting systems. The
removal of all cause for scandal would
greatly popularize the sport and result
in materially increased attendance.
Probably the sport would become once
more the great popular outdoor pastime
that it once was and 1t would be pa
tronized by an entirely different class
of people as whole. The association
would get the s per cent profit that
goes to the machines as shareholders
and this percentage would more than
double the revenue received from the
bookmakers under the present system
In fact, per cent sure profit on each
race would be the source Of sufficient
revenue to more than pay the running
expenses Of the meeting, leaving as
velvet all the money taken in for
admission fees and concessions.
The machines have been given a test
at Churchill downs and Latonia this
season and have become instantly pop
ular with the general public, although
decidedly unpopular with bookmakers
and plungers, as well as those who
prefer to win money by hook and crook
rather than otherwise. An average OF
sSO, 900 a day was handled at Churchill
downs at the recent meeting, and the
association, therefore, averaged profit
of $4,000 day. Never In the history OF
racing in Kentucky has any association
received such an average profit from
the gambling department Of the sport
Would Restore Confidence
installation OF the machines also
would restore public confidence In a
sport that has been decaying for years
because OF the domination OF the real