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: J r j . 3 . P I I J J ■ i . ■ ! t e K -. i- !t . II 1- ;t ■n l- n JUDGE MURPHY ON THE MUTUELS. Judge Joseph A. Murphy writes: "Many people may have wondered why practically all officials, including myself, lean to the pari-mutuel as the proper form of betting on races. "I have seen it stated that it is because it makes for cleaner racing. While in the very nature of things the removal of the middle man in bettiug also removes some slight element of possible connivance and fraud, this phase of the mutter does not weigh heavily with me. Personally I have no quarrel with bookmakers or those who follow" them. Nor am I opjRised to the system from any viewpoint of cleanliness in lacing. Where racing is conducted by reputable associations, with paid stewards of experience in tlie stand, and under a governing body that carefully censors the issuance of licenses, fraud has become almost a negligible quantity, irrespective of the style of betting. I might pause to add here, even witli the danger of being accused of egotism, on account of my connection with the racing sport. Unit never in the history of tlie game in any country has cleaner racing been seen than this year on the Canadian circuit. "My principal objection to leookmaking is the mistaken but deeply-rooted impression in the minds of the laymen that bookmakers never have a losing day. That they come from some other section of the country, amass a fortune at the expense of the local community and then take it home for investment. Never was there a more erroneona impression. Itookniaking has become- a lost art. Making a lsiok is not haphazard laying of odds to the public-, but a carefully planned scheme of betting, under Which, by having a percentage in his favor, the bookmaker so rounds up his book that no niattei what horse wins he will have a balance in bis favor. The size of the hook that a man makes will depend on his bankroll Thus if a man uiaki-s a thousand-dollar book he will attempt to round up his book so that he- will pay out ,000 on anv horse that might win. and will offer odds that will make him winner. irresi«Ctive of the ultimate w inner. "The odds offered on a bo kinakers slate are tig- ureil on the basis of 110. Thus, even money figures oil. two to one. 13 l-:i. three to one. 1" . etc. An ideal bookmakers slate would read as follows: lan Zareta, 1: Back Ray. :i: Keweaaa, :;: Recoil. 4 "If a person is making a ,000 book and takes .*.- cm on lan Zareta at even money, he will pay out ,000 if she wins. If he takes 50 each on Back Bay ami Keweaaa. he will also pay out ,000 on which ever wins. If he takes 00 on Recoil, he will also pay out ,000 if she wins. Thus he has in ,200 and only pays out ,000 no matter what horse wins, giving him a twenty per cent, protit. "This is all very lovely, but alas! the story, "In these days the1 public usually centers on sev-, end horses in the field and neghCts the others, so that a man may have twenty per cent, in bis favor on the slate and in actual money taken have a greater percentage against him. Than a man must pick winiers these clays to make lxiok successfully. and that is why I say bookmaklng is a lost art. On tracks where there are open rings, if costs a minimum of .fooo a day to make book with the privilege and e-lerk hire. Thus, if a uian had a bankroll of ,000, booked fifteen days and broke e-ven. be would be broke. Any system where a man has to pay a big privilege and then pick winners, too, is top heavy and Impracticable, and even if the- pari mutuiI had not been installed, bookmaklng would ha e died of its iw n weight. "The-Il. too. it makes a mileli better feeling to know lhal. even if you have- failed to pick a winner. your next-door neighbor has your money Instead of semio professional stranger, if you lose- in a poker game- with your friends, you feel you are even with the fun yon have had. if you lose to professional strange is there s a disposition to hunt the- woodshed for an acr.ib.it ic stunt of kicking ones self. A humorist during tlie recent Windsor meeting covered the point when he wrote: "Well, at least the iron man did not come riding by in an automobile with your money while you were on the street car. "I look to see racing in Canada take- giant strides forward in the next few years. The splendid Ileitis in Canadian-bred races and the unquestioned mire proveiueiit in the quality must be- a source of great gratification to the governing powers."
