The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-08
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M. Nj. MURDOCH, Editor.
NEW FARMS AND NEW TOWNS.

NEW FARMS AND NEW TOWNS
There Will be two entirely different
aspects to the opening Of the Kiowa
Comanche and Apache reservation
announced this morning. One is in
the new towns, the other in the set
Hement Of agricultural lands.
The settlement Of a town in a day,
with fuHblown population, with no
odd settlers" with no developed lead
ership; with no community Of acquain-
tancesbip. is one Of the oldest spec
tacles the history Of Oklahoma offers,
for it is true Of no other western sec
ton. Men locate in the opening
town. singly and in groups. the young
man determined to make a start, the
old man equally determined to make
fresh start and either win the fortune
he failed to win in some other city.
or to regain the one he lost elsewhere.
Each man seeks leadership in his
craft and profession or pursuit. He
doesn't have to live in the communi-
ty for a long time to develop
standing" he doesn't have the priv
Uege Of attaching himself to a pow
erfuI clique. OF to 90 after the best
trade" The lines Of organization are
not demarked and he must use his
naked native judgment and rely upon
his wits. Competition from the start,
under these circumstances. is neces-
sariIy brisk in all lines. All the
racers are of IN a bunch. The first
battle comes over business location in
mercantile and realty lines. The man
who is shrewder than his fellow soon
determines the better location and
gets to it; ne may ally himself with
equally faT-seeing men and use the
power Of combination in the matter.
And then the struggle becomes one Of
industry, Of affability, Of business
ability to meet demands, to determine
credit to buy with discretion and sell
5udicIously. and advertise extensively. /
Soon the man who doesn't know the
grocery business and was never in
tended for it, but has gone into it, /
drops out, fails Of foothold; the news
paper man who doesn't produce a /
newspaper, sells and the town gets
down to solid basis. Leaders evolve; /
society forms, and the city within the
astoundingly short space Of two or
three years, is like any other city /
twenty-five years IN forming.
The agricultural aspect presented Is /
an entirely different matter. The
average homesteader takes a piece OF /
native soil and seeks to have it pro-
duce his living and its own improve (
ments. The process Is at the start
difficult one. but it is not long. The /
farmer and his family, cheerfuIiy and /
Willingly understand their task and (
its haTdsbips and set to work immed- 1
lately. The element Of competition
is lacking. But what Is demanded is
and more than that knowl-
edege Of farming. The nearest neigh
bors are half mile away. and Tor a
little while the settlers remain strang-
ers. But they soon become friends,
soon become acquainted with one an
others religion, politics and opinions.
They are driving together to town Of
within six months, and ex-
tending one another mutual aid and
advice. They soon become known
in the county seat; they get personals
in the paper; some Of them get nom
nations on the county ticket and take
care Of their townships in campaigns.
And in a few years the men who knew
how to farm have bank accounts: the
men who do not know how to farm
peter out sell out and go away. 1
And in view Of the fact that the
coming drawing is open TO every quail
fed entryman, and is accessible to
thousands, it might be vel to say
hat it is very questionable whether
he man who has not had farming ex
,erience can do himself service by
getting a farm.