The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-01-19
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Opposes the Johnson Plan TO Vote
Bonds.
Editor Ardmoreite:


appears a communication by W. b.
Johnson in which he brings forward
a proposition to vote fifty thousand
dollars in bonds b. the city of Ard
more This money to be used by the
city in a land investment deal After
fully investigating his proposition he
calls for further discussion, and crit
iCism from Business men. Well,
while | do not claim TO be a "busi-
ness" man, yet if the editor will
| kindly allow me, | will discuss and
probably criticise Mr.. JohnsOn's prop
osition. As understand it, Mr.. John
sons proposition in nutshell, is this,
that we use the social value of the
land, or as the political economist
would use the term the unearned
increment as fund to boost the town
To this | heartily agree. 1t is as to
how this shall be done that | differ
/ with Mr. Johnson, Mr.. Johnson
I
question in detail, from a strictly le-
/ gal point OF view, taking the law as
it now exists. | am no lawyer, and
/ am no Judge of what are strictly legal
questions. but think am sufficient
ly informed to he able to see the NOR
al right or wrong that may be in
yolyed in any question OF public pol
icy
That the discussion of public ques-
tions tc5ay. even hy the brightest
T mird- we have, turns not 50 much
ulon the question: lis it legal, or is
il otnerWise?' As to the question,
is it right. emholdens me to take up
this prorOsition from the viewpoint
OF ethical aud moral right.
As a premise from what | shall say
. | viii quote from the speech Of Judge
Chas. l.. Edwards, Of Dallas. Texas.
spoken in the chamber of commerce
in Dallas, Texas Jan. 1st, 1910, in
which he said
AS an ethical proposition there are
grave doubts as to whether the moral
right to land should ever go beyond
the right to use it. But this much
is certain: When mans title pa
pers cover more land than he wants
TO use, or more than he is able tc
use-holdng it TO the exclusion OF
ton, he is not only hindering the de
velopment of the country but is doing
violence to the natural rights of his
less fortunate fellows. There is an ole
Jewish tradition to the effect that
man is made of the dust of the earth
he lives on the products of it lnl. ii
naly goes back to it-this makes the
earth akin to him. Many OF H. Speal
reverently and ersr affectionatelv o.
our mother earth, and the pro- os;rior
is a sound one that every human
being has a natural riEnt to "nruGt
room on the breast # his mother tC
make his living. To deny him this is
to deny him a na!u,ll ri.ht. rs in
defensible morali, y, his riglt tC
breathe the air
And great mllv o. MS have grCN ~
Judge Edwards said is true and there
is enough of us here in Ardmore tC
defeat and attemp' to vote money fol
the city to go into any land grating
deal
Instead of Iohnson's proposition
= sounding like a dream, to myself and
q many others, it makes a noise like
! scheme, and that of a lot OF land
grafters aiming to unload on the city
, As far as a deal like that furnishing
homes for all poor people. that is pure
rot. Ardmore as first plated con.
; tans 5Gj blocks: counting these
! blocks at 800 feet square with a 90,
: foot alley in every block we have
enough land inside the old city limits
: to give 1oOx4O to 1890 families. Coun.
; ting five to family this would be a
e population of 1890 people, about
twice what We really do have. Then
counting the 26S blocks in the var
ious additions at the same rate. this
would give homes of the same size
to S04O more people or Il total OF
25,03O population. and this is more
population than Ardmore will have
in the next hundred years if the
present land grating and land grab
bing system continues.
Now if Mr. Johnson really wants
to use the social value of the land. oil
more correctly speaking the unearned
increment for a public use why not
go about il risht? Why vote bonds tC
raise money to buy out lot of fel
lows that have used their money tC
forestal the land by laying title