Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1913-12-26
-wHArs WRONG IN oKLAHomAr'
The FalIacy Of Nall Order Business
Absence Of Mail Order Advertis.
ing in Oklahoma Farm Paper.


Oklahoma is naturally one of the
richest States in the Union. In point
of agricultural and livestock produc-
tion, in normal years. even in her
present comparatively undeveloped
condition, she ranks close to Illinois,
and Iowa, and ahead of Missouri, Ne
brsska, Minnesota or Wisconsin. She
at least equals Kansas. In addition,
Oklahoma's oil. gas, coal, timber,
building stone and materials bring
immense wealth into the State each
year. And yet something is the mat
ter. What is it,
II takes Oklahoma's wheat crop to
pay the interest on 0klahoma's real
estate mortgages each year. The
money practically all goes out Of the
State Millions more go out for in
surance-fire and life. More millions
go to pay for street paving in the cit
les and to meet interest on bonds Of
various kinds. And more millions go
TO pay for manufactured articles and
merchandise, no portion of the pur-
chase price of which remains in the
State.
Every dollar so sent out is gone.
totally and forever. An It is because
Of this constant rain that money IS
scarce and interest rates high in Ok
laboma
Outside cf about twenty counties in
the best improved agricultural portion
of Oklahoma, the farmers pay an av-
erage rate OF nine per cent on first
mortgage farm loans The second
mortgage and chattel rates range
from the legal limit to grand larceny.
Why should this be in State that
has been producing more than Mis-
souri,. and is capable of producing as
much out of the ground as Missouri
and Nebraska combined2 The fault
certainly does not lie without, but
rather within her borders
Tho remedy is plain. Oklahoma
should patronize herself for awhile,
and cease going into debt further. The
interest on the ,oonds and mortgages
already issued viii have to be met
The paving must be paid for. Reck-
less. official extravagances can be
stopped, but the results of il to date
cannot be lodged. The fiddler must
be se,t led with.
How much have you contributed
ana how much are you contributins
10 the Train? Have you sent any
money out of the State for things
which you could have bought within.
the State for the same price?
The Interstate Farmer is a farm
er's paper, and looks at every ques-
tion from the standpoint of the farm
'er But the farmer. rs a member of
a community, or a citizen of a coun-
" or State. has a duty to perform
toward his community. county or
State, the same as any other citizen.
This duty does not mean that he must
submit to being robbed by local
dealer but he should be sure that he
can actually effect saving before
sending any of his money away. The
local market should be the best riar-
ket. In many instances and for
many products it is tho only mar
ket II should be fostered, encour-
aged, and built up. Every man cal
help, without submitting to an in
Justice. There can be no local mar
ket without local patronage The
community spirit is what wins.
Oklahoma can and will pull her.
self together. She has the resources.
An she needs to do is to conserve a
proper proportion of them"