The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-10-16
THE GREATEST INDUSTRY IN
THE STATE MADE A TARGET
BY THE POLITICIANS.
WILL KILL INDUSTRY
Unless Curbed Tax Grabbers viii
Drive Oil Operators to Adjoining
States.

Those politicians who controlled the
Hast legislature of the state OF Okla
lhoma singled out the oil producers for
goats. Those who are engaged in de-
lyeloping the most hazardous industry
lin the state have had imposed upon
them unjust taxation. The legisla-
Itors were possessed with the same
lcrude instincts as the ancient abo-
lrigines who looked no further than
the Advancement of their immediate
TRIBE, and were not broad-minded
lenough to know that crushing the
greatest industry in the state is det-
lrimental to the welfare of all the
people in Oklahoma. They have not
advanced far enough in broad intelli-
Igence yet to know tnat the upbuild-
ling of this great industry and cen
ltralizing It here is of vast Importance
land benefit to all the people in the
Estate, no matter where they reside.
OIL producers pay into the state
Treasury 80 mills on the dollar of their
receipts for the sale of the oil pro-
duced. Under the budget of 1917 9th
er classes of property will pay into
1.-THE state treasury two mills on the
dollar, based upon the acyalorem ba-
Isis. It is true that a small portion
of this 30 mills is paid back into the
counties for school and good road
purposes, though the amount Is moth
ling compared to what would be avail
able for township, school district and
county government, If the oil produc-
ers tax was paid the same as other
taxes are paid, and appropriated in the
same manner.
Only State Having This Method.
No other state In the Union has un-
derraken such a high-handed method
of Ievying tribute from one single in
, dustry. The people in the non-oil-de-
veloped part of the state should join
lin opposing this method of taxation
for the professional politicians are
an avaricious lot It Is hard to
Itell how soon their appetite will call
for a production tax on broom corn,
cotton. cotton seed oil. packing house
and manufacturing products. AS a
matter of fact 1t isn't good statesman
! ship to take away the oil taxes and
I appropriate them to the exclusion OF
J the localities paying the tax. County
and local governments have to be
maintained in the oil country and the
l. oil tax ought TO help maintain this
S necessary expense. Besides 1t is
J. Bad Financial Policy.
Three refineries locating just across
the line in Kansas recently which will
be fed by Oklahoma crude; transport
g ing storage oil to Kansas and other
r states where oil men have few
If rights left; the tearing down and
II abandonment of great tank farms; the
e removal from the state OF late of our
wealthiest men, shows wnat the short
d sighted policies are bringing about
d in this state.
Bad Economies Too.
This policy is unsound. for oil de-
velopment helped principally to the
upbuilding of the magnificent cities
OF Bartlesville, Muskogee. Vinita. Ok.
mulgee, Ponca City, sapulpa, Ard
more and Tulsa. II is putting renew
ed life and vlgor in Blackwell. Enid
and Perry. and Oklahoma City is feel
ing the dynamic force of the oil men.
The upbullding OF these cries has ere
!. lated market for the farmers and.
they too, indirectly are partners and
1 derive great benefits from the produc-
J tion OF oil. Is the progress OF these
cities to be retarded and palised by the
machination OF brazen demagogues?
Shall Grant. Woodward. Major. Gus
Z ter. Kiowa and all the rest OF western
: Oklahoma counties wait for oil ruen
TO turn loose millions in their midst
Testing the lands for oil, until the
ldemagogues run their course. or will
+ they too join in killing them off at
p the coming election. Oklahoma. the
e Pennsylvania of mineral resources OF
I