The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-05-04
JOHN WICkENHISER, WHOLESALE DEALER OF
TOLEDO, URGES DEVELOPMENT OF FARMS IN
THIS GREAT AGRICULTURAL OKLAHOMA SECTION

Two features OF your country APP
peal to me very strongly" said John
Wickenhiser who accompanied by his
wife, is here on a visit with his bro
ther c. F. Wickenhiser. Mr. Wick
enhiser is from Toledo Ohio. he is a
man OF broad business experience and
his words mean something to the peo-
pie Of this section of the state.
These two features said Mr.
Wickenhiser are. First: The fine ap-
pearance OF your city. the amount of
paving you have, the fine electric
lighting system and the magnificense
of your buildings in the down town
district, the beauty OF your homes and
the pride the people take in building
beautiful lawns
Second After travelling out over
younr country ! am surprised to see
the few people in the country, your
farms are large. which indicate that
you have few home owners, that YOU
have too many tenants; your farm
houses are not in keeping with your
city homes, you have too few sllos,
you have too few well-cultivated small
farms. In other words your city has
outgrown your country
You people have a magnificent
country, | have seen much land here
that will grow fine wheat and other
grains, | have seen magnificent potato
lands and wonderful corn lands and
many acres will grow alfalfa. Your
prime need is to get these lands divid-
ed into smaller tracts, get family
on each tract. have better homes, more
silos, more intensive cultivation and,
by all means. more high bred farm
stock.
IF Were TO engage in the aRrcul-
tuTal business | would not think Of
paying $500 an acre for Ohio lands
when | could come TO this country
get milder winter climate, get where
| could be doing something every win
ter month and get lands ut about one
tenth OF what | would have to pay in
the north
IF | were farmer in the north and
had a son whom | was starting in the
farm business would start him i'm this
country where lands are fertile, where
they are cheap and | would give him
an estate worth from five to ten times
as much here "a | could give him in
the north with the same money.
For many years | was in the whole
sale business and when | sold goods 10
town that had a good rural popula-
lion, | found that / sold more goods
and found my collections better and
The people more prosperous
AS see II the one great need Of
your country IS 10 settle your farms.
can understand why you people have
not done so Your men have been
lured by the big profits offered In oil,
you have looked forward 10 quick
money and to big money in oil ana
you have neglected your farms. You
have neglected your rural population.
Take this view Of it--every farm is
factory. Every farm produces new
wealth. and 20 after farms and farm.
ers as you go after factories. and when
your rural population is built 10 whore
il deserves TO be built, your factories
will come as q natural trend OF busl-
ness"
AR Wickenhiser says that when this
country is settled, when the lands are
divided into small tracts and these
tracts are cultivated, that the average
rainfall will he increased. the sum
mer drouths viii be- a thing Of the
past and YOU will add many millions TO
your wealth and you win make busi.
ness better IN every line.
Arjmorc has reached that point
where II ought TO be- building traction
lines ont TO the different sections OF
the country, but You must build ny
the country TO a point where IL viii