The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-04
AIDING IN REIMBURSEMENT

AIDING IN kEAlJt SIMENI
Referring to the matter Of the vol
untary reduction OF the wage-scaie'
by the trades unionists OF Ardmore,
the full details of which appeared in
The Ardmoreite, issue Of Sunday
January 2, il might not be amiss 10
say at this time, that while the ac'
ton Of the unions is TO be commend
ed. the merchants of Ardmcre, taken
as the rule. are also doing their bit
toward bringing about return TO
pre-war prices, in that conservative
manner which may be calculated TO
produce the desired result without IN
accompanying panic.
As has been previously stated the
high prices, exorbitant in all too many
instances, did not come about in one
moment. Not single commodity
reached its price apex in one leap
in one bound. On the contrary the
increase, while rapid, came in series
OF advances, out OF proportion, We
must admit, TO the increase in sal
aries OF the average wage-earner but
in ascending steps which made these
advances possible TO bear.
With this being the case we cannot,
in Justice TO the dealers, expect them
70 slide down the banisters at light
ming speed. only to bring up at tho
foot OF the stairs with n financial
crash which would echo around the
commercial world, echo with resound-
ing reverberations, each wave Of sound
carrying with it a story Of an erst-
while legitimate business gone TO
smash.
1t is true that the merchants OF
every other town In the United States,
sold many thousands Of dollars worth
of goods on rising market, making
thereby profits which were out of the
ordinary. Today, while they are not
selling goods az prices calculated to
compete with the prices charged be-
fore the war. they are selling on n
falling market, and are pocketing
their losses without grumble or COM
plant.
The consuming public. the public
which pays the freight In all instances.
is benefltng by this proportionately
as II bore the burden when the prices
went 10 the top OF the ladder.
And while prices are today higher
than, possibly. they should be-. at the
same time they are declining gradu-
ally and will. unless the business men
Of the nation become panIc-strioken.
ultimately reach level which will
bring everything In the reach OF
everyone. and, at the same time not
strike the dangerously low level AZ
which they were found when the
average w0gc-earner. even those In
the skilled class. were drawing down
per diems OF from $3.50 to S..
While many OF us may feel that tho
dealers in all lines are not making
the reductions which should be made
in retail prices, and while We may
be able to cite Instances wherein GER
ain commodities are sold at Lesser
prices In other towns than hero. we
must take Into consideration q NUN.
Der OF things which many. on the
impulse OF the moment. fall 70 sec.
Ardnorc IL thriving, growing
town. town tributary to the larr
est oil fields In Oklahoma. and q,
such Il rahks as what may safely
he called q good business town
Being good businss town. COM
munity in which all lines OF CONNER.
clal pursuits and enterprises thrive
and flourish. the business has In.
creased out OF proportion to ih,
growth of tho business district. Will,
the population has outgrown the hous.
ing facilities.
Unfortunately this has brought about
boosting Of rents. especially in IA,
downtown districts, which adds mosl
materially 20 the overhead expenses
" tho merchants and forces an addet
item TO the first cost OF ali lines oi
goods sold.
Hero lies a feature which the actor
Of the builders unions In reducins
the wage-scale. may aid IN climinat
Ing. In fact this action will go fai
toward rental reductions. provide,
the moneyed man Of the community
the owners Of vacant properties. suit
ibic for both business and residence
buildings. will meet the artisans ant
the contractors half way and eNtcn'
Af,imore's business district through
he erection Of more houses in which
10 conduct the retail markets. ant
more homes IN which 10 house il'