The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-02-18

pl lioit HOUSES anu llit tuSuduN 'ilili-
ination of the rent hog.
From time to time The Ardmoreite
has called attention of its readers TO
the scarcity of rent houses in which
to house those who would come 10
Ardmore. here to live and become
useful and active citizens, and to the
additional fact that the business dis
trict of the city should be expanded,
should be made to reach out and eX-
tend for at least another block west
ward, on Main street.
More rent houses means more homes
and more homes, at reasonable rent
ais. will mean an influx of people into
this city, with the growth of the city
in point of population.
More business structures will mean
more business enterprises ana cheaper
rentals. More business structures will
mean the Passing of the rent hog
the fellow who does not care cop
per cent whether the town grows
and develops just so long as he feath-'
ers his nest with extortionate rent
moneys, cNactcd from the suffering
citizen, even as Shylock, of olden
days, exacted his pound of Christian
flesh.
More business structures, more
houses to rent to grocers and dry
goods dealers, to butchers and bakers
and candlestick makers, to milliners
and hardware men, will mean not
only the killing of the fatted rent
hog, but the lowering, automatically,
of the high cost of living.
More houses in which to locate
mercantile establishments will mean
the reduction of 5000 and 5000 per
month rentals, to that stage of nor
malcy" which may be spelled with
sylablcs which only reach from 500
to $3.50 per month, a reduction which
will cut the overhead expenses of
dealers, thereby enabling them to sell
goods in Ardmore just as cheap as
the dealers in other towns sell goods.
Strangers visiting Ardmore are
struck, as soon as they land here,
with the great opportunities this town
offers and with the prospect it has of
developing into real city within
the next few years Within a short
time after their arrival, however,
these self-same strangers are struck,
first by the rent hog and then by the
high cost of living in Ardmore.
The Ardmoreite does not wish to
appear as riding a hobby. 1t does
not care TO eternally harp on one
string. but rs long as the rent hog
pitches the tune, there seems no
other string properly attuned for
playing.
When the crash in prices came,
when avenues leading to high salar-
les seemed closed, the artisans Of
Ardmore rallied and voluntarily re-
duced their scale Of wages. They did
this in order that the spirit of progress
might be kept alive, in order that pub
lic-spirited citizens might join with
them and build and build and build
until hundreds OF new homes would
line the streets and boulevards of the
city, with doors open, inviting the
tenancy Of new oomers to Ardmore.
They did this with the hope that
Ardmore capitalists, men who had
made their fortunes out of Ardmore
and her people, who had accumulated
through the benefits which came to
them in the early days when COM
petition was unknown here, would
rally round the flag and build a few
more business houses, houses in which
to store the added business enter
prisos which would come to the grow
ing and expanding town, that would
come with the increase in population.
Thus far, however, the matter seems
to be standing still, just rs it has
stood still for the past several years.
Surely the Chamber Of Commerce,
acting in conjunction with the artisans
Of Ardmore, can do something TO
awaken the proper interest.
And then, with more residences,
with more business houses, with a
larger and nOlp extensive business
district, we mSy all lay off n day
and attend the funeral Of all the rent
hogs who have been so industriously
at work during the past several years,
TO bring about the death Of the city
in the death Of the goose which has
been laying their golden eggs.