The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-02-16
ARDMORE
AND THE SOIL
(By j, L. McAfec, Community
Counselor. Extension Division
The University Of Oklahoma)

hlHtI1i Nll IL a bltel boOlA " NANlAAa-
alton. Some of the greatest achieve
ments of modern society will be dated
by the historian from the discovery
of oil deposits and their commercial
development.
A community like Ardmore is not
only richly endowed in its oil fields,
but the energetic and scientific develop
ment of these splendid stores of hu-
man good entitle the community to
the gratitude and honor of civilized
society. Oil is good in and Of itself.
and for the far-reaching service it rem
ders humanity. But the prevalent
speculative features of its development
are as bad for community as IS
any other form of speculation. Get-rich-
quick schemes are never wholesome,
Tho man who gets sonnet ii"g for
nothing has gotten nothing worth haV-
ins. Even acquisitions inherently Sood
eact detrimentally upon those who
gain them by the somethng-for-no'h-
ing process.
Community Character
Communities fall under the opera
tion OF the same ethical laws which
make and unmake individuals. II Ard
more should live and move and have
! its whole being in oil and it should
prove impossible to squeeze out the
vicious speculation which now gen.
orally dominates oil developments, 1t
would naturally expect to suffer all
the evil consequences which befall
the individual gambler. Gambling is
always q poor way to make a living.
the victim is not the only loser, nor
does he suffer most. The winner loses
most heavily of all. In character. In
capacity for the constructive virtues
cut of which stable civilization can
alone be builded. In the end he loses
also the fortune which his specua-
| tions at first insure him. Most gam
bers die paupers. And even the rare
individuals who can make their pile
at the gaming table and withdraw
at psychological moment with their
winnings in tact, experience the per-
manent weakening Of character which
always results from Incorporate spec
ulation.
The hope of Ardmore, and Of all
other communities even partially build
| ed upon oil developments, is that the
gamble may as speedily as possible
be taken out of the program, and
the civilizing certainties of science
control the business.
Other Resources
| But Ardmore is not dependent for
I its prosperity upon oil. 1t has far
/ richer endowments than even its in
comparable oil fields supply. The va
ried agricultural resources of the re-
gion will not alone prove the commun-
ity's chief source of wealth, but the
scientific development of these re-
sources will go further toward bring
ing out those elements of character in
the population which are essential to
community building. This is the farth.
est from implying that the backwoods
drudging, pumpkin farmer is the ideal
citizen. He curses a community quite
as effectually as does the riotous spec
ulator. However much more valuable
Ardmore's agricultural resources may
be than any others, the peril Of de-
veloping them TO the hurt Of the com
munity is quite as great as is any
other hazard. 1t is because this peril
is so great that every thoughtful cit
n should concentrate his best intel.
ligence upon the community's hand
ling of its agricultural interests.
The Wise Community
The program would be cheap IL il
should stop merely with extracting
stated quantities of raw food values
from the soil. Agriculture lies at the
foundation of most of the manufac-
turing and other industrial develop
ments from which Ardmore is likely
most TO prosper. Few regions in the
world are capable of producing so
many OF the essentials of civilized life
as is southern Oklahoma It will be
poor economy to devote all the ener.
gies Of the community to producing
only few Of these, and pay exhorbi
tant transportation charges upon 9th.
ers imported, which might as well be
produced In the region itself The wise
and thrifty farmer produces on his
own place all Of his own supplies pos
sible. and pays out cash only for com.
modities he cannot himself produce.
The wise and thrifty community will
shape its program on a similar prin.
ciple.
Handicaps
The fact that fifty per cent OF the
lands In the Ardmore region are still
held by allottees, and are not taxed,
Is undoubtedly a serious handicap to
the wholesome development of the
community's agricultural interests. For.
tunately time will cure this evil con.
dition, without injustice TO those
whose interests were consulted when
the allotments were made.
In the meantime the whole commun-
ity should give the closest concern 10
the development OF n sane and social
ly healthy land policy. Agricultural
lands held in large tracts by absentee
owners create a situation socially vic.
ious and which can be only vicious
The system degrades the tillers Of
the soil. impoverishes the owner, and
not less effectually impoverishes the
community. History has made no dem.
onstration more complete than that
the tenant.landlord system wrecks q
/ society builded upon II. At bottom that
Is Whut has beCn tho tnattpr with Ire