DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



9 



important publicity that emanates from the state of Kansas is coming from 

 Wichita. The Wichita people welcome you here. We are glad to have 

 you here, and you may know the spirit of Wichita people when you look 

 around at this magnificent building which has been thrown open for the 

 session of this Congres. I now take pleasure in introducing to you Mayor 

 W. J. Babb. 



MAYOR BABB: 



It is a recognized fact that while the Dry-Farming Congress that 

 meets here today is not so large a body as its announcement would seem to 

 indicate, yet the quality of its membership and the vast human interests 

 it involves and promotes make it one of the most important assemblies 

 known to our present civilization. There is one other other organization 

 of the kind known to civilized mankind and with headquarters at Rome, but 

 because of the clash of arms and deadly strife in Europe its usefulness 

 has been impaired. Hence this is the only meeting of the kind known to 

 the people of the Earth this year. The importance of its purpose can- 

 not be overestimated. It is an educational institution looking forward and 

 attempting to teach the human race how to sow, cultivate, produce and 

 gather from the arid soils of the earth the necessary food products for the 

 teeming millions that will be there some not very far off tomorrow. 



It is said that 50 per cent of the earth's soil that can be tilled has in- 

 sufficient rainfall to produce good crops by the usual methods of tillage. 

 If these great areas of millions of acres of arid lands can be made to pro- 

 duce freely of foods for mankind, then this convention having such a pur- 

 pose in view with the hope of realization is indeed of worldwide import- 

 ance. 



This is shown by the coming hither of learned and earnest men from 

 far-off foreign lands, men of education and position who talk to us in our 

 own tongue. Although many of them are of different races from our- 

 selves, Americans, they do not seem so to us because of their common 

 interest and like education with ourselves in matters to be considered by 

 this Congress. We are glad indeed to have these friends of faraway homes 

 and people with us. 



Today we have several Governors of states near by who do us much honor 

 by their presence, which we greatly appreciate; also representatives from 15 

 states all west of the Mississippi River, except Wisconsin and Louisiana, who 

 are here like the good neighbors they are to help make this Congress a suc- 

 cess. Uncle Sam is also here by his most helpful official. Then we have with us 

 representatives of a number of agricultural colleges and experiment stations 

 to give the educational work of the Congress its scientific features. These 

 experts and specialists, including our newly-elected and most distinguished 

 President from the Kansas State Agricultural College, are in keeping and 

 fitly represent the high order of the membership of this body. 



Last but not least we have friends who come not officially but in a 

 personal way to take part and see and learn what the Congress does and 

 says for the good of all. 



