DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



15 



My long-time friend, the Mayor of Wichita, and some of the other 

 speakers from the city referred to what happened to Wichita some years 

 ago when it took on a boom somewhat larger than it could handle, and it 

 suggested a story I heard, a few days ago about a boy who was begging 

 his aunt for a fourth helping of plum pudding. His aunt said, "It is not 

 good for you." He said, "Why, what will it do for me?" His aunt said, 

 "A few days ago a boy ate too much plum pudding and he burst, and that 

 is what will happen to you!" The boy hesitated a moment and then said, 

 "It was not the plum pudding's fault because he burst. It was because 

 there was not enough boy!" And that was what was the matter with 

 Wichita 20 years ago when she took on a boom. There was not enough 

 Wichita; but today there is plenty of Wichita to take care of any boom 

 that the genius and enterprise of the people can put on it. They have made 

 the most excellent provisions for this Congress. 1 have not had the pleas- 

 ure of attending all these Congresses, but I am certain that no Congress 

 I have ever attended has had better attention from the local people, and I 

 thank the people of Wichita on behalf of the Congress for their many 

 courtesies. 



May I be permitted to present some greetings in which you will be 

 interested? In the first, is the greeting from our distinguished President 

 at Washington; also a message from our distinguished Secretary of State — 

 from the Director of the Panamerican Union, John Barrett. There is a 

 message from the distinguished Minister of Agriculture of Saskatchewan, 

 and former president of this Congress, who unfortunately, as has already 

 been announced, is too ill to be here. I shall not take occasion at this time, 

 but I shall request Dean Jardine, to whom this letter was addressed, to 

 read it at length at some subsequent session; but in this informal way I 

 present to you his warmest regards and felicitations, and last but not least, 

 I have a message from the man who made this Congress and the man who 

 has given of his strength to" the full limit and whose strength is now im- 

 paired, possibly permanently, on account of his great and untiring devotion 

 to this cause — John T. Burns, who was thoughtful enough to send this tele- 

 gram. There are many other messages here, but I shall not take the time 

 at this moment to read them and I am aware that the time is nearly spent. 



Message From President Wilson. 



September 18, 1914. 



My Dear Mr. Faxon: 



It is a matter of sincere and unaffected regret that I cannot attend the 

 International Dry-Farming Congress. The labors of the association not only 

 command my most sincere approval, but they seem to me peculiarly im- 

 portant. This country has been all too slow in bringing her forces of knowl- 

 edge and energy into cooperation in the interest of the conservation and 

 development of her resources. Nothing has shown more clearly than dry- 

 farming the necessity for a close alliance between the man of science and 

 the man of action, and I know of no national activity which can be more 

 assisted or rendered a more lasting service by the use of scientific methods 

 and the application of scientific knowledge than the agricultural. My inter- 



