THE DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



9 



"Material and social conditions are quite similar in all the Trans- 

 Missouri states. Within this section is embraced a vast territory, won- 

 derfully rich in natural resources of many kinds; precious mineral ores 

 abound in the mountains and hills; large coal measures and numerous 

 oil fields underlie the high plateaus; the granite rocks are hidden by 

 millions of acres of virgin forests; thousands of beautiful streams and 

 mighty rivers, fed by the everlasting snows above timber line, pour forth 

 their life giving waters, v/hich, reaching the lower lands, are harnetssed 

 and driven to do man's bidding; the marvelously fertile soil still retains 

 in nature's mighty storehouse those rich soil ingredients so essential 

 to plant production; the air is pure and bracing; many natural wondeirs 

 beguile the senses, and all this land is blessed with a temperate and 

 healthy climate, inviting outdoor labor. Truly nature has performed her 

 part and the pioneers, who with iron resolution have blazed the way for 

 future peaceful settlement, have brought to this land of promise the 

 choicest blood of humanity, and a spirit of chivalry, optimism, Chris- 

 tianity and patriotism as everlasting as the hills. 



"We recall with pride our brief history of conquest, and urge the 

 closest inspection of our present material, intellectual and moral con- 

 ditions, inviting comparison of this new West with the most favored 

 local' ty on earth, regardless of the weight of years or the majesty of 

 numbers. By right of experience and achievement, we look upon the fu- 

 ture with confidence, and confidence goes a long way toward success. 

 Time seems too short to accomplish all we wish to do, but rest assured 

 we will do the best we can, well knowing that our posterity will look 

 back upon ours as the Golden Age, and envy us, who first burst into 

 this silent, splendid West. Possibly we are in a measure intoxicated by 

 the majestic scale of the surroundings in which our lot is cast, but re- 

 member we are the missionaries of civilization, endeavoring to make 

 possible the successful reclamation of the erstwhile deserts. 



Increase in Precipitation. 



"Pessimists point to Egypt, calling attention to the fact that cen- 

 turies of irrigation along the Nile produced no material increase in na- 

 tural rainfall. We call attention to natural laws of evaporation, precipi- 

 tation, and moisture conservation, believing that humanity has never 

 witnessed such an influence upon nature as will be brought about when 

 one acre out of every six in all this arid region is under irrigation. 

 Even now, dews, which were unknown in this section twenty years 

 ago, are almost a nightly occurrence, and plants flourish largely by ajb- 

 sorbing this moisture from the atmosphere. 



"Skeptics contend that this dry farming propaganda is a land job- 

 bing scheme, but tens of thousands of successful farmers disprove the 

 charge. 



Co-operative Methods. 



"Intelligence is the light of the world, and the work of this Congress 

 is purely educational, doubly educational, for it is our mission to edu- 



