278 THIRD ANNUAL SESSIONS 



however, in an entirely different condit'on, with a machine which you all 

 know has been working constantly ever since. 



Change of Public Sentiment. 



"During the year dry farming has been placed on an entirely different 

 basis before the people not only of the west but of the entire world. No 

 longer do men scoff at the idea of possibility of growing crops without 

 irrigation, and so deep is the respect for dry farming at this time that 

 when a man does dare to make charges of an unpleasant nature, charges 

 that are unfair and untrue, he is obliged to face a fusilade of protests 

 from every earnest minded man who knows anything about dry farming. 



"From one side of the countiT to the other; from coast to coast; 

 from north to south the study of dry farming is now partially understood. 

 It has assumed the proportions of an earnest, practical problem, which 

 the American people, have decided to solve through discussion, study and 

 experiment until they have worked out the answer in an exact science 

 by which men may develop these western states where irrigation is 

 not feasible by making use of what little rainfall may be available. 



A Fixed Science. 



"I believe that dry farming will soon become a fixed science as the 

 result of listening to, studying and reading the addresses of the men who 

 attend the sessions of this Congress and tell their experiences. Dry farm- 

 ing, through the meetings of this Congress and the publications that have 

 been issued; through the discussions and publication of various articles, 

 both for and against dry farming, has become a living issue for the people 

 of the world. It is a subject for general public discussion. It will be talked 

 over at the annual sessions of this Congress until finally from all these 

 addresses, theories, and reports, will be worked out a practical science 

 that can no longer be questioned by skeptics. Much of this interest has 

 been aroused and change of sentiment produced through the work of the 

 Congress and its officers. 



Press Bureau. 



"The press bureau of the Congress has been a power in doing this 

 work. Thousands of columns of newspaper and magazine articles have 

 resulted from the publications of this Congress. Agricultural publications 

 have begun to devote entire departments to this subject. The edi- 

 torial tone of the agricultural publications is changing from ridicule to at 

 least that of serious thoughtfulness. The implement publications are be- 

 ginning to look forward to the time when dry farming rs going to double 

 the business of the manufacturers. The livestock publications now devote 

 pages to dry farming subjects in connection with the development and 

 continuance of the livestock business. Even the Associated Press has 

 has begun to devote space to reports of dry farming results. The various 

 press associations have taken up this work and to show you how this 

 grows, and what it means to the people of the west as well as this Con- 

 gress as an organization, I call to mind one syndicate including the 



