The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-06-18

understand, for a thousand years, where
the rainmaker has been in constant demand
if he will 90 to Africa he can be king of
all Africa if he show that he can produce
rain
Mr. Lewis. Prior to the construction of
the Suez Canal along its route no vegeta-
ton had ever sprung. After the water
flowed through that canal vegetation and
trees of all sorts grew along it. There is
another instance where man modified the
conditions of nature. So ii is in the vast
prairies in the West A few years ago,
when but little of that land was in cultiva-
ton, the whole country was subject to long
continued droughts, but since the surface
of the earth has been stirred and since the
soil has been turned over and thus afforded
receptacle for the moisture of the earth
and by constant evaporation, the conditions
have changed, and in many places in that
country, where they once had droughts for
six months now they have regular seasons,
and the earth yields its fruits to the touch
of the husbandman.
Mr.. Enloe | want TO ask the gentle
man if in making his statement about the
change of natural conditions produced by
the digging Of the Suez Canal he intended
that to be an argument in support of this
proposition to bring rain from the cloudy ?
Mr.. Lewis. The moisture which comes
from that canal, and which makes wet the
atmosphere, produces plants and trees that
would not otherwise grow. The main point
that l wanted to make was that man could
modify the conditions of nature. did
not intend to say that the Suez Canal had
made it rain in the desert, but did intend
to say that it changed the atmospheric con-
ditions around there, so that it was posi-
Bile for vegetation to germinate and to grow.
Now, l say that everywhere, all over
this country, there is always sufficient
amount of moisture to produce rain, if 1t
can only be precipitated; and the great
trouble in these arid regions is that under
the clouds that float over the country Is a
current of intensely hot atmosphere, that
dries up and parches the earth and receives
and evaporates all the moisture that falls.
Mr.. Enloe. Now, right there. Does
my friend think that by the processes used
this hot atmosphere will be displaced?
Mr.. Lewis. Yes, sir; by making explo
sions in this current of hot air it will be
done away with, and the vacuum which
will be created will be filled up by cooler
current of air, which produces whirling
motion that gradually radiates and brings
about natural condition which results IL
precipitation of rain.
Mr.. McMillin. Will the gentleman tel
us whether his committee has made any
investigation to discover what it would cost
the Government of the United States tt
water whole State or Territory by thi'
process; would it not be rather expensive
moisture?
Mr.. Lewis. I will try to answer the
gentleman. OF course this matter ought
to be reduced to an economic basis, and the
object of the experiments is to demonstrate
to the country whether or not we can get
sufficient amount of rain to pay for the
necessary outlay An ordinary rain can
be produced for about $500. l believe
81 500 is the largest sum ever expended
on any of these experiments, and that pro
duced rainfall over nearly $50 mile:
square.
Mr.. Enloe. Now, will the gentleman
tell us whether or not the Committee OF
Agriculture found out whose rain thai
was-who was robbed of that rain at the
time it was precipitated in that quarter IL
consequence of these explosions? ?
Mr.. Lewis. There was plenty held IL
reserve for all; and that was demonstra
ton of man making the rain fall on the
lust and the unjust alike, and was an im
provement on the "Providence" to which
the gentleman has referred.
Mr.. Boatner. | wish to ask the gen
tIeman from Alabama question. Do you
propose to furnish rain to that arid country
at the expense of the United States, OIL
are you merely seeking to demonstrate the
practicability of artifcially producing rair
in order that the people there may supply
themselves?
Mr.. Lewis. The latter. We simply
propose to demonstrate by this moderat,
appropriation the feasibility of this plan
and then the States and Territories car
take the matter in hand and produce theil
own rain.
Mr.. Kilgore. 1t is insisted by the
chairman of the Committee on Agriculture
that the experiments in Texas were sue
cess. believe it was a dead failure
Laughter. After eighteen months
drought there was rainfall some time
subsequent to this experiment. Now,
have known a drought to be concluded il
this way: The neighbors would get to
gether and have prayer meeting for thu
purposes of praying for rain and within tel
or twelve hours after the adjournment o
the prayer meeting, the country "rounC
about" would be blessed with copious anC
refreshing showers.
Now, is there anything in prayer meet
ing that will bring the rain? If so, tina
is the better way That is cheaper pro
cess; it is a simpler process; it is a domestic
process, and by means of it the peopl
down there can control their own rainfall
and will not have to look to the Fedora
Government for supply. In fact th'
Government has no more authority to sup
ply the people with rain from the cloud
than from the earth by artesian wells
The State might, perhaps, engage in suci
experiments.
Mr.. Lewis. Is the gentleman questio,
whether or not praying for rain would b
cheaper than producing it by scientif
methods?
Mr.. Kilgore. 1 think it would be cheape
and more convenient. have known yer,
good results to follow prayer for rain, anC
believe it would be the better method o
the two, assuming that either has anythiD:
to do with the rainfall.
Mr.. Lewis. Mr.. Chairman, l do no
want to be guilty of anything that woulC
sound impious, but if the gentleman from
Texas or anybody else in this House, viii
get up and say that he has ever known ;
rain to come in answer to prayer | vii
make no further argument on that line. A
few years ago, when the whole Northwes
uas narobad when tha rivers were drief