Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-12-30
FALSE PROPHETS
MAKE WEATHER PREDICTIONS

VOSooS "eAtUSE WV
ious People Influenced to Thrir
Prejudice.
From the earliest times interest In
the weather for approaching, seasons.
In view OF Its bearing upon agricultu.
raj and other pursuits naturally
prompted efforts to predict the wea-
ther. says F. II. Brandenburg Of Den
YER In 4 government bulletin. Note
was made Of the conditions that pre-
ceded good or bad weather. and the
temperance OF certain conditions
was taken as . basis for predicting
certain weather. To these observa.
tons were added others. such ~ the
flight OF birds. the movement or action
OF animals. even aches and pains o:
the human body. and the like. result.
Ing In the acceptance as true OF many
shrewd and interesting observations.
but more that were absurd.
Astronomical phenomena. such rs
phases Of the moon and the conJunc-
tion OF the planets. OF all the most ir-
rational. were and are still credited
by some with control OF the weather.
notwithstanding persistent observa-
tions on the part Of the leading astron-
omers and meteoroiogists OF the world
have demonstrated them to be- devoid
OF influence.
In modern times meteorology In re-
stricted to the department Of natural
philosophy which treats OF the wca.
ther. and IL naturally the most difIi-
cult and. involved OF sciences and
thus far incapable OF reduction to ab.
sofute accuracy. though efforts to oh.
AaI kAs ltak.
much.
Every effort. In \ scientific manner.
Is also being made to ascertain laws
that will make II possible to forecast.
In general way. whether an mp.
preaching season will conform to or
depart from the weather common 10
such season: tho time. however. has
not yet arrived. but uulimited obscrv-
vations thus far made havo demon.
strated the impossibility OF exceeding
. period Of two or three days In ac-
curnte forccasting for q particular
date.
II is obvious that m accurate fore.
cast for = particular date can only be
made from known conditions. Tho
forecast itself IL q prcdctcrminntion
Of . continuance Of or change In he
conditions known to exist At tIms OF
forecast II II equally obvious. there
fore. that II change In tho atmos.
sphcrtc conditions occurs after fore
cast and during tho term thereof. not
scientifically anticipated At tho time
Of tho forecast. tho forecast itself
must fail.
These charges In atmospheric condi.
tons arc constantly occurring during
the term Of forty.ci.ht. hour forecast.
and are certain To occur. not once. but
Ns.sx ..(
range forecast. and arc wholly beyond
human anticipation or scientific kuowi.
edge.
This demonstrates eonciusivciy that.
unless the lonE.ransc forccas;crs are
gifted with divine foresight and fore
knowledge Of these changes. fore
cast for an indefinite period In tho fu.
turc can possess no value. and Its vcri.
nca;ion is purely an accident. or rather
coincidence. Important interests are
affected by tho condition OF the
weather. and Influenced by fore
knowledge Of Its conditions. II In clear.
therefore. that any longransc fore.
cast. impossible In nature. must GER
tainiy do untold harm. A prophet has
always and vii ever attract attention.
We arc prone TO look into the future.
Trading. generally for gain. upon this
element OF human nature. men spring
into notice from timc TO time by pre-
tending to forecast. at long range. sc.
vcrc storms. droughts and other Mt.
mosphcric phenomena. thus infiucnc-
Ing the crcdulous to their prejudice.
In the seasons Of tho year when
coast storms arc Of frequent occur
renee. storms are forecast In a hnzy
way and applicable to the Indefinite To-
cality. In the winter. the time OF snow
and wind. snow and wind at some
place at some indefinite time arc fore.
cast. At other times. terrible foods
or blighting droushts calculated to
strike terror to the hearts Of the ttmid.
arc predicted. Little things like rains
throughout a limited area, though
foreknowledge thereof would be Of
real benefit. are not deemed worthy OF
consideration by these mca to whom
the mysteries Of heaven and earth
seem to have been intrusted. The ter
ror Of mee must be aroused.
Strange to say. when by mere CO.
Incidence a storm appears or drought
occurs within the broad confines Of the
United States. the forecast. unaccrcd.
tied to place or date. Is considered as
verified and the forecastcr Is regarded
M n phenomenon. The hundreds OF
,fnyerified are buried In oblivion. The
seemingly accurate one is resurrectcd
and given publicity to the public detri.
mept, by these diligcnt socalled fore
casters. Vanity and gain are the only
c.plainable reasons for this kind OF
work. since such forecasts do untold
harm. Almanacs have been published
for more than century. giving In ad.
vance the weather conditions day by
day for the ensuing year. and oven for
a century. always. however. without
specification of the area TO be affected.
A forecast OF rain everywhere or any
where in the country. regardless OF the
conditions prevalent elsewhere at the
time. Such forecasts are as good or
rather as inaccurate, as worthless, but
not SO harmful, as the long.range fore.
,asta pf the latter DAY vendors OF