Arizona republican., 1904-04-02
Bard's Weather BlII.

the Hon. Thomas Robert Bard, sena- tor in congress from the state of Cali fornia. because of his weather bill" Senator Bard is bothered because mo- body can tell what the weather will be for any considerable time in ad- vance. and he proposes to encourage such dormant prophetic talent as may exist. Therefore any one who can find out what causes the weather and apply his knowledge to forecasting what the weather will be for thirty days at a time, can get s150,00O from the United States government, if the bill introduced by Senator Bard be- comes a law This bill offers s15O,O00 in two prizes, one of $10o.000 and the other of $50, for the discovery of the physical basis of meteorology.
 On behalf of the Bard measure it must be said that even government weather experts admit that they do not know what causes the weather. They can tell with some accuracy what the weather will be for twenty-four hours, sometimes because they can find out certain things about the weather conditions surrounding points for which predictions are made. but they can't say what is going to happen next.
 There are scientists who believe that there is a fixed basis of the weather, and that, once this basis is discovered, it will be possible, say on April l, to predict exactly what the weather will be for every day that month, including rainfall, temperature and all other things necessary to be known for the benefit of agriculture, horticulture or commerce. All things considered April 1st seems a good day to begin such prophesying.
 These scientists have consulted with Senator Bard and the result is this biIl which provides that the president shall appoint three men as a board of me- teorology. to be selected from expert meteorologists nominated from or by Yale, Harvard. Johns Hopkins. Leland Stanford and Chicago universities.
 The board will conduct the contest for the prizes. The prize of s100,000 will go to the person who produces the best results as to temperature. which shall include the discovery of the physical basis of meteorology and the best system of forecasting temper ature. The prize of S5O,00O will go to the best discovery in predicting rain fall.
 This is not to be a guessing match. because each contestant must select three different localities of varying cli- mates and predict the exact weather that will visit these three localities every day, making his predictions for thirty days in advance and keeping them up for six consecutive months Then the contestant must go before the board and tell how he did 1t. His explanation must be upon scientific principles or the experts will not award the prize to him.
 It is urged that something along this line has been done in various parts of the world, so that it is not considered by Senator Bard wild-goose chase after knowledge. The entire world will be invited to enter the competition, and no money will be paid out, except q small allowance for the expenses of the commission, unless there are re- suits.
 There Is now a man in Cincinnati, 1t is claimed, who has got this predict ing business for a month at a time down so fine that cotton planters in Texas are writing to him and asking for predictions.