New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-07
CLIMATE NOT CHANGING.
Heather RecoHectionS Untrust-
zcOrthy-U eSteyn DrOuH Likely.
From Tie Tribune Bureau.I

washington, Feb. G.-Professor willis L.
Moore chief Of the Weather Bureau, IS rejoicing
that the country has been swept by a blizzard
during the last few days. for the reason that he
believes that It is the only way to convince
people Of the error in the idea that the winters
are becoming milder and the climate Is changing.
lie sees financial ruin 10 many a result OF
entertaining these conceptions. SO nothing suits
him better than TO have experience give dream
ers some pointed lessons.
why, the blizzard Of 1855" Professor Moore
viii say in his medtations when You get old
enough you Will be telling your boys that that
occurred every winter when you were a young
ster. and that the weather is not what it used
to be"
Shortly after Adam and Eve began 10 take
interest in affairs arose the story about the eli
mate growing mIlder, the professor believes. He
is able TO trace back this weakness in perception
and memory to Thomas jefferson. and Professor
Moore has such confidence in jefferson that he
regards him as typical of human nature through
the centuries past The chief of the Weather
Bureau points out in papers at the State Depart
ment where jefferson wrote: 1T is apparent
that the climate of Virginia IS changed. The old
Inhabitants here tell me that they remember
when snow lay the ground four months every
year and they rode in sleighs. Now it is rare
It is apparent that the climate of Virginia has
changed since 1901, when the settlers came into
Jamestown"
There has been a great deal Of clearing In the
thickly wooded country of Virginia since 1907"
ventured Professor Moore, but. really. that
would not change it. The change was IN the
men who were telling the story. We measure
things by a different standard as we grow older.
Every man when he gets to be fifty years OF
age viii look back and think Of one great snow
storm, and he will say: We had snow four feet
deep all winter long because all he remembers
he thinks back is the one snowstorm He
remembers the abnormal, and in his mind brings
IT down to the present day and compares it with
the average. But it is not fair comparison"
Along this line Professor Moore predicts that
this country is due for long period Of drouth.
The present long period OF abundant rainfall
over the great cereal plains, about six years, is
the longest of which the Weather Bureau has
any records. Professor Moore IS certain that
there will be shortage in rainfall soon equal
I'm amount to the excess during the last six
years This is based on the records Of the
bureau, which show that the average rainfall
during the first ten years of period Of thirty,
forty or fifty years is precisely the same as the
average Of the last ten. Many persons write TO
the bureau, saying that they have been advised
TO buy land in region formerly classed as arid
IL is offered for sale to them the ground that
mere mas been permanent change in the eli
mate Invariably Professor Moore answers that
the climate has not changed
Professor Moore points out that the country
does not need much rain as II did formerly to
make the land productive The virgin soil is
being broken up and trees are being planted
While this does not increase the rainfall as -
sometimes stated, 1t makes the same amount
more efficient and more profitable because the
son IS broken up and there will not be so much
20 run OF. There is not SO much evapOratfon
the ground absorbing It more thoroughly.