The Elbert County tribune., 1907-01-10
The Trans-Missouri
Dry Farming Congress.

! For the first time in the history of
4 America, II general movement has been
7naugurated looking toward the rapid
development and settlement of the dry
! land sections of the west. Acting on the
suggestion of many of Colorado's bust
ness men, Governor Jessie f. Mcdonald
of this state has called the "Transi- Mis-
souri, Dry Farming Congress- to meet in
| Denver on the oath and 18th OF this
month. The call has been sent to every
state west of the Missouri river and as
surances have already been received
that delegates will come, with state sane
ton, from practically all of the sixteen
commonwealths included in the call
The Importance of this movement can
not be over estimated. Nine acres of
! farm land out of every ten in the whole
lcovntsy west of the ninety-eigbth merid-
ian can never be irrigated, and, because
of slight rainfall, most of this great terri
tory mast look for its redemption entirely
| to some method of scientific agriculture.
/ Within the last decade the spread of the
SO called Campbell system, more com
I monty known as dry farming has con.
vinced the thinking men of the country
that IN some such method as this lies the
agricultural salvation Of the west, and
| 1t Is now proposed to start broad, un-
]
state affected shall take part, to further
/ develop these soil culture systems and
bring them to the attention OK the world
at large.
4 1t Is necessary, also so it is said by
/ those who are Interested, that some steps
/ be taken to educate the farmers who are
today coming into the dry lands of the
west. In Colorado alone 1900 new
/ homeseekers have settled themselves
within IA year. Twelve hundred home
steads in Kit Carson county. Colorado,
were taken up in 1906, and this record
was almost if not quite equalled by
other counties in other western states.
( OF these great bodies of settlers, the
larger portion are from eastern states.
and arc entirely unfamiliar with western
conditions.
( The purpose of the Congress which
Will meet in Denver this month is. first
of all to form permanent, educational,
interstate organization somewhat on the
( line of the National Irrigation Congress.
and second, to afford full and free dis
cussion of the principles of scientific soil
culture, and of their development in the
west. Speakers will be present from
every state west of the Missouri river.
The United States Department of Agri-
culture will be represented, it is hoped,
Dy secretary wilson. Every agrlcultuF-
/ al college in the west will have its man
in attendance. Mead of Washington,
Campbell of Nebraska, Olin of Colorado,
Jardine of Utah, and score of others
of the brightest agricultural minds in
the country are on the program, and few
things that refer to dry farming will re
main unsaid.
! In order to prevent the gathering OF
large and unwieldly voting body, Gov
ernor Mcdonald has limited the numb
! of official delegates who may attend
Elbert county, however, is entitled to
ten delegates. Copies of the official call.
and an urgent invitation to appoint dele
gates at once, have been sent to the
/ County Commissioners, and it is expect
! ed that they will act in the matter with
in the next few days
In spite of the voting limit, however,
ii is desired that every farmer and bust
ness man in Ebert county who is inter
ested in dry farming and can get away
from home should attend, regardless of
whether or not he is an official delegate
from the county. Convention head
quarters have been opened at Room >,
Albany Hotel, Denver, where all visitors
! to the city will be made welcome, and
full information given.