Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-28
LAND DRAWING
DECLARED FAKE
DRY FARMERS REFUSE TO
CHANGE NAME
LOUIS HILL MAKES ADDRESS TO
CONVENTION
Head of Great Northern Railroad Says
Montana Is Now an Agricultural
state-Asserts Line Sup
ports Movement
rBv Associated Press.l


BILLINGS, Mont, oct. 27--The fea-
ture Of the Dry Farming Congress to-
day was the speech of Louis w. Hill,
president of the Great Northern rail-
way.
He talked on the results of the dry
farming movement in Montana and he
said that the state of Montana Is now
to be classed as an agricultural state.
Mr. Hill wanted the name of the
congress changed from DRY Farm
ing' to something that would be less
suggestive of barren land, but when
the vote was taken the proposition was
defeated.
In his morning talk, Mr.. Hill de-
clared that the name would have to be
changed or the Great Northern would,
in a measure at least. withdraw Its
support from the congress.
Later when he made his set speech
he prefaced it with the statement that
no matter what action might be taken,
he would continue to give the move
ment support of the Great Northern.
"a Huge Fake"
Mr.. FILL characterized the govern
ment opening of the Flathead reserva-
ton as a huge fake" enticing people
from all over the United States to
draw land while only three per cent
got farms. He said the people spent
not less than $12,OO0,00O in railroad
fares.
Addresses were delivered at today's
sessions by Thos. Cooper, assistant to
the president of the Great Northern
railroad; Prof W. NJ. Jardine, assist
ant cerealist in charge of dry land
grains of the United States department
of agriculture; Prof. ]. G. Flitterer or
the University of Wyoming: Prof.
Walter H. Olin, vice president Of the
Dry Farming Congress, Denver; Prof.
w. r. Campbell of Lincoln, Neb.; r.
r. Parsons, Parker, Colo; G. r. Wor-
raj, Clovis, N. NJ; Prof. w. H. Fair
field, superintendent of the experimen-
tai farm, Lethbridge. Canada.
The adoption of the report of the
executive committee which embraced
the new constitution of the congress
and the election of officers occupied
the most of the morning session.
Annual Officers
The officers of the congress for the
coming year, as announced in the re-
port of the committee on nominations,
which was adopted, will be as follows:
President-F. w. Mondell Wyoming;
first American vice president-Frank
G. Bowman, Idaho; second American
vice president-H. B. Henning, New
Mexico; third American, vice president
r. w. Thatcher, Washington; for
eign vice presidents-George Harcourt,
Alberta, Canada; w. r. Motherwell,
Saskatchewan, Canada; Senior Ing
Lauro Viada, Mexico; LasZto Goyer,
Hungary; DR.. Theodore Kryshtofov-
itch, Russia.
"The Great Northwest" a talk by
Thomas Cooper, assistant to the presi-
dent of the Northern Pacific railway,
was & feature of today's session.
The new constitution was framed to
meet the needs Of the growing con-
gress. 1t outlines the purposes and
plans of the congress, fixes represen-
tation and takes care of numerous
questions not provided for in the old
one.
Delegates, when they are not enga ged
with the sessions of the congress, are
to be found at the dry-farning ex-
position which is held in connection.
Here are all the products that have
been raised by the application of the
dry-farming system.
In connection with the exposition,
there is on display farm machinery
from nearly every factory in the coun-
try and this machinery is a subject of
Billings is entertaining the largest
crowd in it's history. The towns peo-
pie did not realize until a few days
before the congress opened how much
interest there was in its work.
The fight for the next congress Is
still going merrily on with Spokane
and Colorado Springs as the chief con-
tenders.
Both towns claim the fight won, but
it will require count of the delegates
to show which crowd is right in its
claim.
Dry Farming Father Talks
At this afternoons session H. w.
Campbell known as the Father of Dry
Farming" delivered an address, in
which he attacked Secretary Wilson of
the department of agriculture, who was
quoted recently as saying that "the
Campbell system of dryland farming is
wrong and hurtful" and that the
methods followed by the dry farmers
will destroy the fertility of the soil.
ST regard it as exceedingly unfor-
tunate," said Mr.. Campbell, that en-
couragement from official sources
should be given those who are crying
down and belittling the work you and 1
and all Of us have been doing in recent
years in relation to dry land tillage."
Referring to Secretary WILSON'S plan
to change the character of the soil by
growing drouth resisting plants to turn
under and suggesting the use of the
Russian thistle and sweet clover, he
said:
"I don't know what can be done with
these plants and 1 do not want to dis
pute him as to the utility of these
familiar plants. But 1 am willing to
leave the field of investigation of the
usefulness of the thistle and sweet
clover and similar plants from Siberia
and the far north to the department OF
a agriculture"
objects to Hammer
'T do insist" added Mr.. Campbell,
that it is wrong and hurtful and
inexcusable for authority to be
given at Washington for sensational
upon the work that we of the
west are doing"
At tonight's session addresses were
delivered by DIR. A. A. Aaronson, agron-
omist and agricultural explorer of
Haifa, Palestine; Hon. w. r. Mother
walk, commissioner of agriculture, Re-
gina, Saskatchewan; DR.. Alberta Ali
baud, Chile; N Kaumanus German i'm
perial agricultural attache, United
States DIR. Ladislaus Goger, represent
ing the royal Hungarian government,
and George Harcourt, deputy minister
of agriculture, Edmonton, Alberta.
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