Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-18
SECRETARY WILSON SHOWS uE
SCHEME OF WESTERN LAND
BOOMERS.
ioWANs CAN'T MAKE GOOD
IN ARID PORTIONS OF WEST
General Agriculture Not Possible Ex.
eept Where Rainfall Amounts to 20
Inches ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to Be
Heard From at Billings Congress
Soon to Be Hold.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Oct 1S.-The recent ex-
pressions of Secretary Wilson, of the
department of agriculture, in which he
boldly attacks the dry farming enthu-
siasts of the western states, have given
much satisfaction to land owners in
Iowa. Il is believed that by reason of
the attitude Of Wilson and his depart
ment and the farm experts who are
under Wilson'S direction, and the
teachings of farm journals in the mid
die states, decided check will be Civ
en- to the tendency of farmers to leave
the rich lands of the midland region
and take up agriculture in the dry re-
gtons OF the mountain states.
The fact has not escaped notice that
there has been a halt in the upward
rise OF Iowa land values. For nearly
ten years land prices have been go
ing up. Millions of dollars have been
made in this movement and very many
land owners have been made wealthy
by this process. 1t has attracted in
vestors until at present a larger por-
ton of the Iowa land is held for spec
ulation than ever before. But in the
past year or two there has been less
increase in land values here. The
cause is attributed to the discovery
that good farming can be done in the
states of the west long given over TO
cattle grazing
Secretary Wilson has always con-
tended that it is useless to try to carry
on general agriculture in the regions
where there is less than twenty inches
annual rainfall or where there is con-
slant danger OF recurrence of the
drouths His department has consist
entity urged that farmers should not go
into the region of low rainfall expect
ing to get crops of grain and vege-
tables. He has devoted his time to i'm
porting new grains and grasses that
will improve the quality of the soil in
the west and slightly affect the condi-
tons there He has recently personally
made investigation of the conditions
out west and he pronounces the so
called dry farming" as wrong in
principle and hurtful to the soil and
says that the whole dry farming
scheme is one to boost western land VAL
ues. AS against this he presents the
view that only by securing new plants
and grasses can a success be made OF
agriculture in the west, and of course
this will take many years. Henry Wal
lace. while member of the Roosevelt.
! commission on country life came in
contact with the dry farming move
7rent and he has been warning Iowa
farmers against buying western lands
The agricultural press of Iowa, and for
that matter of the entire midland re-
gion is opposed 10 the dry farming
4 movement and is engaged now in dis
couraging farmers from going west.
I a dry farming congress is 70 be held
/ at Billings, Mont. very soon. When it is
{ expected that the influence of the agri-
cultural department will be felt very
strongly in the direction of reducing
/ many of the claims made for scientific
I farming in the west. A number Of the
experts of the agricultural departn ent
are on the program and it is planned
10 turn the direction of the congress
more toward stock growing and irri-
1 CATION and in support of the govern
nant work of Introducing new grasses
and plants. It viii be shown that the
movement is going TOO fast and thai
there is very great danger because Of
50 many going on the dry lands with
! out knowing anything about how t.
farm under such conditions. If this i:
done it will have very great reflex in.
fuence on land values in the middle
states.
Real estate dealers and owners il
Iowa are vitality interested in develop
merits in the far west and irnportan
i changes in the program for the devel
Il opment of the west are expected. The.
say that too many Iowa farmers hay
been writing about the big crops tina
the yget in the far west and that mi
must be stopped. Most of the storie
are made up in offices where real es
tate is for sale.
The attitude of Congressman j. A
T. Hull and his action in bringing Can
mon to this district to speak at Knox
Vile is Interpreted generally as evi
Gence that the standpatters of the cas-
propose to helm Hull to the limit in III