The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-20
D00LITTLE A
RAIN MAKER
Fourth District Congressman
Has Unique Record.
First Local and Long Distance
Weather Prophet.
SOME SAMPLES OF HIS WORK
He Is Also Successful in Bring
ing About Sunshine.
AS a FOrecaSter, His Batting
Average Is 1000.

Amy number of Kansas politicians
can tell you about the stock market,
the government debt, general finance
and the price of pig iron fifty years
hence But when u Kansas district
produced politician who could
prophesy rain ard dry weathcr-and
always just the brand of weather his
constituents wanted-it was ma tier
of some concern and the politician
became a man of worth among his
own people.
1t is Congressman Dudley Doolittle,
who became a weather prophet. even
before he became a congressman. But
simply because he is a congressman,
has not impaired Doolittle's useful
ness and he has smashed the Ty --'obb
and Joe Jackson batting averages
when it came to weather predictions
Three times DoOlittle has gone to at
as pinch hitter for the Fourth ois-
trict in the weather game. Every
time he smashed the ball right On
the trade mark. Now Doolltties
handling of the rain situation mas pc
come almost uncanny.
Broke the 1912 DrOuth.
CONGRESSMAN Doolittle's first recog-
milton as a weather prophet came
during his first congressional cam
paign in 1912. The average kansan
recalls most wildly the lrouth of
three summers ago. Crops burned in
the fields in many places and farmers
and even the railroads were COM
PEELED to haul water The old re
liable springs were as dry as after
dinner temperance speeches and thou
sands of farmers looked for rain
clouds that delivered no moisture
Labor day, Doolittle spoke in the
little town of Lebo, Ccffey county.
Congressman Fred s. Jackson was
Doolittle's running mate in the cam
paign and the two men were 20 speak
from the same platform. Jackson
elected to speak last. 1t was n hot,
and there wasn't q
cloud in the sky.
Predicted a Soaker.
you people are going to get
soaking rain before my speech is over,
but the soaking won't compare to the
one my friend Jackson will get in No
vember," said Doolittle. The people
laughed. It was good joke. But the
Chase county lawyer repeated his
declaration that rain would fall before
he completed his forty minute talk.
Doolittle had talked less than fiji
teen minutes when there was a distant
roar of thunder. The speaker looked
at his watch and shouted, II told you
So" The crowd rOared- Fifteen min
utes later Doolittle said he would cut
short his speech that Jackson might
say a few words before the rain fell.
Just thirty-five minutes after making
his first prediction, rain began to fall
and Lebo and surrounding country re-
ceived a three inch soaker. Jackson
had no opportunity to make his
speech.
That was one instance.
In July, 1914, Doolittle was on his
way froim Washington to Strong City.
Leaving Kansas City, he met friend
who told him of the need OF rain in
the Fourth district.
Brought Home a Rain.
''They will get a good rain this after
noon" said Doolittle and his friend
looked at him with a sympathetic
smile.
You may know about the tariff,
farm loans and the currency bill, but
you don't realize that some places in
the district haven't received rain for
four weeks said the friend.
At Lawrence, though, there were a
few clouds in the skies. AT Topeka,
the clouds were heavier. At Emporia,
there was a splatter of rain against
the car windows. That night the dis
trict and most of the state was
drenched.
That is a pretty good record in it
self. Now Doo1ittle is inviting his