El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-26
INTERNATIONAL FARM CONGRESS
ONE Of FOUR BIC 1915 EVENTS
Beginning October H. the Diversified Farming Achieve
ments of the Nation VIII Be Shown in Great Expo
sition in Ell Paso; Government Appropriates $4,000
For an Exhibit in the Congress; 18th Session.
By F. II. HAMILTON
Publicity COmmissiOner, International Eau

hard babtle for their homes This IS
the dictum of Franklin X. Lane, secre-
tary of the interior The most falu-
able discovery in recent years as al
fecting the public domain Is th@t IN
semi-arid regions may become abund-
antly productive under dry-farmlng
methods"
What the Congress Seeks 10 Conquer
Everybody knows the conditions that
previously have obtained in this sec
ton of the world: what numbers OF
little homesteads have been hopefully
established in the semi-arid land
few acres planted TO corn, wheat or
other crops: a little. bare-looklng shack
built on mesa or plain, in which the
wife and children of the planter are
sheltered from the winds and sun;
night and the curtains drawn. the
household still; fate with appointed
strength hath worked its Will In
ceasing labor on the mans part; eX-
hausted faith. fidelity and hope on the
part of the woman; then. step by step.
failure. owing to the unproductiveness
of the soil
Mortgage. loss OF home. a family es-
tranged by misunderstanding and
trials Of temper. utter and heart,
breaking alienation Of the several
members Of the little family-these
are the steps which in the past have
been all too familiar to those VINO
know the history of the pioneers of
the middle west
It has been the same the world over,
since time began; but since science and
perspica city have been organizing their
beneficent powers under the name and
title of the International Farm con-
gress, conceived for the purpose OF al
leviating those conditions hope begins
to dawn for the poorer inhabitants OF
the semi-arid lands.
The scope of the work of the farm
congress is not limited TO the lands Of
the western part of the United States.
where the rainfall is Unfortunately light
II covers two hemispheres, which fact
IS witnessed by the roll Of membership.
countries beyond the sea
How the Congress Was Organized
1t is TO benefit all these that the In
ternatioual Soil congress was conceived
and organized IN 1904 Zach year since
hat date. IL has held meetings in some
chosen western city. The first meeting
al Denver. 10 years ago. was a sparse
gathering of a few determined agri-
culturalists, whose object at the time
was merely TO find way to remedy
the case Of some Of their friends from
the far east. who had been attracted TO
Colorado and had unwittingly pur-
chased unprOductive acres in the
Seni-arid regions The initial meet
ing met with such favor. and
with such success. that a con-
SItSS was presently VI SaliAItA ACl
the PRONUNCIATION Of the teachings of
the altruistic body SO marvelously
rapid was the growth Of the farm con-
gress influence, power and effective
ness. that its yearly meetings soon at
tracted delegates from many states and
from countries over the sea The
United States government became its
patron and encoura ger. throughout
two hemispheres. agriculturalists Of
all classes and conditions. having prob
lens Of an infinite diversity 10 solve,
voluntarily applied for membership
The congress shortly was in a position
TO publish a monthly magazine called
the Agricultural Review. which II dis
tributes in every section of this CONT
nent and sends to many countries
abroad II maintains q permanent
board Of governors and these officers
seek unremittincly TO make more prac-
ticable. more profitable, the application
Of the latest discoveries and theories Of
science with respect to productive
farming methods.
Gets $4,000 Yearly Appropriation.
The United States congress and the
president Of the United States have. for
the past four years. set the seal OF their
official approval and endorsement on
the work Of the Farm congress. by ap-
propriatinE. annually, the sum Of 500
900 for the express purpose OF install
ing a wonderful exhibit. accompanied
by scientific demonstrations. at the In
ternationaI Soil Products expositiOns
which are held in conjunction with the
farm congress, and under its auspices
And this leads TO the consideration
fluence, OF the International Soil Pro