Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-06
FIRST ADDRESS AT BLOOMINGTON
Party Goes from Decatur to State
Capital by Trolley
PUBLIC DOMAIN IS WASTED
Senator Discusses Administration Of
Land Laws at Length.
GRANTS EXCEED HoMESTEADs
Eiaht Millions More Given 70 Cor
pOratiOns Than Taken by Set
tIers-Minerai Lands Sold
az Prices Too Low.

DECATUR, ILL.,. Jan. B.-Senator r NJ.
La Toilette In on the verge OF a physical
collapse as a consequence Of his hard
campaigning through Michigan and
Illinois and an attack OF ptomalne pois-
oning two nights ago. Travelling across
Illinois today he was kept in bed during
the intervals between stations and was
so exhausted by a lengthy speech at
bloomington that he was barely able to
address his audience.
The party arrived here slightly behind
schedule time. II was apparent that the
senator was suffering intensely and when
he began TO speak the strain under which
he was laboring was evident.
In his speech here he repeated the main
points OF his talk on the public domain at
Bloomington and a crowd that taxed the
capacity of the local theater heard him.
State Senators Walter Clyde Jones and
Hugh Magill addressed the people at
Clinton during the fifteen minute stop
there. but the crowd clamored for sight
OF the senator and he appeared just long
enough to extend greetings. using his
voice sparingly and for only two min
utes.
From Decatur the senator and his party
went W CpllnkAltlu ny ATultSs
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Jan. 5.--When SEN
ator La Toilette arrived at Springfield
shortly after p. m. he showed consld,
srable Improvement physically as re-
suit OF the constant minlstrations Of
his physicians. II was announced that he
win be able TO fill all his engagements
Address at bloomington.
BLOOMINGTON, ILL.,, Jan. 6.-senator
La Toilette addressed a crowd which
packed theater here today. Asking the
Indulgence of the audience he said laugh
ngly: II am battered up and scarcely
able to get a thing through this old head
OF mine"
The senator paid a tribute to the late
Judge David Davis OF Bloomington and
to Chester Rowell, formerly OF Blooming-
ton, now editor OF paper at Fresno.
Cal, whom he credited with leading the
battle for destroying the political power
OF the Southern Pacific railway
Quoting a warning uttered by Judge
Davis, on the growth OF corporations. La
Toilette entered into a discussion of the
enoroachments on the public domain.
lie said In part:
ut Is a matter OF notroiety, Disgrace
ful notoriety, that corporations have been
enabled during the last few years to ex-
change, within the limits OF their grants,
lands OF little or of no value, at least,
Of no present selling value. for timber
lands of enormous value. IL has been
possible within the last few years to put
through congress legislation permitting
such exchanges.
"Is It TO be marveied that the people
Of the country have walked up TO a re-
alization Of their betrayal and demand
some check upon those called upon 10
serve them who serve instead their own
interests and that OF others, and who be-
tray the public2"
Grants Exceed HOmesteads.
In beginning, Senator La Toilette said;
| Originally the public domain of the
United States amounted in round num-
bers TO 81, 400 100000 acres. OF this amount
nearly all OF the original domain avail.
able for agriculture and the greater part
OF our mineral wealth outside OF Alaska
has been disposed OF, amounting In round
numbers to more than 7OO,OOOOOO acres
or this amount individuals and corpora,
tions have acquired more than 57l, zoe 90,
acres. Out OF the 5Ti, 900 acres disposed
Of to individuals and corporations there
have been acquired through the exercis,
OF the homestead right only ll5. 5.OO0O0
acres. The railroads and other corpora
tions had bestowed upon them by con
grossional grants. without any return
whatever to the government, in rounS
numbers. 1900 900 acres.
I'm addition to that, there has beer
conferred upon the railroads by stat
grants lands heretofore granted by tn,
federal government 10 the several states
increasing the total grant to the rail
roads in round numbers. TO 1s0,0o0OO
acres Of land-enough to make the states
OF Ohio. Indiana, Illinois, Missouri. lows
ana Wisconsin. And the government
through Its executive departments, hai
sold at a mere nominal price, in rounC
numbers, 1s2.OOO.OOo acres"
The speaker said that had the policy o
leasing. abandoned completely by tn,
government In ls45, been continued, "ant
applied 10 our coal iron. oil and coppe
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