Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-05
SENATOR LAFolLETTE ATTACKS
POLICIES Or CONGRESS IN
HANDLING LANDS.
RAILROADS eivENeGRANrs
WITHOUT. Any RETURN
Shows That Small Part of Public
Lands Has Been Secured by Actual
settiers-PoI:ey Of Leasing Mineral
Lands Brought Great Loss.

bIOoNllStOn, H., jan 5-ScnatOr
LaFollette addressed crowd which
packed the theater here today. Asking
said laughingly: ~ am battered up and
scarcely able to get thing thru this
old head of mine"
9The senator paid q tribute to the late
Judge Davis, offs Bloomington. and to
Chester Rowell. formerly of Blooming
ton, now editor of paper at Fresno.
Cal, whom lie credited with leading
the battle for destroying the political
power of the Southern Pacific railway.
& Quoting a warning uttered by Judge
Davis on thes growth of corporations
Senator LAFollette entered into dis
cussion Of the encfeachments on the
public domaing
Senator LaFollette declared that "the
especially, and until recently our for
ests. forms shameful chapter in the
history of our nation.
Disgrace to Nation.
1T is matter of notoriety. Disgrace
full notoriety. that corporations have
been enabled during the last few years
to exchange, 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. 1t has been possible within the
last few years to put thru congress
legislation permitting such exchanges.
us it to be marvelled that the people
of the country have walked up to a
realization of their betrayal and de-
nand some check upon those called
upon to serve them who serve instead
their own interests and that Of others,
and who betray the public?"
In beginning Senator LaFollette
said. Originally the public domain Of
the United States amounted in round
numbers to 1,4O0. 100000 acres. OF this
amount nearly all of the original do
main available for agriculture and the
greater part of our mineral wealth out
side Of Alaska has been disposed Of
amounting in round numbers to more
than 700 O0O, 900 acres. OF this amount
individuals and corporations have ac-
quired more than 571O00oOo acres. Out
of the 57l 100000 acres disposed Of to
and corporations there
have been acquired thru the exercise
Of the homestead right only 115,000000
acres. The railroads and other cor
porations had bestowed upon them by
Congressional grants. without any re-
turn whatever to the government, in
round numbers. 123.000,000 acres.
Big Gift to Railroads.
I'm addition to that, there have been
conferred upon the railroads by state
grants lands heretofore granted by
the federal government to the several
states. increasing the total grant to
the railroads. in round numbers, to
100. 900, 900 acres Of land-enough to
make the states OF Ohio. Indiana, Illi-
nois, Missouri. Iowa and Wisconsin.
And the government, thru its execu-
tive departments, has sold at a mere
nominal price in round numbers, 1S2,-
600 900 acres"
of leasing, abandoned completely by
the government in 1s45, been contin-
ued and applied to our coal, iron, oil.
and copper lands, and lands contain
ing precious metals, with suitable pro-
vision and control. the revenue from
that source alone would today be al
most sufficient to defray all of the ex-
penses Of our national government.
And what Is more important, tho
trusts and monopolies which now ex-
list and threaten the welfare Of all Of
our people would not have been pos
sible."