The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-07-10
PEOPLE MAY APPROVE PLAN
Recent Developments in Taxation Laws
Have Done Much to Make the Single
Tax Idea Popular with the People Of
Wisconsin-Legisl Favorable.

state. This amendment promises to be
of more service than anything done in
many years. Those cities and counties
which are first TO take advantage of the
amendment will reap the earliest adj
vantage in the development Of their
business and resources
This is the opinion Of Prof John r.
Commons, economist and governmental
expert, commenting on the successful
fight by Assemblyman Edward Nord-
man, Langlade county, to give to Wis
consin flexible form of the single tax.
|H have used Nordman S experience to
show the usefulness of the direct pri-
mary, Prof Commons said: cit DEM
onstrates that it is not necessary to
have politicians make the party plat
form, and decide issues. Nordman is a
farmer, one of the first homesteaders
in his part of the state He dug his
farm out of the woods, became a lee
turer at farmers Institutes, and after
living twenty three years in the woods,
started out to bring the single tax to
the front. He sent postal cards to every
voter in his district, telling just what
lie was going to do--that he proposed a
tax on land and exemptions ON improve
ments. At first he did not get much
help anywhere But others became inter
ested, and Tax Commissioner Adams
finally put the resolution into shape.
The essential feature of the amendment
as Adams drafted, was that If a town
exempted improvements, that would not
reduce it's share of the state taxes, be
cause the state can tax the unimproved
land to the amount of the exemption
on improvements.
The income tax is a step toward the
single tax though it seems paradoxical
to say so, and many single takers do not
view it in that light. The income tax
has educated the people on the advan-
tages of exempting personal property,
and the next step is for them to see the
advantage of exempting improvements.
The land tax is gain because improve
ments are the product Of labor and
thrift, while land value is not, except
ing as it is brought to a higher degree
of fertility by labor. / favor going
farther than the single takers, and ex-
empting soil fertility, and taxing land
on it's location and speculative value.
1t could be done. The advantage of
tax on land is that it taxes those who
are not contributing to the wealth Of
the community, but are simply holding
back opportunities. 1T relieves those
who are putting their labor into i'm
provements. +"
The land tax amendment provides
home rule in taxation, under the re-
straining hand of the legislature. 1t is
as follows:
The legislature shall have power to
authorize counties, towns, cities, and
villages, by vote of electors therein, to
exempt from taxation, in whole or in
part, designated classes of property; but
the value of such property exempted by
any county shall be included in the as
sessment and equalization for state
taxes, and the value of such property
exempted by any town, city, OF village
shall be included in the assessment and
equalization for state and county
taxes.
Mr.. Nordman went to Langlade coun-
ty twenty three years ago, on CON
struction train, on which he had OBJ
tanned JOB. He was 16. Until then
he had worked on his brother s farm at
New London, and gone to school When
he was 20 he bought the farm he lives
on, and taught school to pay for it. For
eight years he was superintendent of
schools. For FIVE years he was mem
Der of the state board of agriculture.
Nordman is a progressive democrat.
His county has been going 500 repub-
lican, but he defeated the republican
candidate for the assembly by 700 ma
jority on his single tax platform.
Once in Madison he found it hard
job to convince his associates mat the
single tax ought to be the next big
issue in the state. In Oregon, Missouri,
and other states, land takers have con
Quoted organized campaigns for years.
There is nothing Of the kind in Wiscon-
sin. The only member ever chosen on
a single tax platform had his hands
full
When the committee appointments
were announced, it was found that
Nordman had vantage point as
member of the committee on taxation.
His first bill was to exempt improve
ments up to 81 800 Messrs. Richards.
Don G. Hall and Zinn stood by the bill
in committee, but the majority were
against it, 1t came out with an sd