Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-05-05
WILL INVESTIGATE
STATE PARK SITES
Legislative Committees to Make
Report This Week.
PLAN TO BUY LAND AT DELLS
Famous Indian Mounds Near Lake
Mills Also May Be Purchased by
the State-MIIer Resolution
Passed by Assembly.

MadisOn.-The Wisconsin state leg
islature has under consideration the
purchase of three additional parks. All
of these projects will be investigated
by special Legislative committees this
week and reports will Immediately be
made to the legislature.
One proposal is for the purchase Of
the lands about the Dells of the Wis
consin river at Kilbourn as a state
park This is one of the most scenic
spots In the state The second pro-
pOsal IS for the purchase of the
grounds on which are located the ia
nous Aztlan Indian mounds in Jeffer-
son county, near Lake Mills. This Is
one of the most famous Indian earth
works in the United States. The third
Is for the purchase of about 5000 acres
Of land In Sawyer and Price counties,
where an untouched virgin forest Of
timber is still located, for park. This
latter park is urged on the ground that
1t will show northern Wisconsin as it
was before the coming of the lumber
companies.
Speaker Young has announced the
appointment of the following members
to serve on special investigating COM
mittees to make reports at this ses-
sion:
To investigate the feasibility of the
Dells as a state park-Assemblym
7. II. Conway, Milwaukee,; John F.
Doh Do hn
Clark.
To investigate proposed park in
Sawyer and Price cOunties-Assembly-
men ]. E. Farr, Price; William Olson,
Green, and Ben Mahon, Milwaukee.
To investigate purchase of Aztalan
Indian mounds as a park-Assembly-
men FL. w. Stokes, Jefferson; J. D.
Grandine. Forest, and F. w. Downs,
Bayfield,.
The house killed the Higgins resolu-
tiOn for an investigation OF the work
Of the state railroad commission. 1t
killed, by vote of SO to 81, the Lucas
bill fixing the liability of owners of
automobiles for damages done to per-
sons and property. 1t was explained
that there is now plenty of legislation
on this subject.
Without a roll call, but with no
voices heard In opposition, the assem-
bly, went on record in favor of the
adoption of the A NJ. Miller resolu-
tiOn condemning the proposed federal
sales tax and asking congress not to
repeal the excess profits tax. The res
olution must go to the senate for con-
sideration. There was no debate.
The bill of the insurance and bank
ing commission of the state, requiring
mutual liability insurance companies
to submit dividend data to the insur
ance department of the industrial
commission before paying out their
earnings, was defeated.
The free textbook bill, passed by the
assembly, was laid over when Senator
A. c. Anderson offered a substitute
amendment which graduated the pur-
chase of school textbooks by school
boards. The entire list of books need
not be purchased, under the provisions
OF the amendment, until 1925.
A wrong impression has gotten
abroad among the farmers, the pro-
ponents of the Grimstad land tax bill
say, as to the purpose and effect of
that measure. It simply provides for
a Surtax on the use and enjoyment of
excess land values above $4,000, with
an exemption of the value of the i'm
provements, cost of clearing land,
standing timber and fertility from that
surtax As a matter of fact it will
not apply TO nlneteen-twentiethS of the
farms in Wisconsin. 1t will apply to
big land holdings which are held at IN
finted prices and which, to the degree
they are thus held, discourage the Sc,
curing of land by people of small
means for legitimate farming purposes.
Without increasing the taxes of the
average Wisconsin farmer one cent,
the new surtax would bring larger
revenue into the state treasury, and
at the same time discourage holdings
which really keep land out of the
hands of actual farmers. Taking all
the exemptions provided for in the bill,
they will amount to at least $25, 900 on
the average farm or urban property.
The surtax of one-half of l per cent
would begin on holdings in excess of
$4,000 and the 1 per cent tax would
not apply until the holdings exceed
S35, 900. Careful estimates place the
amount of excess farm holdings to
which the bill would apply at per
cent of the total taxable property of
the state, but this would bring an adj
ditional revenue of $1,000,0O0.
Equal Privileges Bill Withdrawn.