The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-10-10
CONSTITUTIONAL AmnsDMENrs.s

"Asoh oAo w Uo SOeCV va ~ VIZ 49,
ing clecs,cn. Gao of these provides tor
the increase Of the public debt Of thu
State to On amount not exceeding two
hundred aud fifty thousand dollars, By
tho issue Of bonds, for tho purpose Of
erecting and completing buildings fo'
a hospital for tho insane, deaf, dumb
aud bliod asylam, aud State Prison. A
similar proposition vas submitted lss,
fall aud defeated, principally through
. misunderstanding en- the part Of 70.
ters a. to tho purpose OF the amend
msnt. The money ID inpsrativsly
oeeded by these institutions, aod II
not provided Tor 10 this way will have
to b raised BY taxation. The insane
asylum is crowded to ove,fowing,. and
for months tho sf6cers have been com.
PEELED to close the doors to new patisots.
This cannot long be endured BY . civ.
il'.ed and humane people, aud a rome.
dy must be provided. 1t 10 for the
voters to decide now whether they pre-
fer the issuance Of bonds, msluring =
number Of years hence, or heavy taxa
ton Tor immediate payment. Sound
policy, it seem, to Us, would lead to ~
affirmative vote on this amendment to
ths fourteenth section of article moe Of
the constitution.
Another is for such IN amendment
to article four section th,rty.two ~ will
put tho internal improvement lands in
the market, to Le appraised and sold 10
the same manner as school lands, tho
proceeds to constitute az ''internal im-
provement land fund.-" and to be a..
propriated only after the Enactment for
that purpose shall have been approved ~
a maturity of the electors of tho Safe,
voting at general election. 1t would
seem to be desirable to have these laods
made available for settlement At a. ear.
ly day as possible, and this may, per.
haps, be as good . method a. any. We
still incline to the belief that these five
hundred thousand acres of internal i'm.
prevemeut lands should be used for tho
purpose for which they were granted,
viz building railroads, &c., but a aoy.
thing like justice in their appor,ion.
meut appears to bo out of tho question,
the next best thing is to have them
sold that they may BE- settled aod ,m.
proved.
Another proposes to ameod by I'D.
ding a oew section, section fourteen, to
article niue, whereby the Legislature
shall be prohibited from authorizing
any county, town or city to issue bonds
o. to become indebted 10 any manner
10 aid in the construction or equipment
Of any or all railroads to any amount
that shall exceed ten per ceutum of tho
value Of the taxable property within
such county, township, CITY or otter
municipal corporation. A Limitation OF
this kind would, in majority of eases,
be advisable, yet there are important
exceptions where the increasing of the
Indebtedness beyond this per cent. is
an absolute necessity. In such iustan.
ces a constitutional prohibition would
work great injury.
The fourth amendment pro vides that
each etockhclder 10 any corporation,
excepting those organised for tho pur.
pose Of carrying on any kind Of manu.
featuring busiuess.shall be liabls to the
amount Of the stock held or owned by
him. 1t is believed that something of
ibis kind would tend to bring more
capital into manufacturing enterprises
than 1t is now deemed safe to employ.
We have here 40 evidence Of the
reckless manner IN which tho State Con.
stitution is tiukered at BY the Legisla.
ture. Four Observation-Disclosures Of
which are Of decided importance-are
presented for the consideration aod 49,
tion OF voters at one election, aud that
an exciting Presidential election,
when anything not directly connected
with it receives but trifing attention
These amendments should be carefully
considered ami thoroughly discussed
before being voted upon !; aud perhaps
the safest way tor the present would
be TO deter III but the first by voting
them down. What is very mach need
ed is either Constitutional CoDven-
ton " an amendment to restrain
tho Legislature.
TAG New York tribune is growing
disappointed over the weakness exhib.
tad hu tho Gvoo1ouskn. -h>.