Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1892-10-19
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS,
TO be voted upon at the nent General Election
Published in pursuance Of Chapter 157,
General LdWS Of 1871

WHEREAS, it is made the duty by law Of
the Attorney General to prepare a synopsis
of all amendments proposed to the constitu-
ton, notice is hereby given that the follow
ing amendments are submitted to the voters
OF the State of Minnesota, to be voted upon
at the general election to be held in the year
1892.
kIRST--An act proposing to amend Section
80 OF Article four ~ of the Constitution of the
State of Minnesota, prohibiting special legis-
latiOn.
The following amendment to Section SO Of
Article of the Constitution OF the State of
Minnesota is hereby proposed, which section
when SO amended shall read as follows:
SEC. SO. In all cases when Il general law
can be made applicable DO special law shall
be enacted; and whether general law could
have been made applicable in any case is
hereby declared judicial question, and as
such shall be judicially determined without
regard to any legislative assertion on that
subject. The legislature shall pass no local
or special law regulating the affairs of, or
Incorporating, erecting or changing the lines
of any county, city, village, township, ward
or school district, or creating the offices or
prescribing the powers and duties of the Of
ficers of, or fixing or relating to the compen-
sation, salary or fees of the same, or the
mode of election or appointment thereto;
authorizing the laying out, opening, altering,
vacating or maintaining roads, highways,
streets or alleys; RENTING tines, penalties,
and practice of justices of the peace, magis-
trates and conStableS; changing the names
of persons, places, lakes or rivers; for open
ing and conducting of elections, or fixing or
changing the places of voting; authorizing
the adoption Or legitimation of children
changing the law of descent or succession;
comforting rights upon minors, declaring any
named person of age, giving effect to in
formal or invalid Wills or deeds, or affecting
the estates Of minors or persons under dis
ability; locating or changing county seats :;
regulating the management of public schools
the building or repairing of school houses,
and the raising of money for such purposes;
exempting property from taxation, or regu-
lating the rate of interest on money; creating
corporations, or amending, renewing, extend
ing or explaining the charters thereof; grant
ing to any corporation, association or indi-
vidual any special or exclusive privilege,
immunity or franchise whatever, or author
Progided, hoecever That the inhibitions OF
local or special laws in this section shall not
be construed to prevent the passage of gen
eral laws on any Of the subjects enumerated.
The legislature may repeal any existing
special or local law, but shall not amend, ex-
tend or modify any of the same.
The ballots to be used in voting
upon said amendment shall have
printed thereon:
Amendment to Article Four Owes
special legislation" NJ
And each voter shall vote upon by placing
a cross (A) opposite Eyes" If he desires to
vote In the affirmative, and opposite the
word no." If he desires to vote in the mega
SECOND--The following amendment 10
Section three 81 OF Article nine (9) of the
hereby. proposed to the people OF said State
for their approval or rejection, that is TO say,
to add at the end of said section the follow
ing words:
"And there may be levied and collected
annually a tax upon the gross earnings in
this State OF all railroads, sleeping, parlor
whose cars run in or into this State; on all
telegraph and telephone companies, or own
ers,' whose lines are in or extend into this
State; on all express companies, or owners,
doing business in this State; on all foreign
insurance companies doing business in this |
State; on all domestic insurance companies
of this State, or on either or any of such I
companies. Or in lieu of such tax on the
gross earnings of such companies, or either |
or any of them, an annual license fee or tax |
imposed on them, or either or any Of them |
but no tax upon the gross earnings Of any
corporation shall be construed to prevent /
the taxation, by law, of any real estate |
business of the same. And there may be !
levied and collected in lieu of other taxation |
product of all mines in this State, and no
such tax shall be construed to prevent the |
taxation by law of any real estate belonging !
to the owners of such mine not used in the |
business of mining or in connection there
with"
Section three t3) OF Article nine co. OF the
State Constitution which it is proposed TO
amend as above, now reads as follows:
SEC. 3. Laws shall be passed taxing all |
moneys, credits, investments in bonds. |
stocks, joint stock companies or otherwise
and also all real and personal property, ac-
cOrding to its true value in money; but pub |
lie burylng grounds public school houses, |
public hospitals, academies, colleges, aniver-
stiles, and all Seminaries of learning, all |
churches, church property used for religious |
purposes, and houses of worship. institutions |
of purely public charity, public property |
used exclusively for any public purpose, and |
personal property to an amount not exceed |
ing in value two hundred dollars for each |
individual, shall, by general laws be exempt |
from taxation.
The ballots used in voting upon said Sec
ton shall have printed thereon "Amend-
mentto Section three (3) of Article nine (9) of |
the Constitution providing for the taxation
panies: YES-NO," and the voters in voting
upon such amendment shall erase, mark
across OF scratch out one % of said words
" yes" or "no." If he desires to vote in the
affirmative he shall scratch out the word
"no;" If he desires to vote in the negative,
he shall scratch out the word Eyes"
EXPLANATION.
1t will be seen that the manner of voting
upon these two proposed amendments is en-
tirely different. The reason for this is that
the first amendment was proposed under an
act of the legislature passed prior to the gen.
eral election law of 1891, and is to be voted
upon subject to the provisions of said gen:
is submitted under an act of the
legislature passed after the general election
law of 1891, and in terms provides how it
shallybe voted upon, and as above indicated.
The object of the first proposed amend
ment is to restrict special legislation.
The object of the second proposed amend
ment is to regulate the taxation of railroads
sleeping drawing room and parlor car COM
panies, telegraph and telephone companies
express and insurance companies bv taSinG
authorizing specific tax on mining prop
erty.