The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-10-15


chapter 157, herewith file in
your office synopses Of Amend
ments to the Constitution of the
State of Minnesota as proposed by Cen
eral Laws 1897, chapters 175, 1875, $50
and 1888. l am, very respectfully.
Fl. w. CH1LDS, Attorney General.
SYNOPSES OF AMENDMENTS TO THE
CoNrTITUTIoN OF THE STATE 5,, OF
If STATURE OF THE SAID
STATE AT THE LAST SESSION
THEREOF.
BY General Laws 1897 chapter IT'S, it
is proposed to amend Article seven,
Section eight, Of the Constitution.
The section as now existing reads as
follows:
Section 8. The Legislature may, not
Wlshst ia anything in this article, pro,
vote at any election held for the, pur-
pose of choosing any officers for schools,
or upon any measure relating to schools,
and may also provide that any such
woman shall be eligible to hold any office
schools
1t is proposed by the said chapter to
amend the same so as to read as follows:
Sec Sec s. Women may Vote for $, sch 400
officers and members of library boards,
and shall be eligible to hold any office
pertaining to the management of schools
or libraries.
ANY woman of the age of twenty one
years and upward, and possessing the
qualifica tons requisite to a. male voter.
may vote at any election held for the
purpose of choosing any officers of
schools or any members of library boards.
or upon any measure relating to schools
or libraries, and shall be eligible to hold
any office pertaining to the management
of schools and libraries.'
The effect of the above amendment if
adopted, will be to permit women to vote
for members Of library boards and to be
eligible to become members of such
boards, in addition to the right to vote
upon school matters and to hold offices
pertaining to schools, as PROVIDED by the
original section of the Constitution. Fur
thermore, the Constitution. if the pro-
posed amendment is adopted. will be
self-operative and not dependent upon
legislative action, as is now the case UNI
der the existing Constitution.
BY General Laws 1897, Chapter 1s5, it
is proposed to amend Article H. Section
/ of the Constitution.
The section as now existing reads as
follows:
Section l. Whenever majority. of
both houses of the Legislature shall deem
1
stitution, they may propose such altera-
tons or amendments; when proposed
amendments shall be published with the
session, and said amendments shall be
submitted to the people for their approval
TO- hs and If it shh all fbd in
majority of voters present and voting.
shall have, ratified such alterations. and
al intents and purposes as a part of
this Constitution. If two or more altera-
tions or amendments shall be submitted
at the same time. it shall be so regulated
that the voters shall vote for or against
each separately"
1t is proposed by the said chapter to
amend the same so as to read as fol-
lows:
both houses of the legislature shall deem
1t necessary to alter or amend this con-
stitution they may propose such altera-
amendments shall be published with the
laws which have been passed al the same
session: and said AMENDMENTS shall be
or rejection at any general election, and
II It shall appear in a manner to be pro-
vided by law. that majority of all the
voted for and ratified such alterations or
appointments, the same shall be valid to
an intents and purposes as a part OF
this Constitution. If two or more altera-
tons or amendments shall be submitted
at the same time. it shall be so regulated
each separately
The change proposed by the above
amendment requires the submission Of
any proposed amendment to the cUnstitu-
ton al a general election.
1t further provides that in order to be-
come effective the proposed amendment
shall receive 1.-THE vote of a majority of
all the electors voting at said election"
instead "of a majority of voters present
and voting,' as provided by the original
section Of the Constitution. The existing
Constitution may be amended as decided
in Dayton VS.. City of St. Paul. % Mimi
400, though the amendment receive less
than a majority of the votes cast at an
election for other purposes held at the
same time and place. BY the proposed
amendment the rule will, if the same is
adopted, be so changed as to require the
vote of a majority of all the electors vot-
ing at such election.
By General Laws 1897, Chapter $50, it
is proposed to amend Article 4, Section
SO of the Constitution. J. -
The section as now existing reads as
follows:
"Sec. 36. Any city or village in this
state may frame a charter for it's own
government as city consistent with and
lows: The legislature shall provide. I'm.
der such restrictions as it deems proper,
for fer board Of fifteen freeholders, who
have been qualified voters thereof, to be
appointed by the district judges of the
3qdiesl ID disEes in Wh Wish the city
within six months after it's appointment
return to the chief magistrate of such
city or village a draft Of such charter
a majority thereof. Such charter shall
be submitted to the qualified voters of
such city village at the next election
qualified voters voting at such election
shall ratify. the same it shall at the end
Of thirty days the thereafter become the
and supersede any existing charter and
amendments amen thereof provided, that in
fourths majority vote Of the qualified
voters. voting at such election; to change
Before any city shall Incorporate under
this act the legislature shall prescribe by
law the general limits within which such
tifcates shall be made setting forth the
charter proposed and it's ratification,
which shall be signed by the chief magis.
trate Of said city or village, and authenti;;
certificates shall be deposited in the office
bng in the Once Of the
register of deeds for the county in which
such city or village lies, shall be de-
posted among the archives of such city
or village, and all courts shall take ju-
d1cial notice thereof Such charter so
deposited may be amended by a proposal
therefor made by a board of fifteen free
holders aforesaid. published for at least
thirty days in three newspapers of gen.
eral circulation in such city or village,
and accepted by three-fifths of the
qualified voters Of such city or village
voting at the next election, and not
otherwise; but such charter shall always