The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-10-29

Sir: Pursuant to General Laws 1887,
chapter 157, I herewith file in
your Office synopses of Amend
ments to the Constitution of the
eral Laws 1897, chapters 175. 1885, 2sO
and 1888. I am, very respectfully,
H. w. CHILDS, Attorney General.
SYNOPSEs OF AMENDMENTS TO THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA PROPOSED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE SAID
STATE AT THE LAST SESSION
THEREOF.
BY General Laws 1897, chapter 175, it
is proposed to amend Article seven,
Section eight. of the Constitution.
The section as now existing reads as
follows:
withstanding anything in this article, pro-
vide by law that any woman at the age
Of twenty-one years and upward, may
vote a. asd for the
or upon any measure relating to schools,
and may also provide that any such
woman shall be eligible to hold any office
pertaining solely to the management of
schools"
1t is proposed by the said chapter to
amend the same so as to read as follows:
Sec: 8. Women may vote for school
officers and members of library boards,
pertaining to the management of schools
or libraries.
Amy woman of the age of twenty-o one
years and upward, and possessing the
qualifications requisite to a male voter,
may vote at any election held for the
purpose of choosing any -, officers of
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 un-
der the existing Constitution.
BY General Laws 1897, Chapter 1S5, it
is proposed to amend Article IA, Section
l of the Constitution.
follows:
Section 1. Whenever a majority of
both houses of the legislature shall deem
it necessary to alter or amend this con-
ona thgy may
amendments shall be published with the
laws which have been passed at the same
Submitted ITO to the her people for their approval
manner to be provided by law, that a
shall have ratified such alterations and
amendments, the same shall be valid to
al! intents and purposes, as part of
this Constitution. If two or more altera-
tions or amendments shall be submitted
at the same time. 1T shall be so regulated
tna the yoters shall vote for or against
1t is proposed by the said chapter to
amend the same so as to read as fol-
lows: go
"ss5ction 1. Whenever ma jority of
both houses Of the legislature shall deem
it necessary to- alter or amend this con-
on
amendments shall be published with the
laws which have been passed at the same
submitted to the people for their approval
or rejection at any general election, and
if it shall appear in a manner to be pro-
electors voting at SAID electie5 shall have
voted for and ratified such alterations or
amendments, the same shall be valid to
al intents and purposes as a part Of
tons or amendments shall be submitted
at the same time. 1t shall be so regulated
that the voters shall vote for or against
each separately
~ The change proposed by the above
amendment requires the submission of
any proposed amendment to the constitu-
ton at general election.
It further provides that in order to be-
come effective the proposed amendment
shall receive ''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. % MINI.
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, il
is proposed to amend Article 4, Section
SO of the Constitution.
The section as now existing reads as
follows: ..'c1
Sec. SO. Any city or village in this
government as city consistent with and
subject to the laws of this state as fol
lows: The legislature shall provide un
for a board of fifteen freeholders, who
shall be and for the past five years shall
have been qualified voters thereof, to b.
village is Situated, Which board 's Shall
within six months after it's appointment
cty or Sase draft af gaeh OF
a majority thereof. Such charter shall
sSch city or village e at the next eiecto,
qualified voters voting at such electio,
Of A thirty days thereafter a become CO ae tn tn
charter of such city or village as city
and supersede any existing charter an,
cities having patrol limits iitui now '" estab
lshed such charter shall require three
fourths majority vote of the qualifie,
the patrol limits now esta blished. '"s
Before any city shall Incorporate unde
this act, the legislature shall prescribe b.
charter Shall be framed. Duplicate Gel
tificates shall be made setting forth tn
charter proposed and it's ratification
which shall be signed by the chief magis
trate Of said city or village, and authenti
Gated by it's corporate seal. One of sal
certificates shall be deposited in the off1c
of the. Secretary of State. and the other
register of deeds for the county in whic
such city or village lies, shall be de
8, posted among, the archives of such cit
dicial notice thereof. Such charter s
deposited may be amended by propose
therefor made by board of fifteen free
holders aforesaid, published for at leas
thirty days in three newspapers of gen
eral circulation in such city or village
and accepted by three-fifths Of tn
qualified voters Of such city or villag
voting at the next election, and nc
otherwise; but such charter shall Away
be in harmony with and subject to til