The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-20

Extra Session in 1902, as well as a synop-
sis of Chapter $50 of the General Laws OF
1901, being an Act involving the taxation
OF railroad property, to be submitted to
the electors of the state for adoption or
rejection at the next General Election.
Yours respectfully,
w. 3. DOUGLAS,
Attorney General
sYNoPsEs OF AMENDMENTS TO
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE
OF MINNESOTA PROPOSED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE SAID STATE
AT THE GENERAL SESSION IN , lSel
AND THE EXTRA SESSION IN 1907,
AS WE'LL AS A SYNOPSIS OF CHAP
TER $50 OF THE GENERAL, LAWS Il ~,
OF 1901, PROPOSING AN INCREASsE
OF THE GROSS EARNINGS TAX
UPON RAILROAD PROPERTIES.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section
32a, of Article ". Of the State Constltuz
ton, the LEGISLATURE by Act approved
April G. 1901, known as Chapter $50 of the
General Laws of 1901, present to the elec-
tors Of the State for rejection or approval
the following. to wit:
Section l. That every railway company
owning or operating any line OF railway
situated within. or partly within, TINS
state, shall, during the year 1908, and an
nually thereafter, pay into the treasury
of this state, as taxes upon all property
within this state owned or operated Tor
railway purposes by such company, IN
GLIDING equipment appurtenances, ap-
pendages and franchises thereof, sum
of money equal to four ca per cent of the
gross earnings derived from the operation
of such line of railway within this state;
and the payment of such taxes shall be IN
full and in lieu of all other taxes upon the
property and franchises so taxed. me
lands acquired by public grant shall be
and remain exempt from taxation until
sold or contracted to be sold or conveyed
as provided in the respective acts whereby
such grants were made or recognized.
Sec. 2. The term 1.-The gross earnings
derived from the operation of such line
of railway within this state, as used IN
section one ID of this act, is hereby de-
clared and shall be construed to mean all
earnings on business beginning and end.
ing within the state, and proportion OF
earnings on all interstate business passing
through into or out of the state as the
mileage operated within the state bears
to the entire mileage operated by such
Sec g. All acts and parts of acts not
inconsistent herewith regulating the pay
ment, collection, time OF payment en- en-
amount of taxes upon the gross earnings
CT railroad companies within this state, or
providing penalties for the non-payment
Of such taxes, are hereby made applica;I,
BILE to this act so far as may be; and all
acts and parts of acts inconsistent with
the provisions of this act are hereby re-
pealed.
Sec 4. Upon failure to pay the amount
of such taxes legally due upon the dates
heretofore provided by law for the pay
ment thereof, in addition to existing rem
edies, collection may be enforced IN a
civil action brought in the name of the
State Of Minnesota in the district court
Sec. 5. This act shall be submitted to
the people Of this state for their, approval
or rejection at the next general election
(The omitted provision refers to the
method of printing the ballot and submit
ting the act for ratification.)
This act provides for an Increase
of the amount of taxes collected by the
situated within the State, from three per
cent upon the gross earnings derived from
the operation of such lines of railway
within the State, to a sum of money equal
to four per cent upon the gross earnings
derived from the operation of such lines
of railway therein
Under the terms of the Constitution
above referred to. this Act of the LegisIa-
ture must be submitted to legal voters
edopted- by jorIty Of such electors
voting at the next general election.
BY an Act Of the Legislature of the
State of Minnesota, approved February IS,
1901, and known as House File No. 100,
it is proposed to amend Article Eight
(Sl. Section Six CO of the Constitution.
This Section as now existing reads as
follows:
Section s. The permanent school and
university fund of this State may be in
vested in the purchase of bonds of any
county, school district, city, town or
village of this state, but no such invest
ment shall be made until approved by
the board of commissioners designated by
law to regulate the investment Of the
permanent school fund and the perma-
nent university fund of this State; nor
shall such loan or investment be made
when the issue Of which the same in
part would make the entire bonded in
debtedness exceed seven per cent of the
assessed valuation of the taxable real
property of the county, school district,
city, town or village issuing such bonds;
nor shall such loans or Indebtedness be
made at a lower rate OF interest than
three per cent per annum nor for a short
er period than five CO years nor for a
longer period than twenty 600 years. and
no change of the town. school district,
village, city or county lines shall relieve
the real property in such town, school
state at the time of issuing of such bonds
from any liability for taxation to pay
such bonds.
: 1t is proposed by said act to amend the
same so as to read as follows:
Cection 6 The permanent school and
university fund of this State may be in
vested in the bonds of any county, school
district city. town or village of this
state, but. no such Investment. shall be
commissioners designated by law to reg
ulate the investment of the permanent
school fund and the permanent university
fund of this state; nor shall such loan or
investment be made when the bonds to be
issued or purchased would make the en-
tire bonded indebtedness exceed fifteen
VdluaClOn
of the taxable real property of the county,
school district, city, town village issu-
ing such bonds; nor shall such loans or
Indebtedness be made at a lower rate of
interest than three CD per cent per an
num- nor for a shorter period than five
(5) wears nor for longer period than
twenty (20) years, and no change of the
town. school district, city, village or of
county lines, shall relieve the real property
in such town, school district, county, VII
lage or city in this state at the time of
the issuing of such bonds from any liza
bility for taxation to pay such bonds
:. The .n effect ., ct tn the above amendment,
university fund of this state for a period
of not less than five 90 or more than
twenty (2o9 years. ears at an an Interest rate
mum, in the bonds of any county. school
district, city, town or village of this state,
when the bonds to be Issued or purchased
will not make the entire bonded Indebted
ness of such municipalities exceed fifteen
(15) per cent of the assessed valuation
of the taxable real property contained
therein
The substantial! change proposed by said
amendment is to authorize such invest
nents when the entire indebtedness, in
Guiding the loan in question, does not ex-
coed fifteen d5l per cent Of the assessed
valuation of the taxable real property
In such municipallties; whereas, under
ted only where such total indebtedness
does not exceed seven % per cent of the
assessed valuation.
BY an Act Of the LEGISLATURE of the
State of Minnesota Approved April 13.
1901, and known as House File No 353 If
Is proposed to Amend Section Sixteen (165
of Article Nine (9) of the Constitution.
The Section as now existing reads as
follows:
Section 16. For the purpose of lending
aid in the construction and Improvement
of public highways and bridges there is
hereby created fund to be known as the