The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-17

The General Laws OF IAo -Otdto I'll MILL
nesota enacted at the General Session
of the Legislature in 1903. and an
act. involving the taxation of railroad
property, being Chapter 253, General
Laws 1903, to be submitted to the vot-
ers of the state for adoption or reJec-
ton at the next general election.
Yours respectfully,
w. J. DONAHOWER,
Attorney General.
Synopses of Amendments to the Con.
stitution of the State of Minnesota
Proposed by the Legislature OF the
State of Minnesota at the General
Session in 1903, as Well as Synop-
sis of Chapter 253 of the General
Laws of 1908 Proposing an Increase
of Gross Earnings Tax Upon Rail-
road Property:
Pursuant to the provisions Of Section
80 (a) of Article of the Constitution, the
Legislature, by an act approved April
18th, 1903, known as Chapter zoo OF INC
General Laws of 1903, present to the eiec,
tors of the state for rejection or approval
the following, to wit:
Section 1. Every railroad company
owning or operating any line OF railway
situated within, or partly within, TINS
state shall during the year 1905, and an
nually thereafter pay into the treasury OF
this state in lieu of all taxes and assess
ments upon all property within TINS state
owned or operated for railway purposes
nv such company, including equipment,
appurtenances, appendages and iran
cfrfses thereof, a sum of money .edua1 10
four "a per cent Of the gross earnings oe-
rived from the operation OF such line OF
railway within this state; and the annual
payment of Sucn sum shall be IN Iull anu
in lieu of all other taxes and assessments
upon the property and FRANCHISES 80
taxed The lands acquired by PUBIC
grant shall be- and remain exempt from
taxation until sold or contracted TO Do
sold. or conveyed, as provided IN the re-
spective acts whereby. such grants were
made or recognized.
Sc The term s.tfe gross earnings
derived from the opera ton Of sucn line OF
railway within this state, as used IN Sec
ton / of this act, Is hereby declared ana
shall be construed 10 neans al cal t.,itai
this state, and a proportion, based upon
the proportion of the nnifeage WHnln the
state to the entire mileage over Wnlcn
such business is done, OF earnings on al
Interstate business passing through into
Sec. 8. All acts and parts of acts not
inconsistent herewith regulating the pay
ment. collection, time of payment en-
forceinent or reports involving the
o,,o,,nt Of taxes upon the gross earnings
of railroad companies wit1ln TINS state'
or providing penalties Ior me non non
Nv made applicable to this act SO
far as may be; and all acts and parts OF
acts inconsistent with this act are hereby
repealed.
of such taxes legally due upon the date
heretofore provided by law for the pay
noent thereof, In addition to existing
t,<sa nraf sd IN
a civil action brought in the name of the
State of Minnesota IN the district court
of any county.
sec. s. Before any railroad company
shall he heard to contest or continue
TO contest the validity of this act or any
mart thereof, such railroad company shall
as a condition precedent thereto, pay into
the treasury of the State of Minnesota,
from such railroad company under the
existing tax laws of this state applicable
to such company.
Sec. 6. This act shall be submitted to
the peopfe of this state for their approval
or rejection at the next general election
for the wear 1904 CThe omitted
provisions refer to the method of print
ing the ballot and submitting this act
for ratifcation.)
This act provides for an increase in
the amount of taxes collected by the
state upon the property of the rail-
roads situated within the state from
three per cent Of the gross earnings
derived from the operation of railways
within the state to sum equal to four
per cent of the gross earnings derived
from the operation OF such lines Of
railway within the state. The annual
payment of such sum shall be in full
and in lie uof all other taxes and as
%1.< NJ TO- a
The lands acquired by public grant
shall be and remain as heretofore ex-
empt from taxation until sold or con-
tracted to be sold or conveyed, as pro-
yided in said acts where such grants
were recognized.
Provision is made in this act where
nv the disputed and unpaid taxes on
the gross earnings of any railway COM
MANY within the state may be collected
by civil action brought in the name
of the State of Minnesota in any ceun-
ty thereof The right to maintain such
civil action is in addition to existing
remedies for the collection Of the per
centum tax upon the gross earnings of
railroads within the state The exist.
ing remedy which the State of Mime
sofa may use in enforcing the payment
by any railroad company within the
state OF any disputed and unpaid taxes
upon its gross earnings, is by destraint
of it's movable property by the State
Treasurer, and sale Of sufficient there
of to satisfy the states claim This
new method of enforcing the collec-
ton of such taxes, proposed by this
amendment, will, if adopted, enable
the state to secure a speedy and direct
judicial determination OF the liability
of any such railway company for dis
puted and unpaid items of gross earn.
ings taxes.
Under the terms of the Constitution
of the State OF Minnesota this act of
the legislature must be submitted to
the legal voters of the state, and will
become operative il adopted by a ma