The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-10-13
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Voters will find in the 10 MON th!

Voters will find in the Union this
week a list of the constitutional
amendments proposed for adoption at
the forthcoming election. The most
important amendment is that increas-
ing the gross earnings tax of rail
roads from three to four per cent.
This proposed amendment is the re-
suit of some very bitter contests in the
legislature, as the proposition was
vigorously opposed by the railroad
interests of the State, and they sue
ceeded in delaying action, but few
teerless leaders in the legislature
championed the measure and in 1901
the proposition was enacted into a
law and submitted to the voters of the
State in 1902, who failed to adopt it.
Again the amendment is proposed and
with separate pink ballots for consti-
tutional amendments it is to be hoped
that the voters will appreciate the i'm
portance of the amendment and vote
Yes" An increase of one per cent
in the gross earnings tax will mean
an increase in yearly revenues to the
State OF 100000.
Another amendment that has been
re-submitted to the people is that pro-
viding that the permanent school and
permanent university funds of the
State may be loaned to counties.
school districts, cities, towns and
villages of the State to an amount not
to exceed fifteen per cent of the as
sessed valuation of the real property
OF the same, at the rate of three per
cent per annum. Under the present
law these civic divisions of the State
can borrow but seven per cent of their
real valuation and must pay four per
cent. The limit of fifteen per cent
means of course including the entire
bonded Indebtedness of the civic d.
vision desiring the loan. The in
crease could be made with safety. The
school and university funds belong to
the people of the State, who should be
able to borrow the funds to reason
able amount and at. no higher rate of
interest than the State gets by invest
ing the school and university funds
in bonds of certain states DESIGNATED
by the Legislature. Certainly Min
nesota county, municipal and school
bonds should be as good security as
Massachusetts, Tennessee and other
| state bonds. We are comparatively A,
new State, and rapidly growing, and
1t would be matter of justice to many
communities to permit them to borrow
our State school fund at three per cent
interest, and an amount that would be
OF practical benefit to them. Many a
community throughout the State is
paying five, six, seven and eight per
cent interest on outstanding indebted
ness of different descriptions. Here
in Princeton with a real property
valuation of $219, 149 and an outstand-
ing bonded Indebtedness of S16,O we
are paying six per cent interest on
$6, 900 worth of unpaid village war
rants.
There are other places besides
Princeton in the same financial condi-
ton, existing as incorporated com
munities under antiquated charters.
These are little problems in civil
government that are of vital import
ance. 49,. ~ :.-4 -, Ia.
Another amendment to be voted on
is that to abolish the grand jury sys-
TEN. The State constitution says:
No person shall be held to ans
wer for criminal ofense unless
on the presentment or indictment
of grand jury.
The proposed amendment strikes
out the words ''unless on the present
ment. or Indictment of, grand jury"
and substitutes the words Except bv
due process of law,'' which process
of law is to be established by the leg
islature, the intention being, following
the example of other states foolish
enough to abolish grand juries, to
delegate the powers Of grand Jury