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


w. j. DONAHOWER,
Attorney General.
Synopses of Amendments to the Con-
stitutlon of the State of Minnesota
Proposed by the Legislature Of the
state of Minnesota at the General
Session, In 1903, as Well as a Synop.
sis of Chapter 253 of the General
Laws of 1903 Proposing an Increase
Of Gross Earnings Tax Upon Rail.
road Property:
~ l..
Pursuant to the provisions Of +. seet Is,
SO (a) of Article of the Constitution, the
Legislature, by an act approved ApIn
18th, 1903, known as Chapter 258 OF, the
General Laws of 1903 present TO the elec,
tors of the state for rejection OF appfovai
the following, to wit:
SECTION 1. Every railroad company
owning or operating any line OF raiw a,. =
situated within, or partly WITHIN, TINS
state, shall during the year 100, ana an. !.
this state in lieu of all taxes and assess
menfs upon all property within TINS state,
owned or operated for railway PURPOSES
by such company, inciudlng .ea9lplfn ne !,
chises thereof. a sum of money equai TO
four "a per. cent of the gross earnings de.
rived from the operation OF such line 2.
railway within this state aho the T., f,al and
In lieu Of all other taxes ana assessments Us
upon the property and franchises, 30
taxed The lands acquired by puphc
grant shall be and remain exempt from
ffsxatfon until sold or contracted to be
sold or conveyed, as prUvfded IN the re-
spective acts whereby such grants were
made or recognized.
Sec q The term the gross eaTniiiss
a.
railway within this state" as used In sec.
fion of this act, is hereby declared and
shall be construed to mean, al earnlnss
on business beginning ana en9lng With
this state, and proportion, based upon
fhe proportion of the mileage WITHIN the
state to the entire mileage over whicn
such business is done, of earnings on an
Interstate business passing lnrouSls INTO
Sec. g. All acts and parts OF acts not
inconsistent herewith regulauhg lne' pay
ment. collection, time or paylnen!, en-
| forcenlent or reports. involving ,lhe
amount of taxes upon the gross earnings
Of railroad companies within this state.
or providing penalties for the non
! payment of such taxes. are mere e
nv made applicable to this act 50
far as may be; and all acts and parts or
s cts inconsistent with this act are herepy
repealed -
of such taxes legally due upon the date
heretofore provided by law for the pay
ment thereof In addition to existing
remedies collection. may De enIorceo IN
a civil action brought in the name OF the
State of Minnesota in the district court
of any county.
shall be heard to contest or commune
To contest the validity of this act or any
part thereof, such railroad company shall
as condition precedent thereto, pay into
the treasury of the State OF Minnesota,
the amount of taxes DUE. pr payable
nv O
existine tax laws of this state applicable
sec. 6. This act shall be submitted to
the people of this state for their approval
n mr. refer to the method of print
ing the ballot and submitting this act
for ratificatien.) ~ -~~.-sy ~ -
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 a 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
sessments upon the property so taxed
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 or
| the gross earnings of any railway com
! pany within the state may be collected
| by civil action brought in the name
of the State of Minnesota in any coun
| ty thereof. The right to maintain~suct
| civil action Is In addition to existing
| remedies for the collection Of the pei
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 earningssis by, destrainI
| 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, IL adopted, enable
| the state to secure speedy and direci
judicial determination Of the liability
| of any such railway eompany 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 tt
the legal voters of the state. and viii
4.aar,xnl, k,r,n,.afiun IL adnnfcd f,rls {, m a