The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-10-13


act involving the taxation of railroad
property, being Chapter 253, General
Laws 1908, 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
State Of Minnesota at the General!
sis of Chapter 253 Of the General
Laws of 1903 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 253 of the
General Laws of 1903 present to the cleo
tors Of the state for rejection or approval
Section 1: Every railroad company
sTn9g or w or p pa ns Hf raT ths
state, shall during the year 1903, and an
nually thereafter pay into the treasury OF
this state in lieu Of ali taxes and assess
ments upon all property within this state,
owned or operated for railway purposes
by such company. including equipment.
appurtenancess, appendices and fran
four a. per cent of the gross earnings de-
rived from the operation of such line of
railway within this state; and the annua!
payment of sucn sum shall pc IN full ana "a
upon the property and franchises 80
taxed. The 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 re-
spective acts whereby such grants were
made or recognized
derived from the operation of such line of
railway within this state as used IN sec
ton of this act is hereby declared and
shall be construed to mean. al! earnings
on business beginning and ending within
this state, and a proportion. based upon
the proportion Of: the mileage within the
state to the entire mileage over which
such business is done, of earnings on all
interstate business passing through, into
or out of the state.
Sec. 3. All acts and parts of acts not
inconsistent herewith regulating the pay
ment, collection, time of payment, en-
rorcenent or reports involving the
amount Of taxes upon the gross; earnings
of railroad companies within this state.
or sseh fsxe5 or are ee hepe
by made applicable to this act 50
far as may. be; and all acts and parts q
acts inconsistent with this act are hereby
repealed.
Sec. /. Upon failure to pay the amount
of such taxes legally due upon the date
heretofore provided by law for the pay
remedies. collection may be enforced in
civil action brought in the name of the
State of Minnesota in the district court
Of any county.
Sec. 5. Before any railroad company
shall be heard to contest or continue
to contest the validity of this act or any
part thereof, such railroad company shall
the treasury Of the State of Minnesota,
the amount of taxes due or payable
from such railroad company under the
existing tax laws Of this state applicable
Sec. s. This act shall be submitted to
the people of this state for their approval
or rejection at tot the next general election
provisions refer to the method of print
ing the ballot and submitting this act
for ratiication.)
This act provides for an increase in
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
pei CcuI VI CuS SlOSS earnings u0r1V0u
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
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-
vided in said acts where such grants
were recognized.
Provision is made in this act where
by the disputed and unpaid taxes on
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 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 it's 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 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 if adopted by ma.
jority of the electors voting at the
next general election.
II.
BY an act of the legislature of the
State of Minnesota. approved March Srd,
1903, known as Chapter 25 of the Gen
eral Laws of Minnesota of 1903. the
same being House File No. a. it is pro-
posed to amend Section of Article 8