The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-11-03

Laws 1903, to be submitted to the VOt-
ers of the state for adoption or re5eo-
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 1908, as Well as Synop.
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, 1908. known as Chapter 253 of the
General Laws of 1908, present to the cleo.
tors Of the state for rejection or approval
the following, to wit:
Section l. Every railroad company
owning or operating any line Of railway
situated within. or partly vi, %itnin, this
nually thereafter pay into the treasury or
this state i'll lieu of all taxes and assess
ments upon all property within this state.
by such company. including equipment.
appurtenances, appendages and fran
chises thereof, sum of money equal to
rived from the operation of such line of
railway within this state; and the annua!
payment Of sucn sum shall be in full and
in lieu of all other taxes and assessments
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-
sDective acts whereby such grants were
Sec 2. The term "the gross earnings
derived from the operation Of such line of
railway within this state,' as used in sec
ton 1 of this act. is hereby declared and
shall be construed to mean, all earnings
on business beginning and ending witnln
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 time OF en- en-
amount OF, taxes upon the gross earnings
of railroad companies witain this state.
or n 5 ps1alt fsxef for the
by made applicable, to, this, act 80
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repealed.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
ment thereof in addition to .o existing ;s
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 continue
to contest the validity of this act or any
past thereof. such railroad company shall
10 State
the amount of taxes due or payable
from such railroad company under the
existing tax laws of this state applicable
Sec. 6. This act shall be submitted to
the people of this state for their approval
or rf}ection at 5a the next general ELECTION
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 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
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 az 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 a 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, II adopted, enable
the state to secure speedy and direct
judicial determination Of the liabilitv
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 tn
the legal voters OF the state. and will
become operative If adopted by a ma.
jority Of the electors voting at the
next general election.
II.
BY an act of the legislature NJ the
State of Minnesota. approved March Ard
1903, known as Chapter. Is Of the Gen.
oral Laws of Minnesota of 1902 fI1a
same being House File No. 4 # is n 1e
posed to amend Section 8 Of Article s