The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-10-19

General Laws OF 1903, present TO the eAec-
Section l. Every railroad company
owning or operating any line 81 rallMay
state shall during the year 1908, and an
nualIy thereafter pay into the treasury OF
this state in lieu of all taxes and assess
ments upon all property within this state.
owned or operated for railway purposes
by such company including equipment,
appurtenances, appendices and iran
chises thereof, a sum of money equal 10
four "a per cent of the gross earnings de-
rived from the operation OF such line OF
railway within this state; and the annuai
payment OF sucn sum shall pc IN IulI anu
in lieu Of all other taxes and assessments
upon the property and franchises so
taxed. The lands acquired by pubic
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 We're
in sec . he term 1.-The gross earnings
derived from the operation Of such line OF
railway within this state" as used IN Sec
ton Of this act Is hereby ogGia eaTn, ana
on business beginning and ending WITHIN
this state, and proportion, oased upon
the proportion OF the mease o wrn Which, i
such business is done, of earnings on All
interstate business passing through. into
or out of the state.
inconsistent herewith regulating the pay
ment, collection, time OF payment en-
forcement or reports involving the
Of railroad companies within this state.
payment OF such taxes. are here
hy made applicable to this act SO
far as may be; and all acts and parts or
acts inconsistent with this act are hereOy
repealed.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 be enforced 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 continue
to contest the validity of this act or any
part thereof such railroad company shall
as q ate of pas onto
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 rejection at 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 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 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 R 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 St9te 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, ia 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.
iority OF the electors voting at the
next general election
II.
BY an act OF the legislature OF the
State of Minnesota. approved March Bird,
1903. known as Chapter 25 OF the Gem
eral Laws of Minnesota of 1903 the
same being House File No. a., Ii is pro-
posed TO amend Section 6 of Article 8
OF the Constitution of the State of Min
nesota,
The existing provision Of the Consti-
tuition. which is here sought to be amend
ed. reads as follows:
6ec- o. Inc permanent School ana
university fund of this state may be in
vested in the purchase Of bonds Of any
county. school district, city, town or viii
lage Of this state but no such invest
ment shall be made until approved by the
board of commissioners, designated by
law to regulate the investment of the
permanent school fund and the perma-
nent university fund of this state; nor
shall such loan or investment be made
when the issue of which the same in part
would make the entire bonded indebted
ness exceed seven per cent OF the assessed
valuation OF the taxable real property of
the county. school district, city, town
or village issuing such bonds nor shall
such loans or Indebtedness be made at
lower rate. of interest than three per
fSsaafn per y6 anrn ~ nor for SHORTER p erleed
period than twenty (20) years; and no
change Of the town, school district, vii
lage, city or county lines shall relieve
the real property IN such town, school
district, county. village or city in this
state at the time of issuing the bonds
from any liability for taxation to pay
such bonds"
1t is proposed by said Chapter % of
the General Laws of 1903 TO amend said