The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-10-27

dCC involving the CaXdClOu OIL TdllrOdu
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
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
SO (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 j. Every railroad company
owning or operating any line OF railway
situated within or partly ,% Witnin. this
state shall during the year 1909 and an
nually thereafter pay into the treasury Of
this state in lieu of all taxes and assess
ments upon all property within this state.
by such company, including equipment.
appurtenances, appendages and iran
chises thereof, a sum OF money equal to
rived from the operation OF such line OF
railway within this state; and the annual
IT. Of sufa sum shall be IN run ana
upon the property and franchises 80
taxed. The lands acquired by public
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 1 of this act is hereby declared ana no
on business beginning and ending witnin
this state, and a proportion. based upon
the proportion OF the eage o W.r Wb icS
such business is done, of earnings on all
Interstate business passing through. into
Sec. g. All acts and parts of acts not
inconsistent herewith regulating the pay
ment, collection, time of payment, en-
forcement or reports involving tho
of railroad companies witnin this state.
or providing penalties for the MOI, non
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repealed.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
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.
Sec. .. Before any railroad company
shall be heard to contest continue
to contest the validity Of this act or any
part thereof. such railroad company shall
as a condition precedent thereto, pay into
the treasury of the State of Minnesota,
the amount of taxes due or payable
from such railroad company under the
to such company.
Sec. 6. This act shall be submitted to
the people of this state for their approval
or rejection at the next general election
for the year 1904. . (The omitted
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
kno iNC Nf rEvsoj1
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 a 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 Bird
1903, known as Chapter 25 of the Cen
eral Laws Of Minnesota of 1903 the
same being House File No. 4, it is pro
posed to amend Section 6 of Article