The Redwood gazette., 1904-10-26

18th 1908 known as Chapter 20o OF the
General Laws Of 19O3 present to the cleo
the following, to wit:
Section T. Every railroad company
owning Or operating any line itoin Of TaiiMay Tbis
state, shall during the year 100, ana an
nually thereafter pay into the treasury oK
this state in lieu OF all taxes ana assess
owned or operated for railway purposes
by such company, including equipment
appurtenances, appendages ana aT iran, u
chises thereof sum of money equal 70
four (4) per cent of the gross earnings de-
rived from the operation or such nne OI
railway within this state; and the annuai an i
Dayment of sucn sum shall be In full ana
in lieu OF all other taxes and assessments
upon the property and francnlses 70
taxed. The lands acquired by plnnc
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
iilsee sec p ) The term s'the gross earnings
derived from the operation Of such line OF
railway within this state, as used IN sec.
tion / of this act, is hereby deGlaLeu atIu ~
shall be construed to mean, all earnings
on business beginning and endlng ,Wltnln
this state, and a proportion, Dasea upon
the proportion Of the mileage Wltnin iae tnts
state to the entire mileage over Wnlcn Wnln
such business is done, of earnings on ali
Interstate business passing through, INTO
or out of the state.
e.
inconsistent herewith regulating the pay
ment collection, time of payment, en-
forcement or reports involving the
amount of taxes upon the gross, s,, earnlntgs ms
or providing penalties for the non
payment of such taxes, are mere
by made applicable to this act e
far as may be; and all acts and parts or
scts 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repealed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 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.
Sec. 5. Before any railroad company
shall be heard to contest or continue
TO contest the validity of this act or any
mart 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
existing tax laws of this state applicable
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 ratihcat1on.)
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 propertv 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 I'm 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
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
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 % Of the Gem
era1 Laws Of Minnesota of 1903. the
same being House File No. A, 1t Is pro-
posed to amend Section 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:
Sec. g. The permanent school and
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 q
lower rate Of interest than three per
Snt sent per 3 for fhPrtsr 1gnEef Rsr9
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