The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-10-19

ins1lrurs6ns ot purciy ~ ic o.4' -. 'ss,',.
public property esed eSc'agiYeiy fos any
public purpose, shI.l b. c1enpt IRON t,N-
alton, al;d there may be exempted from
taxation personal property not exceeding
in value 500 for each rodSehoid' ihu,-
vidual or head of - family, as the iegist ,
iature MAY determine: Provided, Jnaii
corporations to levy and collect assess
mrnts for h5,ti improvements upon prop
Crtg hnc&tei thercbN without ieSdIu "
cash valuation; and provided uIthei,
that nothing herein contained shail ne
construed to AFFECT, modify or rcpcai
amy c,iistinJ law providing for the taxa,
ton Of the gross earnings Oh ram os'u9'
The; ymup0sc and erect "i '''s
n,ncnt.o1ent would bc to greatly en-
Iartss. the pclYcr OF the ieSisiat"'c
with reference IN tir subJcct OF
tnMatjon. Section one 90 al AZ no"
Nt:t1:!:, provides liant nil taxes ihi-
posed shall be eHHHi--ns near as ma.
i,e---oa ;eSl Forms of property. anu "''
property upon which tax Is I'M
posed is Required to have oAsH
VALUATION e1uaiixed fhro"sHo"'
the state.
section two as ii now STANDS re-
ouircx the lc:i~Iat are to- tess '"e
necessary taxes annuoS! 10 ocifn'
Che cxy,csa.e$ 81 thc state. Ih"t ~
srsc s.its og the legislature "ithoo'
any constitutional directions.
section three. as it now stands pro-
xi.,rs t;,:t al, real and personal
property, Including MONEYS, cRED-
sTS as.d INVEST 3iEtWs ~ boHDs
AND ST0Ci[S. shall be assessed ac-
cording to their true waite IN
.it0fseF.
Section four as il now Stahas Pro-
vidcS tAgt propert: cmFEoSed ="
banking: shah Ec subject TO ,"N
equal 70 t',at imposed on .t..
urouerfy. This - only 81 repetition
Of fl,a ,.cuuirencnts OF Sections enc
and tarcc as no rational person
would claim that ban.Sin cap'tai
sho1fa he exempt from taxasi"n.
Sectfon se.veDtcen as il now STANDS
is; not easy go understand, Dat ~ wa"
intended by taat sccriOn 10 fehe'S
from the ouerrtica of sections one
and tgsree. above aI,Oted. property
oe t,,sa cynases therein enumerated,
so f,.t n gross. earnings tax couid
be s,7,1Ifci thcreto instead OF direct
taxation.
Owing to the provisions OF see
lions one ani three of the PTeseh'
Coast; tuition many ainehl
were. from, time tn time added SO as
To uarrla;t taxes TO De inifosed on
snac;f;< kinds of property other
wise t2aan upon cs%h Niai"aslo"
ctuaIize4a throughout the state. We
have among these exceptions rait-
road gross earnings taxes: iiHhci-
nal frontage taxes: Intcritahcc
taxes: and the gross earnings taxes
authorized. sby said section seven
teen.
Several exemptions frcm f"Sat'oh
are also provided for. but as these
e-aurnf:oEl:. :sre. not changed d! tDe
pro.,0sca amendment, VIII make
NO FARTHER reference to tEtem
The amendment which. II adoptea'
would take the pIace Of all OF the
sections and amendments above re-
fcrr~G to. IL simple and plain. NO
BrOyision of, the Constitution rs
ueccssury to authorize the I'M
nos;t5cn of the taxes necessary for
tlse support of the state ana .ts
yarious political subdivisions. Thc
mower of taxation is Inherent sn
government. This progressed aMe"a-
,,cnt declares that fisis in"ere"'
newer of taxation shall never be
suspended. or con-
troctca away: THAI taxes shall DC
in,pcscG for public purposes ana
shall he uniform on the same class
of Subjects SI,ouIsi this amend
neut be adopted all propeft! OF
every kim. in the state Vvou'd pc
subject to taxation. accofdfhs: 10
the method the legislature saw NJ
to ndopt. provided only tbat me
tax Was levied for II nublIc purpose
.,,et YVES uniform on TAG same CHA -
of subjects. Under this unscnemcnt
every t,. law we now have on the
stst:st., books would continue to DC
valid because under this amend
,,1cnt all Limitations on the power
of sht legislature would be taken
away.
The, adoption Of this amendment
Ia
CALLED inheritance tax amendments,
and tbs, ,:reSs-",, RI inEss tax amend
u,rpt adopted in 1885; as contained
i'm said section seventeen. but ~
their place this n,iacni.iieHt FVouH
give. The, Legislature greater author
ity. Under this amendment the
power TO impose inheritance fsN"s
would he unlimited, and .ns form
OF ,-rQss earnings tax would be
valid The ;:rGss earnings tax on
r., ;Bro-os. would not be affected by
t!,fs amendment. m the Constitution
provides 'til;gt il can not he changed
I,-Ftfsoyf :, Tsste OF the people. Huf
with this amendment various new
forms of taz1tion could be iiopGseh.
notably an income f:N ami rcEis-
fry tax on mortgages. Under the
Dvcscnt Constitution VIC can inpose
no tax sn mortgage. owned by nom
residents s registry tax. which
yyo:,Id be valid under this amend
p,eIit world rench aii mortgages
alike While all subjects Of taxa
tios, are required to have Il casi,
valuation with the tax c.ualiZed
throughout the state, no proper in
come tax could be imposed. Such ~
t1y if imposed, shOuld be pro-
.rressiyc. which Would be valid
under this amendments.
SECOND PROPOSED ASiENDMENT.
The second proposed amendment is
contained i'm Chapter 2i2 of the
Laws OF 1905. 1t is sought by this
to repeal Section TO OF
Article o of the Constitution. which
is as follows:
Section 16. For the purpose of lending
aid in the construction and Improvement
Of public highways and bridges, there is
hereby created a fund 10 be Known as
the State Road and Bridge Fund Said
fund shall include all moneys accruing
from tho income derived from invest
ments in the internal Improvement land
said fund and shall also include all
funds accruing to any state road and
bridge fund however provided The
legislature is authorized to add to such
fund for the purpose of constructing or
improving roads and bridges of this
state by providing, in its discretion. for
an annual tax levy upon the property of
ahs state of not TO exceed in any year
one-twentieth of one mill on all the tax
able property within the state. The leg
islature is also authorized to provide for
the appointment by the governor of the
state q board to be known as the State
Highway Commission consisting of
three members. who shall perform such