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

As required by Section % of the
Revised Laws, L have the honor to
advise yOu as to the purpose and
effect OF these amendments which
arc to be voted on by the people at
the coming election.
FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
The first proposed amendment is
contained in Chapter 1853 of the
Laws Of 1905. BY this amendment it
is sought to repeal Sections one %,
two CD, three CD, four az and sew
enteen 90 of Article nine (9) of
the Constitution (the latter section
being the ameutimcHt so said Article
nine 90 adopted in 1880 which
sections now read as follows.
Section 1. All taxes to be raised in
this state shall be as nearly equal as
may be. and all property on which taxes
are to be levied shall have a cash valua
ton and be equalized and uniform
throughout the state; Provided, that the
legislature may, by general law or spe-
cal act, authorize municipal corpora
lions TO levy assessments for local inn
proNcmentS upon the property fronting
upon such improvements, or upon the
property to be benefited by such inn
provements, or BOTH without regard to
cash valuation, and in such manner as
the legislature may prescribe: and pro-
Vided further, that for the purpose OF
defraying the expenses Of. laying water
pipes and supplying any city or munic-
fpality with water, the. legislature may,
by general or special law, authorize any
such city or municipality. having a pop
uIation of five thousand or more, to levy
an annual tax or assessment upon the
lineal foot of all lands fronting on any
water main or water pipe laid by such
city or municipality within corporate
limits of said city for supplying water
to the citizens thereof without regard
to the cash vail ,lf such ITDnHTtV and
to empower such city to collect any
such tax, assessments or fines, or penal
ties for failure to pay the same, or any
fine or penalty for any violation of the
rules of such city or municipality in re-
gard to the use of water. or for any wa
ter rate due for the same: and provided
further, that there may be by law levied
and collected a tax upon all inheritances.
deViscS, requests, lVS&c ieS and gifts of
every kind and description above
fixed and specified sum, of any and all
natural persons and corporations. Such
tax above such exempted sum may be
uniform, or il may be graded or progress
siVe but shall not exceed a maximum
tax Of five per Get
Section .. The legislature shall pro-
vide for an annual taN sufficient TO de-
fray the estimated clUinary expenses of
the state for each year, and whenever it
shall happen that such ordinary eX-
year shall exceed IL, income Of The
state for such year tie legislature shall
provide for Ievying lax Tor the ensu-
ing year sufficient, with other sources of
income, to pay the defaicneN of the PIE
cedng s'ear, together with the estimated
expenses OF such ensuing year. But no
law levying 4 tax OF JuakinS other pro-
visions for the payment Of interest or
principal of bonds denominated Mime
sofa State RAILROAD Bonds shall take
effect or be in for9c until such law shall
have been submitted 70 vote of the
people of the stale and adopted by a
majority of the electors Of the state vot-
ing upon the Same.
section 3. Laws shall be passed tax
ln5 ali moneys, credits, Investments in
bonds, stocks, joint stock companies, or
otherwise, also all real and personal
property, according to its true value in
money; but public burying grounds, pub
lie school houses, public hospitals; acad-
cmies colleges, universities, and all sem
!naricS of learning, all churches, church
property used for religious purposes, and
houses of worship, institutions Of purely
public charity. public property used eX-
ciusiVeiv for any public purpose, and
personal property to IN amount not ex
ceeding in value two hundred dollars for
each Individual. sl.1H by general laws,
be exempt from taxa ion. aE
Section /. Laws shall be passed for
taxing the notes and bills discounted or
purchased, moneys loaned and all other
property, effects. or dues Of every de-
-scription, If all banks and Of all bank
ers. 50 tldt all property employed in
banking 81 III always be subject to
taxation equal to tnaC imposed on the
property Of individuals.
Section IL The legislature may i'm
pose, o. provide for the imposition of.
upon the property within this state of
any and all owners or operators, whether
corporate or individual, or otherwise, of
any and all Sleeping. parlOr and draw
ing room cars, or any or either of the
same, which run in, into or through this
statei Also upon the property within this
state OF any and all telegraph and tele-
phone companies, or owners, whose lines
are in, or extend in. into or through
this state; also upon the property within
this state of all express companies. or
owners, or any or either of the same,
doing business in this state; also upon
the property within this state of all do
nestle insurance companies of this state
of any kind; also upon the property with
in this state of any and all foreign in
surance companies doing business in
this state of any kind: also upon the
property within this state of all owners
or operators of any and all mines or of
mineral ores situated in this SCate; also
upon the property within this state of all
boom companies or owners. and Of all
ship builders or owners doing business
in this state or having a port therein
provided, that this act shall not apply to
property owned by railroad companies.
their lands and other property: and
upon the property OF either or any of
such companies or oWners,-a tax as uni
form as reasonably may be with the
taxes imposed upon slnllar property in
within this state. but may be graded or
progressive, or both, and in providing
for such tax, or in providing for aScer-
tanning the Just and true value Of such
property. il Shall be competent for the
legislature in either or all Of such cases
10 impose such tax. upon any or all
property thereof within this state, and
III either case by taking as the basis of
such imposition the pToportionate bust
ness earnings mileage or quantity of
productions or property now or hereafter
existing of any such companies. persons
or owners transacted or existing in this
state, in relation 10 the entire business
mileage or quantity oil production or
property Of such companies. persons or
owners as aforesaid, or i'll such other
manner. or by such bther method. as the
legislature may determine; but the pro-
cceds OF such taxes upon mining prop
erty shall be distributed between the
state and the various political subdivi-
sons thereof wherein the same is sit
uated, in the same proportion as the
proceeds of taxes upon real property are
distributed: Provided further, that moth
ing in this act cOntaincd shall operate
To authorize the assessment or taxation
of any farm land or ordinary business
blocks or property owned by any such
corporation, person firm or company eX-
cept in the manner provided by the Or
binary methods of taxation
And to substitute therefor the fol-
lowing,
Section 1. The power Of ta,,aticn shaH
never be surrendered, suspended Or con-
tracted away. Taxes SHAH DC uniform
upon the same class 81 SUBJECTS, ai.f