The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-11-02
crssn&cS methods 81 taxation"
Ama 90 Substitute therefor the fei
sc~s~Gs

ordinary methods OF TAXATION,
A~A 90 substitute therefor the sea-
sc~t~gs
~S~ctlan !, The power % taxation
shall never be SURRENDERED sospsnasa
or consracSes away, Taxes shah be
nnsraxm upon the same class OF saoS
seoss. ans shah De aevsea and collected
TOR public purposes, bat pablo barry
pShsas hospitals. Soaaemses oolleses
nnaN-ecSssses ana S0 semsnar'eS 81
arazn1aS. al SAssrcAes eAGreh property.
and houses 81 w>rsAsA Institutions OF
peresy rSae1se charity, and saslse pESe-
49,, 'SS~Ns SSs>SSssSSS @SS ~ ssSSsSSsssSsS
purpose. shall BE exenrt from taxation,
ana sAere May Se exempted from tax
as'Sn s,l res ssSS 81, Ses ne srSss
vSSuaa - Ae&S - = family. as the lesiS-
aRSure may Determines Provided thar
she legislature may authorize m00l-
e1aS1 corporsssons 70 levy and Sesse.s
assessments tor local improvements
cpon property oeaested thereby with
cut regard - n cash NalaStions Sno-
provided further, that nosstng herein
modify or repeal any existing law pro-
Nsotng for the taxation OF the gross
earnings 81 railroads
The purpose and eject OF this amend
mcat wcats he TO greatly enlarge the
power ef the Legislature with REFER
ence = the subject OF taxation. Sec
a e ~ ss % new STANDS preNides
that all taxes Imposed shall DC equai
-as near "a may bon all forms OF
property. and all property upon whicn
a tax In imposed In required 10 have
CASH VALUATION equaiixed through
sus the state.
section two as ft now stands re-
Qxnsrex the legislature tn levy the ueces-
szry taxes annually 10 defray the ex-
peaxex ef the state. That Is the duty
81 the legislature without any consti-
tuttenal direction.
section three as &c now stands pro-
vide. that all real and personal
property. Including MONEYS, CRED
ITS and INVESTMENTS IN BONDS
AND STOCKS, shall be assessed ac-
cerding 10 their true value In
section four as IL now stands pro-
Nides that property employed In
banking shall be subject to n tax
equal 10 that imposed on other prop
erty- This is only n repetition OF the
requirements of Sections one and three
Ne NO rational person would claim that
banking capital should be exempt from
taxation.
ts not easy TO understand, but 1t was
intended by that section to relieve
from the operation of sections one and
three, above quoted, property of the
Z classes therein enumerated, so that q
gross earnings tax could be applied
4 thereto instead OF direct taxation.
Owing to the provisions of sections
! one and three of the present COnstitu-
4 ton many amendments were from
! time to time added as to permit
taxes to be imposed on specific kinds
/ of property otherwise than upon a
I cash valuation equalized throughout
ceptions railroad gross earnings taxes
municipal frontage taxes; inheritance
taxes; and the gross earnings taxes
( authorised by said section seventeen.
are also provided for, but these
exemptions are not changed by the
proposed amendment, will make
no further reference to them.
/ The amendment which, If adopted,
would take the place of all of the
sections and amendments above re-
ferred to, Is simple and plain. No
provision of the Constitution is neces-
sary to authorize the imposition of the
taxes necessary for the support of the
state and it's various political subdf-
visions. The power of taxation Is
Inherent In government. This pro-
posed amendment declares that this
Inherent power of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended OF
contracted away; that taxes shall be
imposed for public purposes and shall
iects. Should this amendment be adopt
ed all property of every kind In the
state would be subject to taxation, ac-
cording to the method the Legislature
SaW 10 auOpt, pEONlueu only tnat
tax was levied for public purpose
and was uniform on the same class
of subjects. Under this amendmen,
every tax law we now have on the
statute books would continue to be
valid, because under this amend.
ment all limitations on the power OF
!, the legislature would be taken away.
The adoption of this amendment
would. as indicated. repeal the sOcallet
inheritance tax amendment, and thu
RrOss-earnfngs tax amendment adopt
ed in 1896 as contained I'm said section
seventeen, but I'm, their place this
, greater authority. Under this amend
. men the power to impose inherftanc,
taxes would be unlimited, and any form
of gross earnings tax would be valid
The gross earnings tax on railroad
would not be affected by this amend
ment, as the Constitution provides tina
1t can not be changed without a vot
! of the people. But with this amend
could be imposed, notably an incom
tax and a registry tax on mortgages
Under the present Constitution we ca
impose no tax on mortgages owned b,
would be valid under this amendmen,
would reach all mortgages alike. Will
{ all subjects of taxation are required (
have a cash valuation with the tn
equalized throughout the state, no prop
er income tax could be imposed. Sue
: a tax, IL imposed, should be progress
sive, which would be valid under thi
Y amendment.
i SECOND PROPOSED AMENDMENT
Q The second proposed amendment
|, contained I'm Chapter PIP of th
r Laws of 1905. 1t Is sought by tn
= amendment to repeal Section 10
r Article D of the Constitution, while
o is as follows:
9 Section 1e. For the purpose of LEND
I ing aid in the construction and In
. provement of public highways an
: bridges there is hereby created fun
: to be known as the State Road an
Bridge Fund Said fund shall tnclu6
all moneys accruing from the incon
z derived from investments in the inter
Q nal Improvement land fund. or that ma
: hereafter accrue to said fund, and sha
9 also include all funds accruing to an
Y state road and bridge fund, howeve
n provided The legislature is authorize
a to add to such fund for the purpose
e constructing or improving roads an
= bridges of this state, by providing,
s its discretion. for an annual tax lev
s upon the property of this state of NJ
n to exceed in any year one.twentleth
r one mill on all the taxable propert
r within the state. The legislature
r also authorized to provide for the al
I pointment by the governor of the sta,
v a board to be known as the stat