The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-11-02
PROPOSED
Amendments
TO THE
Constitution
OF MINNESOTA
Hon. Peter e. Hanson,
Secretary Of State.

Sir:
As required by Section 23 of the
Revised Laws, 1 have the honor to
advise You as to the purpose and
effect of these amendments which
are to be voted on by the people at
the coming election.
FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
The first proposed amendment Is
contained in Chapter 1GS of the
Laws of 1905. BY this amendment ii
is sought to repeal Sections one CD,
two CD, three (D, four "a and sew
enteen 90 of Article nine (O OF
the Constitution (the latter section
being the amendment to said Article
nine 90 adopted in 1890 which
sections now read rs follows:
Section 1. All taxes to be raised in
this state shall be as nearly equal as
may De. and all property on which taxes
are to be levied shall have cash valua-
ton and be eQualized and uniform
throughout the state: Provided, that the
legislature may, by general law or spe-
cial act, authorize municipal corpora
lions to levy assessments for local i'm
provements 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-
yided further. that for the purpose of
pipes and supplying any city or munic-
lpality with water. the Legislature may,
by general or special law authorize any
such city or municipality, having a pop
ulation of five thousand or more, to levy
an annual tax or assessment upon the
lineal foot of all lands fronting on any
Tater main or water pipe laid by s9fn
limits of said city for supplying water
to the citizens thereof without regard
to the cash value of such property, and
nit n
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,
deVseS, requests, legacieS 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 it may be graded or progress
sive, but shall not exceed maximum
tax of five per cent.
Section .. The legislature shall pro-
vide for an annual tax sufficient to de-
fray the estimated ordinary expenses of
the state for each year, and whenever it
shall happen that such ordinary eX-
penses of the state for any
year shall exceed the income of the
state for such year. the legislature shall
provide for levying a tax for the ensu-
ing year sufficient, with other sources of
income, to pay the deficiency of the pre-
ceding year, together with the estimated
expenses OF sucn ensuing year. But no
law levying a tax or making other pro-
visions for the payment of interest or
principal of bonds denominated Mime
sofa State Railroad Bonds shall take
effect or be in force until such law shall
have been submitted to a vote of the
people of the state, and adopted by
majority of the electors of the state VOt-
ing upon the same.
Section s. Laws shall be passed tax
ing all moneys, credits. investments in
bonds, stocks, joint stock companies, or
otherwise, also all real and personal
property. according to it's true value in
money; but public burying grounds, pub
lie school houses public hospitals, acad-
emies. colleges, universities, and all SEM
inaries of learning, all churches, church
property used for religious purposes, and
houses of worship, institutions of purely
public charity, public property used ex
clusively for any public purpose, and
personal property to an amount not ex-
ceeding in value two hundred dollars for
each Individual. shlll by general laws.
be exempt from taxation.
Section 4. 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-
scripton, Of all banks and of all bank
banking ST IL always be subject to a
taxation equal to that imposed on the
property Of individuals.
Section II. The legislature may i'm
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
state; also upon the property within this
state of any and all telegraph and tee-
phone companies or owners, whose lines
are in, extend in. into 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
property within this state of all owners
or operators of any and all mines or of
mineral ores situated in this state; 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 similar property in
said state, or upon the earnings thereof
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 it shall be competent for the
legislature, in either or all of such cases,
to impose such tax, upon any or all
PROPERTY thereof within this state, and
in either case by taking as the basis of
such imposition the proportionate. BUSH
ness, earnings, mileage or quantity Of
production 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 of production or
property of such companies, persons or
owners as aforesaid; or in such other
manner or by such other method as the
legislature may determine; but the pro-
ceeds of such taxes upon mining prop
crty shall be distributed between the
state and the various political subdivi-
sjons thereof wherein the same is sit
uatcd in the same proportion as the
proceeds of taxes upon real property are
distributed: Provided further, that moth
ing in this act contained 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-
cent in the manner provided by the Or
binary methods of taxation
And to substitute therefor the fol-
lovjnEs
Section 1. The power OF taxation shal,
never be surrendered, suspended or con-
tracted away. Taxes SHALL be unltorm
upon the same class of subjects. ana