The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-27
And to substitute therefor the follows


improvements upon property benefited
thereby without regard to a cash valua-
tioE: and, provided further. that nothing |
herein contained shall be construed to
affect, modify or repeal any existing law
providing for the taxation OF the gross
earnings Of railroads" i
The purpose and effect Of this amend
ment would be to greatly enlarge the
power OF the legislature with reference
to the subject of taxation. Section one
taxes imposed shall be equaI---as near as
may be-on all forms Of property, and
all property upon which a tax is Imposed
Is required to have CASH VALUATION
equalized throughout the state.
Section two as 1t now stands requires
the legislature to levy the necessary
taxes annually to defray the expenses Of
the state. That Is the duty Of the ieeIs-
Iatureg without any constitutional dlrec-
ton. i
that all real and personal property, In
GLIDING MONEYS, CREDITS and IN
VEsTMENTs in BONDS AND STOCKS,
shall be assessed according to their true
value ir money. .~.....E
Section four as it now stands provides
that property employed In banking shall
be subject to tax equal to that imposed
on other property. This Is only repe-
| titon of the requirements Of Sections one
and three, as no rational person would
claim that banking capital should be ex-
empt from taxation ~ =. > :
not easy to understand, but 1t was in
tended by that section to relieve from the
operation Of sections one and three,
above quoted, property OF the classes
therein enumerated, SO that gross earn
Ings tax could be applied thereto instead
OF direct taxation.
Owing to the provisions Of sections one
and three Of the present Constitution
many amendments were from time to
| time added so as to permit taxes to be
otherwise than upon a cash valuation
equaIlzed throughout the state. We have
among these exceptions railroad gross
| earnings taxes; munlclpa Ifrontage taxes;
| Inheritance taxes; and the gross earnings
| taxes authorized by said section seven
| teen.
| Several exemptions from taxation are
also provided for, but as these exemptions
are not changed by the proposed amend
ment, will make no further reference
to them.
The amendment which, adopted,
would take the place of all Of the Sec
| tons and amendments above referred to,
| Is simple and plain. No provision Of the
Constitution Is necessary to authorize the
| imposition OF the taxes necessary for the
support of the state and Its various
political subdivisions. The power Of tax
alton Is Inherent In government. This
proposed amendment declares that this
Inherent power Of taxation shall never be
surrendered, suspended or contracted
away; that taxes shall be Imposed for
public purposes and shall be uniform on
the same class of subjects. Should this
amendment be adopted all property Of
every kind In the state would be subject
to taxation, according to the method the
legislature saw fit to adopt, provided only
that the tax was levied for public pur-
pose and was uniform on the same class
of subjects. Under this amendment every
tax law we now have on the statute books
would continue to be valid, because under
this amendment all Limitations on the
power Of the legislature would be taken
away. 49,"
The adoption Of this amendment would,
as Indicated, repeal the so called irrtneris
tance tax amendment, and the gross- earn :
lngs tax amendment adopted In 1896 as
contained In said section seventeen, but
In their place this amendment would give
the legislature greater authority. Under
this amendment the power to impose In
herItance taxes would be unlimited, and
any form Of gross earnings tax would
railroads would not be affected by this
amendment, as tho constitution provides
that 1t can not be changed without vote
OF the people. But with this amendment
: various new forms Of taxation could be
Imposed, notably an Income tax and a
.
present Constitution we can impose nc
! tax on mortgages owned by non residents
. A registry tax, which would be valid un
der this amendment; would reach al
MORTGAGES alike. While all subjects o.
taxation are required to have cash val
uaton with the tax equaIlzed throughout
the state, no proper Income tax couIe
: be imposed. Such tax, II imposed, shouie
be progressive, which would be valid IN
l der this amendment.
The second proposed amendment Is con
. taned In Chapter 212 OF the Laws o
! 1905. It Is sought by this amendment t.
i, repeal Section Is Of Article 8 Of tho Con
). stltutIon, which Is as follows:
! "Section 16. For the purpose of lending
: aid in the construction and improvement
r Of public highways and bridges, there i
e hereby created fund to be known a
the State Road and Bridge Fund" Sal
T fund shall include all moneys accruin
r from the income derived from invest
r ments In the internal Improvement Ian
: fund, or that may hereafter accrue t
. said fund and shall also, include all fund
II accru1ng to any state road and bridg
: fund. however provided. The legislator
= is authorized to add to such fund 70
the purpose Of constructing or improvin
: roads and bridges Of this state, by pro
= vidng. in it's discretion, for an annus
- tax levy upon the property Of this stat
# of not to exceed In any year one
- tWenCl6tn OF one mill on all the taXaDl
e property within the state. The legisla
Is ture is also authorized to provide fc
IS the appointment by the governor Of tn
= state "a board to be known as the Stat
IS Highway Commission consisting
h three members, who shall perform sue
n duties shall be prescribed by la:
'r without salary or compensation othe
le than personal expenses. Such commits
IN sion shall have general superintendent
y Of the construction Of state roads ar
10 bridges and shall use such fund in tt
=, construction thereof and distribute tt
J., same in the several counties in the sta;
% upon an equitable basis. Provided fu
re- Their, that no county shall receive
of any year more. than three per cent
so less than one-half Of one per cent
Ill the total fund thus provided and e,
LII pended during such year; and provide
IS further, that no more than one third
In such fund accruing in any year she
to be expended for bridges. and In no. ca
IS. shall more than one-third of the cost
ID constructing or improving any road d
OF bridge be paid by the state from SUI
IL fund.- >.' ..H . = ~ 2!
ne and substitute therefor the folIowIn
Of Section is. For the purpose Of len
or ing aid In the construction and improv
ny ment Of public highways and bridge
r. there Is hereby created a fund, to
oh known as the State Road and Bird
he Fund.- said fund shall include all none
IS, accruing from the income derived fro
f,Nyo tina 1f fhf {S7&N p,rI