The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1906-11-03
PROPOSED
Amendments
TO THE
Constitution.
OF MINNESOTA
Hon. Peter e. Hanson,
Secretary Of State.

Sir:
As required by Section rs of the
Revised Laws, I 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 1853 of the
Laws of 1908. BY this amendment it
is sought to repeal Sections one CD,
two ca, three 90, four a. and sew
enteen 90 of Article nine co. OF
the Constitution (the latter section
being the amendmen to said Article
nine co. adopted in 1896 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 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
tions to levy assessments. for local i'm
proVements upon the property fronting
upon such improvements, or upon the
property to be benefited by such i'm
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-
iipallty with water. the Legislature may,
by general or special law, authorize any
such city or municipality, having a pop
ulat1on OF five thousand or more, to levy
nea oo 6 tax ali or and upon the
water main or water pipe laid by such
city or municipality within corporate
limits of said city for, supplying water
to the cash value OF such property, and
to empower such city to collect any
such tax. assessments or fines, or penal
fine or penalty for any Violation Of the
rules or 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 tax upon all inhertances,
devlses, bequests, legacies and gifts Of
every kind and description above a
hxed 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
siye, but shall not exceed a maximum
tax OF five per cent.
Section 2. 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 shall, happen gs tia that such ordinary ex-
shall exceed the income ier of a thy
state for such year, the legislature shall
provide for levying 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 such ensuing year. But no
law levying tax or making other pro-
visions nnisa; for the payment of interest or
sofa State Railroad Bonds shall take
effect or be in force until such law shall
nave been submitted to- vote of the
majority of the electors of the state vot-
ing upon the same.
Section 3. Laws shall be passed tax
ing all moneys, credits. investments in
otherwise, also. all real and personal
property, according to it's true value in
money; but public burying grounds, pub
ees ana s
inar1es OF learning, all churches, church
property used for religious purposes, and
houses Of worship institutions of purely
clusively for any public purpose, and
personal property to an amount not ex-
ceeding In value two hundred dollars for
ca each individual. shall by general laws,
Section 4. Laws shall be passed for
taxing the notes and bills discounted or
purchased, moneys loaned, and all other
scription. Of all banks and of all bank
ers,. SC that all property employed in
banking shall always be subject to a
taxation equal to that imposed on the
property Of individuals.
Section II. The legislature may i'm
pose, or provide for the imposition Of,
upon the property within this state Of
any ana all owners nsI:s or operators, whether
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 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
doing business in this state; also upon
the property within this state of all do
mestic 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
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
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
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 bust
mr. anti ~
production. or property now or hereafter
existing of any such companies, persons
or owners, transacted or existing in this
state, in relation to 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 determines; but the pro-
erty shall be distributed between the
state and the various political subdivi-
uated. 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-
eept IN the manner provided by the or
And to substitute therefor the fol.
2owinEs
Section 1. The power Of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended or con-
tracted away. Taxes shall be uniform
upon the same class of subjects, and
shall be levied and collected for public
purposes, but public burying grounds,
public school houses, public hospitals.
academies, colleges, universities, and all
seminaries of learning, all churches,
church property, and houses of worship,
institutions of purely public charity, and
public property used exclusively for any
public purpose, shall be exempt from tax
alton, and there may be exempted from
taxation personal property not exceeding
in ual1ra S0O0 FOL, each household. in0i-,