The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-10-23
SECOND PROPOSED AMENDMENT.

CoHtdfncu III SHdpteT ffo VI NV -
Minnesota for the year 1907. BY .'s
amendment il Is sought to repeal Session
sixteen (16) Of Article nine ~ OF '"e
Constitution, which section now reaos aS
follows:
For the purpose of lending aid In tne
construction and Improvement OF puphc
highways and bridges, there is heIepy
created a fund to be known as the State
Road and Bridge Fund Said fund snah
include all moneys accruing from the III
come derived from investments in tue
internal improvement land fund or that
may hereafter accrue to said 1uno, aiio
shall also include all funds accrulng 10
any state road and bridge fund, however
provided.
THE legislature is authorized to add to
such fund for the purpose of CONSTRUCTING
or improving roads and bridges of this
state, by providing, in it's discretion, ior
an annual tax levy upon the property Vi
this state of not to exceed In any year
one-twentieth Q-20) of one "a mill on
all the taxable property within the state
1.-THE legislature is also authorized TO
provide for the appointment, by the gov
ernor of the state, of board TO De
known as the State Highway Commis-
sion,' consisting of three CD members
who shall perform such duties as Shall De
prescribed by law without salary or COM
pensation other than personal expenses. ,
SUCH COMMISSION SHALL lidNS SNAA~
superintendent of the construction OF
state roads and bridges and shall use
such fund in the construction thereon ana
distribute the same in the several couh-
ties in the state upon an equltable OASIS.
Provided further, that no county SnaH re-
ceive in any year more than three lo)
per cent or less than one-haf (1s) OF one
Cd per cent of the total fund thus pro-
vided and expended during such year.
and, provided further, that no more
than one-third G-3) of such fund accru-
ing in any year shall be expended TOT
bridges, and in no case shall more than
third G-3) of the cost of construc-
ton or improving any, road or bridge De
paid by the state from such fund,
and to substitute therefor the following:
Section IS For the purpose of lend
ing aid in the construction and improve
ment of public highways and bridges
there is hereby created fund to be
known as the State Road and Bridge
Fund Said fund shall include all moneys
accruing from the income derived from
investments in the internal Improvement
land fund, or that may hereafter accrue
to said fund, and shall also include all
funds accruing to any state road anu
bridge fund. however provided.
1.-The legiSla ture is authorized to add 10
such fund, for the purpose of construct
ing or improving roads and bridges or
this state by providing, in it's discretion,
for an annual tax levy upon the property
of this state .... .-.
The purpose and effect of this amend
ment Is to authorize the legislature to
levy upon all the property OF the state
any amount necessary, In its Judgment
for the benefit of the roads and bridges
therein, and In so far removes the limita-
ton which now exists In the Constitution,
whereby the legislature is prevented
from Ievying for such purpose a tax ex-
ceedIng ne-twentieth (1-2o) of one (D
mill on the taxable property within the
state. r..
This amendment further authorizes the
legislature to provide salary and compen-
sation, including personal expenses In
CURED in the performance Of duty by the
highway commission, or any other ike
officer entrusted by law with similar du-
ties.
Finally, this amendment removes tha
limitation which new exists In the Con-
stitution upon the powers of the highway
commission In the distribution of the road
and bridge fund Of the state whereby au-
thorzed, and the amount which the stats
may pay from such fund toward the cost
of constructing or improving any road or
bridge, and leaves the whole management
of such fund to be provided for by law,
as the legislature shall deem wise.
d The adoption of this amendment viii
not interfere with the power of the legis-
lature to create a highway commission
and define its powers, nor will it inter
fere with the appointment and tenure OF
office of the present commission.
THIRD PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
The third proposed amendment is con-
taIned in Chapter s7e OF the Laws o.
Minnesota for the year 1907. BY this
amendment it is sought to add the follow
ing section to Article nine (s) OF the Con-
stitutIon as a new section:
Section II. The legislature may pro-
vide for the payment by the State OF
Minnesota of damages to growing crops
by hail and wind, or either, and to pro-
vide fund for that purpose, may i'm
pose a specific tax upon lands. the own
ers of which. at their option, have listed
the same with county auditors for that
purpose, and no payment shall be made
of any such damages except from the
fund so provided
ment Is to authorize the legislature to
permit the state to become the trustee In
the collection and disbursement OF fund
for the payment of damages to growing
crops by hail or wind, or both. This fund
is to be created and maintained by spe-
cific tax upon the lands Of such persons
ONLY as shall VOLUNTARILY list the
ors for such purpose. There can be nc
tax for such purpose imposed on the lands
of any owner who does not consent there
, to- Its adoption will authorize the iegis-
lature to direct that the taxing machinery
of the state be used to levy and coilec,
the tax necessary to raise such fund, and
to provide for the disbursement of the
same by The officers of the state, but any
payments to be made by the state by rea-
son of damage by hail or wind will have
to be made from said fund and from nc
other The state would assume no re-
sponsibIity beyond the amount of such
fund, and could not further be rendered
liable.
FOURTH PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
The fourth proposed amendment is con-
tained In Chapter 48o of the laws of Min
nesota for the year 1907. BY this amend
ment 1t is sought to repeal the provisions
of Section seven (7) of Article seven %
of the Constitution, which section now
reads as follows:
every person who by the provisions
of this article shall be entitled to vote at
any election shall be eligible to any office
which now is. or hereafter shall be. cleo
tive by the people in the district wherein
he shall have resided thirty days previous
to such election. except as otherwise pro-
vided in this Constitution. or the Consti-
tuition and laws OF the United States"
and to substitute therefor the following
Every person who by The provisions OF
this article shall be entitled to vote al
any election shall be eligible to any office
which now is, or hereafter shall be, elec-
tive by the people in the district wherein
IxIt IL