Morris tribune., 1908-10-03
FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT.


The first proposed amendment Is con-
taIned In Chapter AT of the Laws of
1907. BY this amendment it is sought to
repeal Sections one ~, two ~. three
fsl, four (4) and seventeen ~ Of Article
nine 10y Of the Constitution (the latter
section being the amendment to said Ar
tlele nine (e), adopted in 1880, which
sections now read as follows:
Section l. Ali 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 a cash valuation
and be eaualized and Uniform throughout
the state: Provided, that the legislature
may, by general law or special act, au-
thorfze municipal corporations to levy
assessments for local improvements upon
the property fronting upon such Improve
ments, or upon the property to be bene-
fitted by such improvements or Dotn'
without regard to cash valuation, and in
such manner as the legislature may pre-
scribe: and provided further, that for the
purpose of defraying the expenses OF lay
ing water pipes and supplying any city or
municipality with water the legislature
may. by general or special law, authorize
anv such city Or municipality, having
population, of five thousand or more. to
lew an annual tax or assessment upon
the Iineal foot of all lands fronting on
any water main or water pipe laid by
such city or municipality within cor
porate limits of said city for supplying
water to the citizens thereof without
regard to the cash value of such prop
erty. and to empower such city to collect
any such tax assessments or fines, or
penalties for failure to pay the same, or
nny fine or penalty for any violation OF
the rules OF such city or municipality In
regard to- the use oS water, or for any
water rate due for the same: and pro-
III hot "a "
levied and collected A tax upon all inner
ftances, devises, bequests, legacfes 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
iys but shall not exceed maximum tax
of five per cent.
'sSection e The legislature shall pro-
vide for an annual tax suficient to de-
fray the estimated ordinary expenses or
the, sta te for each. year,Eand whenever 1t
shall happen that such ordinary expenses
of the state for anysyear shall exceed the
income Of the state for such year the
legislature shall provide for levyins a tax
for the ensuing year sufficient, with other
sources OF income, to pay the deficiency
of the preceding year, together with the
estimated expenses Of such ensuing year.
But no law levying tax or making other
provisions 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 vote Of the
people of the state. and adopted by a
majority of the electors of the state vot-
ing upon the same
"Section 8. 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.
academies colleges, universities, and all
seminaries Of learning, all churches,
church property used for religious pur-
poses, and houses of worship, institu-
tons of purely public charity, public
property used exclusively for any public
purpose, and personal property to an
amount not exceeding in value two hun
dred dollars for each individual, SHALL 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-
scription, of all banks and of all bank
ers, so that all property employed IN
banking shall always be subject to a tax
alton equal to that imposed on the prop
erty of individuals.
section Il. ne lSliLuie HidS
pose, or provide for the imposition of, up
on the property within this state of any
and all owners or operators. whether cor
porate or individual, or otherwise, of any
and all sleeping, parlor and drawing 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 telephone COM
panies, 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 owners, or any
or either of the same. doing business in
this state; also upon the property within
this state of all domestic insurance COM
pan:es of this state of any kind; also
upon the property within this state of any
ard all foreign insurance companies doing
business in this state of any kind; also