Morris tribune., 1910-10-07

to Article TX of the Constitution, to be
known as Section 1S, and which shall
read as follows:
Section Is. To secure a sustained
yield of timber for the use of the peo-
pie of this state, the proper officials
of one-fifteenth of one mill on eacn
dollar of taxable property within TINS
state, the proceeds of which shall pc
used for the purchase of land betteF
adapted for forestry purposes than LOT
agriculture for the state at not over
$500 per acre, and for the production
and maintenance thereon Of forest ac-
cOrding to forestry principles.
"UneXpended balances shall not lapse
but constitute a fund for forestry pur-
poses.
The timber produced thereon shall
be sold at fair valuation and the rev
enue therefrOm or from other source
shall be paid into the state treasury
except that one-quarter of the net rev.
enue shall be paid to the towns, or IL
unOrganized, to the county, in WnIch
the land is situated, in aid OF puOIlc
schools and roads.
Should any tract acquired be touno
better adapted for any other purpose
than the production of timber, it may
be sold and the proceeds used lot az
quiring or developing forestry Iano'
Until otherwise directed by the leS-
islature, which may supplement- theS0
provisions with necessary enactmeh'9'
the state forestry board shall draw anu
disburse the money hereby proyylqttS5oo u
and purchase, manage and COntfoI CL0
lands and forests.
mo money shall be paid for any
tract until the attorney general SnalI
certify to the validity Of the title
'It shall be competent for two sue
cessive regular legislatures, by t"o-
thirds vote of each house, to repeal ally
of these prOViSiOns.
EFFECT. This proposed amend
ment. and the proposed amendment
hereafter mentioned should be read 10
Eether. They constitute the fOundn-
tiOn for plan of State refOreStratiOn' H.
AS the constitution stands today, WhAI~
the legislature might pass laws pro-
Vidfng funds to be used for the pur-
chase of lands, and the cultivation VI
the same for refOrestratiOn purposes
yet it is not directed to do so. Inc
effect then of this amendment is 10
COMPEL the taxing officers OF the State
to annually levy and collect a tax OF
One-fifteenth of one mill on each uOh"r
of taxable property in the state, 10 De
used as the Legislature shall Direct AOr
the purchase for the state of lana
adapted to forestry purposes, but AT Il
price not to exceed $3 per acre. All
uneXpired balances in the fund al the
end of each fiscal year shall not lapSe'
but shall be carried over into the tum0
thus raised for the succeeding year ana
shall be an addition thereto. l. also
directs the sale, at fair valuation, OF
the timber produced ON such land so
purchased, the payment of three
fOurths of the money received there
from into the state treasury, and the
payment of the remaining One-tOurth
to the town, if organized, or otherwise
to the county in which the land rs SIT
uated, and that the same shall there
be credited to the public school funds.
If after the land is purchased it is
found better adapted for any other pur-
pose than the production of timber,
authority is contained in this amend
ment to sell it, but the proceeds must
be used for acquiring or developing
forestry land. Until the legislature
provides otherwise, all purchases shall
be under the direction of the State For
estry Board. The title to all lands
purchased must be approved by the
Attorney General before purchase is
made. 1t is further provided that two
successive regular legislatures shall
have power by tVVO-thirdS vote OF
each house to repeal any Of the fore
going provisions. That is to say, III
after trial, such plan for any reason
is found to be impracticable or unde-
sirabIe, and it SO appears to two sue
cessiVe legislatures, any or all of the
foregoing provisions of the amendment
may be repealed. The legislature does
not now possess such power and the
same is a distinct change in the meth
Ods heretofore in vogue in Minnesota,
in the making and revising of the Con-
stitutiOn. Heretofore amendment
might only be made to the Constitution
or a provision of that instrument elm
mated by direct vote of the electors.
Under this amendment, If it be adopt
ed, that power is not taken away and
also exists. But a new power, that of
repeal by the Legislature, to this
amendment, is created. Such power,
however, would extend to no other pro-
vision of the Constitution and affords
an easy method of change In case of
necessity or adviSability.