The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-10-20

sought to add an entirely new section
to Article TX of the Constitutions, to be
known as Section IS, and which snail
read as follows:
Section Is. To secure a sustained
yield of timber for the use OF the pep
pie of this state, the proper omclais
shall annually levy and collect taH
OF one-fifteenth OF one mill on each
dollar of taxable property within TINS
state, the proceeds of wnlch snali oe
used for the purchase of land petter
adapted for forestry purposes than ior
agriculture for the state at not over
>S.oo per acre, and for the production
ana maintenance thereon of forest ac-
corning to forestry principles.
Unexpended balances shall not lapse
but constitute a fund for forestry pur-
poses.
The timber produced thereon shall
be sold al 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 when
the land is situated, in aid or puonc
schools and roads.
Should any tract acquired be found
better adapted for any other purpose
than the production of timber, II may
be sold and the proceeds used ior ae
curing or developing forestry lahu.
Until otherwise directed " the les
islature, which may supplement- lnese
provisions with necessary enacthien'e,
the state forestry board shall draw anu
disburse the money hereby proSittSSo ~
and purchase, manage and cohlroi 'ho
lands and forests.
NO money shall be paid for any
tract until the attorney general SHAH
certify to the validity of the title.
1T shall be competent for two sue
cessive regular legislatures by wv
thirds vote of each house, to repeai any
or these provisions.
EFFECT. This proposed amend
ment. and the proposed amendment
hereafter mentioned should be read To-
Eether. They constitute the founda-
ton for a plan Of State refOrestranon'
As the constitution stands today, WINE
the legislature might pass laws pro-
viding funds to be used for the pur-
chase of lands, and the cultivation OF
the same for REPRESENTATION purposes,
yet it Is not directed to do so. Ine
effect then of this amendment Is 10
COMPEL the taxing officers of the state
to annually levy and collect n tax OF
One-ffteenth of one mill on each uohar
of taxable property in the state, 10 De
used as the legislature shall direct, 1or
the purchase for the state OF land
adapted to forestry purposes, but AT q
price not to exceed 50 per acre. All
unexpired balances in the fund mt the
end of each fiscal year shall not lapse,
but shall be carried over into the fund
thus raised for the succe eding year ana
shall be an addition thereto. 1: also
directs the sale, at fair valuation, OF
the timber produced on such innd SO
purchased, the payment of three
fOurths of the money received there
from into the state treasury, ana the
payment of the remaining One-fOurth
to the town, If organized, or otherwise
to the county in which the land Is sit
uated, and that the same shall there
be credited to the public school funds.
If after the land is purchased 1t IL
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 purch .ises 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 twO-thirds vote OF
each house to repeal any of the fore
going provisions. That il to say, II
after a trial, such plan for any reason
Is found to be impracticable or unde-
sirable, and 1t 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
DDS heretofore in vogue in Minnesota,
In the making and revising of the Con-
stitutiOn. Heretofore an anne n t1ment
might only be made to the Constitution
provision of that instrument elm
mated by direct vote of the electors.
Under this amendment If 1t be adopt
ed, that power is not taken away and
also exists. But 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 i'm case Of
necessity or advisab ility.