St. Paul tidende. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1902-1928, 1910-10-28

souEht to add an entirely new sectioA
to Article TX Of the Constitution, to be
known as Section Is, and which shah
read N fsIlowss
Section IS. To secure . sustained
yield Of timber for the use of the peo-
pie of this state. the proper officials
of one-ffteenth Of one mill on each
dollar of taxable property within this,
state. the proceeds of which shall be
used for the purchase of land bette:
adapted for forestry purposes than for
agriculture for the state at not over
$500 per acre, and for the production
and maintenance thereon of forest &C.
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 a 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 II
unorganized, to the county, in which
the land is situated, in aid of public
schools and roads.
Should any tract acquired be founG
better adapted for any other purpose
than the production Of timber, 1t ma!
be sold and the proceeds used for &C.
curing or developing forestry land.
Until otherwise directed by the leg
, islature, which may supplement these
provisions with necessary enactments>
the state forestry board shall draw an.
disburse the money hereby PROVIDE
and purchase, manage and control thu
lands and forests.
mo money shall be paid for an!
tract until the attorney general shall
certify to the validity Of the title.
"It shall be competent for two sue
Iy = fuyN
thirds vote Of each house. to repeal any
of these provisions"
EFFECT. This proposed amend
ment, and the proposed amendment
hereafter mentioned should be read to-
gether. They constitute the foundo-
tion for a plan Of State reforestrati"n.
As the constitution stands today, while
the legislature might pass laws pro-
vidinE funds to be used for the pur-
chase of lands, and the cultivation of
yet 1T IL not directed to do SO. The
effect then Of this amendment is to
COMPEL the taxing officers Of the state
to annually levy and collect q tax of
One-Afteenth Of enc mill On each dollar
Of taxable property in the state, to he
used N. the Legislature shall direct, for
the purchase for the state Of lanai
adapted to forestry purposes. bat at y
u~nexpired balances In the fund ut the
7 end of each fiscal year shall not lapSe.
but shall he carried over int the fund
THUS raised for the succeeding year and
shall be an addition thereto. 1t ais"
directs the sale. at a fair valuation, Of
the timber produced IN such land 40
purchaseL. the ayMen Of three
fourths of the money received there.
from into the state treasury. and til:
payment Of the remaining 0ne-four'h
to the town, II organized, or otherwlse
to the county in which the land IL sit
uated, and that the same shall there
be credited to the public school funds.
II after the lasd II purchased 1t In
found better adapted for any other Pur-
pose thar the production of timber
authority !. contained in this amend
ment to sell 1t. but the proceeds must
be used for acquiring or developing
forestry land. Until the legislature
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 In
made. 1t IL further provided that tw"
successive regular Legislatures shall
have power by a 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
IL found to be inpracticable or unde-
sirable. and 1t so appears to tive sue
~cessive Legislatures, any or all Of the
fore going provisions OF the Ame
may be repealed. The Legislature does
not now posses ~ such power and the
same in a distinct change In the meth
eds heretofore in vogue In Minnesota,
in the making aDd revising of the Con-
stitutiOn. Heretofore an eAdMe
might only he made to the Constitution
or n provision Of that Instrument elm
mated by direct vote of the electors.
Under this amendment, II 1T be adopt
ed, that power IL not taken away and
also exists. but arnew power, that Of
repeal by the Legislature, As to this
amendment. IL created. Suck power,
however, would extend to Nc other pro-
vision Of the C~onstitution and a1ords
an easy method Of change In case Of
necessity or ad~visab ility.