The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-10-07

ssugAt to add an entirely new section
| to Article TX of the Constitution, to be
known as Section IS, and which shah
read as follows:
Section 1S. To secure a sustained
yield OF timber for the use or the Peo
pie OF this state, the proper ofnciais
| of fifteenth OF one mill on each
| dollar Of taxable property within TINS
state, the proceeds of which shall De
used for the purchase of land better
adapted for forestry purposes thah ior
agriculture for the state at NOT over
1890 per acre. and for the productloh
and maintenance thereon OF forest ae
cordfng to forestry principles.
"Unexpended balances shall not lapse
but constitute 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 onequarter of the net rev.
enue shall be paid to the towns, or il
unorganized, to the county, in which
the land is situated, in aid of public
schools and roads.
Should any tract acquired be found
better adapted for any other purpose
than the production of timber, it may
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 ana
disburse the money hereby provided
and purchase. manage and control the
| lands and forests.
no money shall be paid for any
! tract until the attorney general shall
certify to the validity of the title.
1T shall be competent for two sue
cessive regular legislatures, by q two
! thirds vote of each house, to repeal any
OF these provisions
EFFECT. This proposed amend
ment, and the proposed amendment
hereafter mentioned should he read to-
gether. They constitute the f0unda-
ton for a plan of State differentiation.
As the constitution stands today. while
the Legislature might pass laws pro-
Viding funds to he used for the pur-
| chase Of lands, aud the cultivation of
the same for refOrestratiOn purposes,
! yet it is not directed 10 do The
effect then of this amendment is To
COMPEL the taxing officers of the state
| to annually levy and collect tax Of
Oae-fifteenth of one mill ON ench dollar
OF taxable property I'm the state, TO be
used as the Legislature shall direct, for
the purchase for the state OF land
adapted to forestry purposes. hut at :,
nrfce not TO exceed 80 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 succeeding year and
shall be AN addition thereto. 1t also
directs the sale. AT n fair valuation. of
the timber produced such land
purchased, the payment of three
fOurfhs of the money received there
| from into the state treasury, and tho
| payment of the remaining One-fOurth
to the town, II organized, or otherwise
! to the county ia which the land Is sit
uated, and that the same shall there
| be credited to the public school funds.
! If after the land fs purchased it is
found better adapted for any other pnr-
! pose than the production of timber,
| authority is contained in this amend
| ment to sell il, hut 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 10 all lands
! purchased must he approved by the
| Attorney General before purchase is
made. 1t Is further provided that two
successive regular legislatures shall
have power by n t,ve-thirds vote of
each house to repeal amy OF the fore
| going provisions. That is TO say, Ii
after q trial. such plan for any reason
in found to he impracticable or unde-
Sfrable, aud it SO appears to two sue
cessive legislatures, any or all of thc
foregoing prov inioas of the amendment
may be repealed. The legislature does
not now possess such power and the
same is II distinct change in the meta-
DDS heretofore in vogue in Minnesota,
ia the making and revising Of the Com
situation. Heretofore anne Dtment
might only be made to the Constitution
or II provision of that instrument elm
mated by direct vote Of the electors.
Under this amendment, IL it be adopt
ed, that power il not taken away and
also exists. hut u new power, that OF
amendment, Is created. Such power,
however, would extend to no other pro-
vision OF the Constitution aud affords
nm easy method OF change in case OF
necessity or advisabiIity.