Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-11-03
VOTE FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL
{. AMENDMENTS

One of the most important PROPOSE
tions to be considered at the COM
ing election is the Amendment to the
Constitution known as Amendment
Number One on the Good Roads
Amendment
AS the Constitution and Road Law
now stands the state pays one-third of
the cost of state roads or bridges pro.
vided the same are continued under
the rules and regulations of the high
way commission. The proposed
amendment provides that the state
shall pay one-half instead of one-third
At present if the state contributes
one thousand dollars in aid of state
road work the counties must contrib.
ute twice as much or two Thousand
dollars. With the proposed amend.
ment in force the counties would be
required to expend only one thous-
and dollars to the states thousand.
The state aid fund is provided by a
tax on all the property in the state;
but no part of the same is expended
within the corporate limits of any
city or village, and as such cities and
villages in the aggregate contribute
about 0ne-half of the total fund it will
be readily seen that the agricultural
communities will be to great extent
the gamers by the adoption of this
amendment.
The second amendment provides for
the repeal Of that provision of the
present constitution which provides
for the publication of the annual re-
port Of the state treasurer in news
paper at the state capital and in the
printed volume of General Laws fol-
lowing each session of the legisla-
ture.5 The old provision is expensive
mwise> and unsatisfactory, but as
long as it remains unchanged, our
state officers are compelled to COM
ply with it. The legislature ought
to be given a free hand to furnish
this information to the tax payers il,
the best way possible
The third amendment il passed will
authorize the state legislature to en-
act "a Estate hail insurance law. It
will authorize the state auditor to
levy an acreage tax on lands which
at the option of the owners thereof,
may have been listed with the coun-
ty auditor for protection against loss
by hail and wind, or either, in this
state, for the purpose of creating an
insurance fund against damage TO
crops by hail-stones on such listed
lands and to provide for the manner
of handling and distribution of said
fund. The amendment is in the in
terests of the farmers and ought to
carry. - -
The fourth amendment relates to
the taking of the state census and re.
districting the state into congression-
al and legislative districts. At pres
ent the re-districting must be done
at the first session after taking the
state or federal census. If the
amendment carries the re-districting
may be done at any session after the
census is taken Northern Minnesota
should vote. solidly, yes.
The fifth amendment provides for
re-forestation. If adopted, about
$4,000 will be annually raised with
which the forestry board must buy
at not over So per acre forestry land
for the state, and produce and main
tain forests thereon according to
forestry principles. Most of the
money will each year be spent for
labor; the future will get the timber
and Minnesota will at once take
rank with the foremost American
states in forestry. Some see in this
amendment a scheme of owners of
cut over lands to sell same to the
state, but that is a narrow view to
take. When we consider how fast
the forests of the country are being
depleted, and we Of this generation
are getting the benefits, we will not
do our full duty to posterity unless
we make some efforts to grow: new
forests. Every citizen who has the
welfare Of the state and future gen.
erations at heart should vote for the
amendment. @
The sixth amendment aims to en-
courage re-forestation by giving the
legislature power to exempt lands Of
private individuals from taxation
when such lands have been planted
with trees. The intention Is that
private persons should supplement
the reforestation work OF the state.
We believe the Legislature should