The Appeal., 1910-10-29

to Article TX Of the Constitution, to be
known m Section IS, and which shall
read as follows.
Section Is. To secure sustained
yield of timber for the use of the peo-
PIE OF this state. the proper officials
shall annually levy and collect tax
or one-fifteenth Of one mill on each
dollar Of taxable property within this
state, the proceeds of which shall be
used for the purchase of land better
adapted for forestry purposes than Tor
s5.oo per acre, and for the production
ana maintenance thereon of forest ac-
coIdlng 10 forestry principles.
Unexpended balances shall not lapse
out constitute a fund for forestry pur-
poses. f-<
The timber produced thereon shall
De sold at a fair valuation and the rev.
enue therefrom or from other source
snail be paid into the state treasury
except that one-quarter of the net rev.
enue shall be paid to the towns. or II
uhorganlzed, to the county, in Whlcn
the land is situated, in aid of pubic
schools and roads.
should any tract acquired be found
netter adapted for any other purpose
tnan the production of timber, 1t may
oe sold and the proceeds used tor ac-
curing or developing forestry land.
Until otherwise directed ~ the leg
ls1ature, which may supplement these
provisions with necessary enactments,
the state forestry board shall draw anu
disburse the money hereby provided
ana purchase, manage and control the
lands and forests.
mo money shall be paid for any
tract until the attorney general snail
certify to the validity Of the title.
1t shall be competent for two sue
CGSSlVa c1 a. tWO-
tealrdss IN vote of each house. to repeal any
or these provisions"
EFFECT. This proposed amend-
ment, and the proposed amendment
hereafter mentioned should be read TO-
9ether. They constitute the f0unda-
tion for a plan of State refOrestrntion'
As the constitution stands today, while
tne le&lslature might pass laws pfo-
Vid1nE funds to be used for the Pur-
chase of lands, and the cultivation OF
yet 1t Is not directed to do 80. The
effect then of this amendment Is to
COMFEL the taxing officers of the state
10 annually levy and collect tax OF
one-hfteenth of one mill ON cnch dollar
of taxable property In the state, to be
used as the legislature shall direct, for
the purchase for the state of land
adapted to forestry purposes, but AT q
"r1ce not to exceed 50 per acre. All
unexpired balances in the fund at the
but shall be carried over into the fund
thus raised for the succeeding year and
shall be an addition thereto. l. also
directs the sale, Mt n 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-fOurth
to the town, If organized, or otherwise
TO the county In which the land il sit
uated, and that the same shall there
be credited to the public school funds.
III after the land is purchased it Is
found better adapted for any other .plr-
authority Is contained in this amend
ment to sell 1T, 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 twO-thirds vote OF
| each house to repeal any of the fore
going provisions. That Is to say, If
after a trial, such plan for any reason
Is found to be impracticabie or undle-
sirable, and it SO appears to two sue
cessive legislatures, any Or all of the
foregoing provisions of the nm me,,dment
| may be repealed. The legislature does
not now possess such power and the
| same is n distinct change in the meth
DDS heretofore in vogue In Minnesota,
in the making and revising of the Con-
| stitutiOn. Heretofore an amendment
might only be made to the Constitution
or 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, as 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 advikability.