The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-10-21

sought to add an entirely new aeetiea
to Article TX Of the Constitution, to be
known ~ Section IS, and which shall
read a. follows:
Section IS. To secure a sustained
yield Of timber for the use Of the peo-
pie or this state. the proper ofhctals
snail annually levy and collect TAX
| or .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 better
adapted for forestry purposes than for
agriculture for the state at not over
| $3.0O per acre, and for the production
and maintenance thereon of forest ac-
cordlng to forestry principles.
'Unexpended balances shall not lapse
but constitute a fund for forestry pur-
| poses
THE timber produced thereon shall
De sold at 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 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
quiring 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 and
disburse the money hereby provided
and purchase, manage and control the
lands and forests.
mo money shall be paid for any
tract until the attorney general shall
certify to the validity of the title.
HTt shall 10
cessive regular legislatures, by a two
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-
gethcr. They constitute the fOunda-
ton for plan of State differentiation.
Az the constitution stands today. while
the legislature might pass laws pro-
viding funds to be used for the Pur-
chase Of lands, and the cultivation of
the same for REORGANIZATION purposes,
yet 1T is 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 tax of
one-ifteenth of one mill on each dollar
of taxable property in the state. to be
used AZ the legislature shall direct, for
the purchase for the state of land
adapted to forestry purposes, but mt
price not to exceed S. per acre. All
ohcGplTcu 0aI0UCca IN inc Iund tne
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 fair valuation. of
the timber produced sucb land
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, IL organized, OF 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 IL purchased 1t is
found better adapted for any other pur-
pose than the production of timber,
authority IL 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, NIL 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 IL
made. 1t Is further provided that two
successive regular legislatures shall
have power by a twO-thirds vote of
each house 10 repeal any of the fore
going provisions. That Is to say, IL
after a trial, such plan for any reason
Is found to be impracticabIe or undo
riuphcs &Hu NJ appears Az WV hoS-
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 II a distinct change I'm the meth
DDS heretofore in vogue I'm Minnesota,
In the making and revising of the Con-
stitution. Heretofore an amendment
might only he made to the Constitution
or provision of that instrume mt elm
mated by direct vote of the electors.
Under this amendment, II IT be adopt
ed, that power II not taken away and
also exists. But a 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 advisability.