New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-03-29
EIGHT AMENDMENTS
WILL BE VOTED ON
FURTHER WORRIES ARE ADDED
TO MANIFOLD TROUBLES
OF VOTERS
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
IMPORTANT CHANGE IN
LEGISLATION

With two more elections staring them
in the face before the year 1916 has passed
the voters of Minnesota will have fur
ther opportunity to inform themselves
upon matters of state by studying eight
proposed constitutional amendments.
No doubt those vitality interested in the
passage of these amendments will bring
the salient points to the notice of the
voters when the campaign work opens.
The amendments as arranged by
Secretary of State Schmahl are as fol-
lows
Amendment to Section of Arti-
Gle 8 of the constitution to the state of
Minnesota authorizing the setting apart
of a revolving fund of not over $250,000
from the school and swamp lands funds
to be used in constructing roads, bitches
and fire breaks in, through and around
unsold school and swamp lands, and in
clearing such lands.
2-Amendment to Section 6, of Article
8, relating to the investment of school
funds and authorizing the investment
and loaning of school funds on improved
farm lands within this state.
3-Amendment to article 9 authorizing
the legislature to provide by law, to
protect and regulate all public waters
and rivers and for the mining and sale
of any iron ore, or other mineral situated
under the waters of any public lake or
river.
Amendment to section 2, Article
6, increasing the number of associate
justices Of the supreme court from four
to six and that the clerk shall be ap-
pointed by the court.
Amendment to Section II of
Article 4, permitting the approval in
part by the governor single items of an
appropriation bill.
6-Amendment to Section l of Article
1 relative to the taking of private proper
ty.
Amendment to Section /, Article 4,
so as to reserve to the people the direct
power of the initiative and referendum
as additional means to secure and control
legislation, as an additional means by
which the people may amend the con-
stitution.
8-Amendment to Section 7, Article
6, changing the length of the term Of
the judge OF the probate court.
An especial effort probably will be
made for the passage of the first of the
above amendments, particularly by the
people of Northern Minnesota. The
proposed S250,000 revolving fund reverts
back to the state when the purpose it
aims to accomplish has been gained.
State lands, now useless, will be put into
shape for the settler and the latter will
pay back to the state the cost of the i'm
provement.
The third amendment is legislation to
permit exploitation of the iron ore
deposits under public lakes and rivers
by private capital. 1t provides that the
moneys thus derived shall be turned into
the road and bridge fund and those who
stand sponsors to the scheme claim that
eventually this fund will become large
enough to obviate the levying Of taxes
for road and bridge purposes.
The initiative and referendum amend
ment probably is the most important
to the people of the state as whole, as
it would give the people right to
initiate laws through petition and elec-
ton and would curb the enforcement of
any Objectionable legislation enacted by
the state legislature. The merits and
objections to this amendment no doubt
will be thoroughly gone into during the
campaign and in many counties will be
one of the issues the candidates for repre-
sentatives will have to meet.