The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-11-21
NORTH DAKOTA
HAS TWO HAIL
AMENDMENTS
Ore by Referendum and One bv
Initiative Approved at
Last Election
UP TO NEXT LEGISLATURE

North Dakota electors in the recen,
general election apparently approve,
TWO amendments providing for uni
YerSal hail insurance to be financed
by general land tax One of these
was referred by the legislature, after
two assemblies had approved it, AS
finally ratified by majority Of all
the electors voting on the question as
well as by majority OF all the cleo
tors participating in this election, this
amendment to the constitution stands
as follows:
THE legislative assembly may by
law provide for the levy Of tax upon
such lands as may be provided by
law Of the state for the purpose of
| creating fund to insure the owners
OF growing crops against losses by
hail; provided that such tax shall not
affect the tax Of four mills levied by
| the constitution. The legislative as
semoly may classify such lands Of the
state as may be provided by law and
divide the state into districts on such
basis as shall seem just and neces-
sary and may vary the tax rates in
such districts in accordance with the
distribution Of the burden of such tax
among the owners of such land as
may DE provided by law" ..
Nebraska, which has a state hail
tax. divides the state into three zones,
and the amount levied for premiums
varies according to the proven risk in
such zones. In North Dakota there
would be at least two zones, and the
burden would be least in the Red Riv-
er valley section; considerably higher
in the central portion of the state, and
highest on the Slope.
The league hail indemnity amend
ment, which was initiated at the last
election, and which will require a |
majority Of all the votes cast at this !
election. while the legislative amend
ment above described, which was sub
mitted by referendum, will require on
~ a majority of the votes cast upon
this question. is as follows:
ITO amend Sec III in Article II,
changes provisions reiating to assess
ment of improvements on land, to pro-
piston authorizing tax on lands for
the purpose of indemnifying owners
of growing crops against damage by
hail, as follows:
The legislature may by law pro-
vide for the levy and collection Of an
acreage tax on lands within the state
in addition to the limitations speci-
fed in Sec. ia in Article II of the
The proceeds of such
tax shall be used to indemnify the
awners of growing crops against
damages by hail; provided that lands
used exclusively for public roads,
rights of way of common carriers,
mining, manufacturing or pasturage
may be exempt from such law"
This amendment appears to have
been approved By 47,9t0 Of the 33,436 4
electors whose ballots in the recent
election have been counted on the
initiative measures to date The legis-
latiye assembly which conyenes Jan
uary | may therefore take its pick Of
TWO hail amendments, both covering
much the same ground, but the league
lmeqdment specifically exempting the
Of railways, mines and other
Industries and enterprises from taxa
ion. II
North Dakota has had state hail II
insurance for many years. The fund
1as been created by premiums paid by
farmers who have voluntarily insured
heir crops with the state. A very
small percentage of the farmers have
the state hail department,
Ind the state has never been in
position to pay 100 per cent on THE
osses adjusted. This year the hail
department. collected about 100000
md paid about SO per cent on adj
listed losses. In former years the
tate has paid as little as 80 per cent
Il the adjusted loss. Al.
Under either of the amendments
which have now been added to the
the 10Th legislative as
embly may provide for general
lail tax which will create great
tate fund which will insure all crops
n North Dakota against loss. 1t is +:
that the legislature will be 4
sked to fix the maximum insurance r..
t not less than SIS, whereas in the
asst the general maximum among old :
inc companies has been 81 to $40. :
| tax of five cents per acre upon :
forth Dakota's land area of 44,735 ,03o :
~ Lo3 ~