The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-09-17
Vote on Amendment to
Constitution Nov. 4
Continued from first pagc>

CONTINUED from first pagci
sucb a tax in the highway fund Tor
use ON the trunk highway system.
Mr.. Hilton ruled last year that the
state legislature is empowered by the
constitution to levy such tax, but
that unless an amendment were adopt
ed specifying that the tax should be
devoted to road improvements, the
money would have to be placed In the
general revenue fund. The amount
of the tax would be left to the discre-
ton of the legislature.
Effect of Amendments.
"The effect of the amendment, IL
adopted" Mr.. Hilton's opinion to Mr.
Holm reads, "will be that the cost OF
the contraction and maintenance OF
trunk highways, the whole of which
is now paid by direct tax on motor
vehicles, supplemented by federal aid,
will be borne in part by the revenue
derived from such gasoline tax, So
called, as the legislature may I'M
pose"
The proposed amendment for pub
lication of home rule, charter amend
ments shortens the time for publlca-
ton. The constitution now requires
80 days publication.
@ Elevator Amendment.
The terminal elevator amendment
was passed by the 1928 Legislature
through the activities OF the Farmer
Labor members and farmer legisla
tors. The effect of the amendment,
if adopted, will be to- empower the
legislature to acquire by purchase,
lease or the exercise of the right OF
eminent domain, sites for a state
owned public terminal elevator at
Duluth and one at Minneapolis, to es-
tablish, construct, operate and MAIN
tain the elevators, to issue and sell
necessary bonds of the state.
In Mr.. Hilton's opinions on the re-
forestation amendment, "the effect OF
the amendment, if adopted, will be to
empower the legislature to encourage
and promote forestation and refor-
estation of publicly and privately own
ed lands, and to that end to enact ir-
repealable laws for definite and
limited taxation for a term of lands
devoted to forestation and refOresta-
ton, and laws for yield tax, at the
end or after such term, upon the tim
Der or other forest products so grown
upon the lands"
Forest Fire Prevention.
The effect of the forest fire proven
ton amendment, if adopted, according
to Mr.. Hilton, twill be to empower
the state and any of its political sub
divisions when authorized by the leg
islature so to do, to engage in any
work reasonably tending to prevent
or abate forest fires, including the
compulsory clearing and improvement
of publicly and privately owned wild
lands, to assess against those lands
the benefits accrued thereto from such
work and to pay the damages to such
lands in excess of the benefits, if any
resulting from such work, to contrac
debts and pledge the public credit il
carrying on the work"
Only Two in 1922.
At the 1922 election the voters were
confronted with two amendments
both of which were adopted. One wa
the rural credits amendment and tn
other was the iron mining occupation
al tax amendment. In 1920 Their
were four proposed amendments, tire
of which were adopted. The amend
ments which carried were creation O
the trunk highway system, extension
of terms of probate judges to fou
years, and making real property own
ed by railroads subject to assessments
The only amendment voted upon il
1918 was for statewide prohibition
which was lost by few hundred votes
Eight constitutional questions .wer
before the voters in 1916, IL in 1914
seven in 1912 and six in 1910.
That leaders of men are Away
,,ro,.lrarc nfho,.xnriro Aho,r ,xro,,ld no