The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1926-09-29
Voters viii Pass
on Three Amendments

For the purpose of acquainting vot-
ers of Minnesota with the three pro-
posed amendments to the Constitu-
ton of Minnesota which will be SUBJ
mitted to the electors for their ap-
prevail or rejection on November End,
the st. Paul Civic Union, Incorporated,
through it's committee on elections,
Charles j. Andre, chairman, has COM
pleted an analysis of the proposals.
Amendment No. 1
The analysis shows that Amend
ment No. l provides in effect that the
Supreme Court shall hereafter consist
of Chief Justice and six Associate
Justices, instead Of a Chief Justice
and four Associate Justices, as pro-
vided by the Constitution.
At the general election in 1918 a
proposed amendment increasing the
number of Associate Justices from
four to six was submitted to the peo-
pie but did not receive the required
number of votes to pass. It there
fore become necessary for the Legis-
lature to pass an act providing for the
appointment of two Supreme Court
Commissioners, which it did. The act
provided that each Commissioner
should possess the same qualifica-
tions, be appointed for the same term,
receive the same compensation, per-
form the same duties and take like
oath as the Justices of the Supreme
Court. 1t also provided that upon the
increase of the Associate Justices to
six the office of Supreme Court Com
missioner should without further act
be abolished.
Since 1913 the Supreme Court of
Minnesota has consisted of Chief
Justice, four Associate Justices and
two Commissioners. The Commits
sioners. differ from the Justices in
only two particulars, viz: (D Justices
are entitled to vote on all questions
before, the Court, whereas the Com
missioners are not entitled to vote,
a minority instead Of a majority of
the Court sometimes decide the case.
1t is argued by those in favor of the
amendment that as long as the people
pay the salaries they should have the
privilege of electing. the Commission
lers. The result of the passage of this
amendment will be, briefly, change
from Commissioners" to Associate
Justices" and to make the offices of
the members of the Court elective in
stead of partially appointed. No new
office is thereby created and the State
will not incur any additional expense.
The amendment has been approved
by many courts and by the State Bar
Association.
Amendment No. 2
+ Amendment No. 2 is an addition to
the Constitution and not a change in
any existing provision. It reads as
follows:
"Laws may be enacted for the pur-
pose of encouraging and promoting
forestation and reforestation of lands
in this state, whether owned by pri-
vate persons or the public, including
the fixing in advance of definite and
limited annual tax on such lands for
a term of years and yield tax at
or after the end of such term upon
the timber and other forest products
so grown, but the taxation of mineral
deposits shall not be affected by this
amendment"
A similar amendment was submit
ted to the people at the general cleo
ton in November, 1924, but failed to
receive the required number of votes
in order to pass.
It is not intended that the state shall
engage in forestation or that public
funds shall be expended for that pur-
pose. 1t is intended, however, that the
laws relating to taxation shall be
changed SO that private capital and
enterprise will be induced to engage
in forestation for commercial and civ
ic purposes. The proposed amend
ment is in the nature of an enabling
act
If the proposed amendments adopt
ed the Legislature will have the pow
err to classify lands in this State. with
reference to their adaptability or use
for growing timber and to tax lands
devoted exclusively to the growing OF
timber separate and apart from the
timber itself and to tax the timber
only after given number of years
or after it has reached maturity. The
precise plan will, of course, be worked
out by the Legislature. The object
will and must be to reduce the tax
burden on such lands while the tim
Der is growing and to levy no taxes
on the timber itself until it has reach
ed merchantable state.
Amendment No.
Section 8, Article 10 of the Consti-
tuition of Minnesota, as amended on
November 9Th, 1872, by the people of
the state, is interpreted by the SUI
preme Court of Minnesota as meaning
that a stakeholder in any Minnesota
corporation is liable for double the
of stock held by him for the
payment of debts of the corporation.
He is first liable for the payment of
the par value of his stock and if the |
corporations assets have been ex-
hausted in the payment of it's debts
the stakeholder is liable for any re-
debts to the amount of the
par value of the stock owned or held
by him.
The following proposed amendment