The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-10-15
Honorable Mike Holm,
Secretary Of State,


Secretary Of STATE,
Dear Sir:
In compliance with the provisions
Of Section 46 Of Mason'S Minnesota
Statutes Of 1927. herewith furnish
you statement Of the purpose and
effect Of all proposed amendments to
the Constitution of the State Of Min.
nesota which are to be submitted to
eral election in 1885. In accordance
with certain acts adopted by the 1895
legislature.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. I.
By the adoption of Chapter 393 Of
the Laws of 1885 the legislature has
proposed an amendment to Article 3
Of the State Constitution. The pro-
posed amendment, II adopted. win
not alter the form Of any existing
section of the Constitution, but will
add a new section to be known a.
Section of said Article 8.
The proposed amendment reads a.
follows:
ANY Of the public lands Of the
state. including lands held in
trust for any purpose, may. with
the approval of a commission
consisting of the governor, the
attorney general and the state
auditor, be exchanged for lands
Of the United States and other
privately owned lands as the
legislature may provide, and the
lands SO acquired shall be SUBJ
ject to the trust, II any, to which
were subject, and the state shall
reserve all mineral and water
and water power rights in lands
so transferred by the state"
The Purpose and Effect Of the Pro.
posed Amendment.
Tho purpose and effect Of this pro.
posed amendment 10 to authorize the
legislature to provide for exchanging
any OF the public lands Of the state
for lands Of the United States and
land privately owned, such exchanges
to be made with the approval OF q
commission consisting Of the cover.
nor, the attorney general and the
state auditor. Such exchanges Of
land cannot now be made because
the State Constitution does not per.
nit the legislature to authorize the
sale Of school lands, state swamp
lands and state Internal Improvement
lands except by public sale. One I'm.
mediate purpose In granting such
authority 10 to make Il possible tor
the state to acquire compact areas OF
tlon purposes by exchanging land
outside Of such conservation areas
for lands Of the United States and
privately owned lands within such
areas.
The proposed amendment requires
that all mineral rights, water rights
and water power rights In lands 80
transferred by the state shall be 70.
served. The land so acquired will be.
QnhtaNt 10 he
any, as the land disposed Of. For
example, II school land Is given In OK.
change, the land received will be.
come school land.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 2.
By the adoption of Chapter 1874 of
the Laws Of 1895. the legislature pro-
posed an amendment to Section I Of
Article 8 of the State Constitution.
This section now reads as followss
1.-THE power of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended
or contracted away. Taxes shall
be uniform upon the same class
Of subjects, and shall be levied
and collected for public purposes,
but public burying grounds, pub
lie school houses, public hospitals,
and all seminaries Of learning,
all churches. church property and
houses Of worship, institutions Of
purely public charity, public
property used exclusively for any
public purpose, shall be exempt
from taxation, and there may be
exempted from taxation personal
property not exceeding in value
5000, for each household, indi-
household goods and farm mach
inery, as the legislature may de-
termine:
Provided, that the legislature
may authorize municipal corpora
tions to levy and collect assess
ments for local improvements
upon property benefited thereby
without regard to a cash valua-
ton, and provided further, that
construed to affect, modify or
repeal any existing law providing
for the taxation of the gross
earnings of railroads"
II amended as proposed by the
legislature. this section will read az
follows:
1.-THE power of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended
or contracted away. Taxes shall
be uniform upon the same class
Of subjects, and shall be levied
and collected for public purposes,
but public burying grounds, pub
lie school houses, public hospitals,
academies, colleges. universities,
and all seminaries of learning, all
churches, church property and
houses Of worship, institutions Of
purely public charity, and public
property used exclusively for any
public purpose, shall be exempt
from taxation. and there may be
exempted from taxation personal
property not exceeding in value
100000 for each household, indi-
vidual or head of a family. and
household goods and farm mach
inery, as the legislature may de-
termine: y
Provided. that the legislature
may authorize municipal corpora
tions to levy and collect assess
ments for local improvements
upon property benefited thereby
without regard to q cash valua.
ton, and provided further, that
nothing herein contained shall be
construed to affect, modify or re-
peal any existing law providing
for the taxation of the gross
earnings of railroads.
Provided further, that after
January /, 1887, no tax shall be
imposed on any real or tangible
personal property for any state
purpose. except that authorized
by Section 16 of Article 9 of this
Constitution, and/or for the pay
ment of indebtedness of the state
incurred prior to January 1, 1897;
but this proviso shall not limit.
but the state shall have, the
right to impose taxes upon royal
ties, occupations, sales, receipts.
incomes, inheritances, gifts, priv
ileges, franchises, or licenses, or
upon property on the basis Of
IN. iaanrs fc.a