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48 NORTH DAKOTA REPORTS

act proved to be invalid. State ex rel. Linde v. Packard, 32 N. D. 301, 155 N. W. 666. It repeated the attempt in 1917, only to retrace its steps later, and specifically repeal this law in 1919 at the special session. As showing, however, the extent to which moneys and credits had evaded taxation before the change in the law, it is significant that under the 1917 act over $100,000,000 of moneys and credits were rendered subject to taxation at the 3-mill rate (Report, N. D. Tax Commission 1919, chap. 8).

During the period prior to the attempted classification of moneys and credits for the purpose of levying the 3-mill tax, “bonds and stocks,” both of domestic and foreign corporations, other than bank stock, were practically not taxed at all; the valuation of these items for the entire state being less than $75,000. See Report of the Tax Commission for 1912, p. 186.

The 1917 Money and Credits Law (chap. 230) provides (§ 1):

“‘Money’ and ‘credits’ as the same are defined in § 2074 of the Compiled Laws of 1913, including bonds and stocks, are hereby exempted from taxation other than that imposed by this act, and shall hereafter be subject to an annual tax of three mills on each dollar of the fair cash value thereof. But nothing in this act shall apply to money or credits belonging to incorporated banks or building and loan associations situated in this state, nor to any indebtedness on which the tax is paid under a mortgage registration act, or is exempted by statute.” (Italics are ours.)

The act of the Special Session of 1919 (chap. 62, Laws of the Special Session), which expressly repeals the chapter of which the foregoing is a part, reads in part as follows (§ 1):

“Money and credits, as the same are defined in § 2074 of the Compiled Laws of North Dakota for the year 1913, including bonds and stocks, are hereby exempted from taxation; provided, however, that the income therefrom except as to income derived from loans on North Dakota real property shall be taxable under the provisions of chap. 224 of the laws of North Dakota for the year 1919 except as therein exempted; provided, further, that stocks and bonds shall be subject to taxation in the mariner provided by chap. 222 of the Laws of North Dakota for the year 1919. Provided that nothing in this act contained shall affect the validity of any tax upon transfers of property by will, gift, or in-