Ex Parte Baldwin County Producers Corporation
Ex Parte Baldwin County Producers Corporation
Opinion of the Court
Petition for writ of certiorari to the Court of Appeals to review the decision of that court affirming the judgment of the lower court in the case of Baldwin County Producers’ Corporation v. Adam Fiskhorn, 81 South. 862. The origin and nature of the suit is sufficiently disclosed in the opinion of the Court of Appeals, and need not be here repeated.
*346 This is the first question presented for consideration, and we are of the opinion the court fell into error in so holding. The declaration pf incorporation expressly recites that the company is organized under said act of 1909, using the language:
“This corporation is incorporated under special act of Legislature, approved August 25, 1909, and claims exemption from corporate taxation in amount of $5,000.00.”
The declaration further contains the following, “This corporation is not organized for pecuniary profit.” The corporation's vested with the powers and authority conferred by the act under which it was created, reciting the particular powers and privileges conferred by said act, including the above provision as to the immunity from taxation to the amount of $5,000. Section 5 of the act is set out in the opinion of the Court of Appeals, together with some excerpts from the declaration of incorporation.
While it is true that the charter provisions contained more detail specifications as to the powers of the corporation, and may in some particulars be more general in their scope than that authorized in the act, yet we are of the opinion that, where it so clearly appears and, indeed, is so expressly stated in the articles of incorporation, that the company is in fact organized under the act approved August 25, 1909. Such other powers which may be considered 'beyond the corporate authority will be treated as ultra vires, but would not destroy the powers granted under the corporate authority or change the company from what its declarations of incorporation declare it to be, viz., a corporation incorporated under special act of the Legislature approved August 25, 1909.
The act clearly contemplated that the coz*poration should have some source of revenue, as, indeed, the performance of the powers given or authorized under the act would indicate that funds were required for eaz’rying on the business of the corporation, which was for the mutual benefit of its members. Section 1 of the act discloses that such corporation was to be formed, “not for pecuniary profit in the sense of paying interest or dividends on stock, 1 but for the mutual benefit through the application of co-operation, or other economic principles” ; thus clearly recognizing the need of revenue necessary to carrying out the lawful purposes of the association, and dz’awing a distinction between pecuniary profits for this purpose and such profits for paying interest or dividends on stock. It was therefore not the legislative intent to create a business corporation, completely shorn of the power of raising revenue, in its corporate capacity, necessary to finance it as a going concern for the purposes for which it was incorporated. We therefore entertain the view that petitioner was incorporated under the act of 1909, and that the holding to the contrary is erroneous.
It is further held by the Court of Appeals that section 8 of article 5 of the by-laws of the corporation was void as being ultra vires, and also as being in restraint of trade. These conclusions are based upon the status of the petitioner as a business corporation, and one not 'organized under the act approved August 25, 1909. As upon this question of petitioner’s corporate status we are in disagreement with the Court of Appeals, and the cause will be reversed, we need make no decision as to the validity of said by-law, as with the changed situation that court may, upon reconsideration of the cause, adopt an entirely different view.
In addition to this, the opinion does not treat the evidence i*elating to this particular by-law, and it is doubtful as to whether or not under the rule governing cases of this character sufficient data here appears for a proper review of the same.
kept on hand for use of its members fertilizers and seeds necessary in planting and z’aising crops of all kinds, puz-chasing the same at wholesale, and fuzmishing the same to its members at wholesale prices. That the agent of the company daily received reports of the prices of produce in the various markets accessible to Foley, and furnished the same to its members whenever desired; and that in fact petitioner was actively engaged in rendering service to its members— *347 resulting in mutual profit and advantage to each of them. That it was necessary that it have a source of revenue to carry on the expenses of the corporation, and to this end adopted by-law numbered 9 of article 5, to the effect that all members of the corporation shall pay 3 per cent, of their gross sales to the corporation for all produce handled by the corporation, and also section 8—set out in the opinion of the Court of Appeals—for the payment of 3 per cent, of the gross sales made to any person other than the authorized agent of the corporation. That, in short, the corporation, for the services rendered, fixed a charge of 3 per cent, upon the gross sales of the produce of its members, whether sold through the corporation or not.
Prima facie the by-law in question was valid, and not ultra vires (Ala. City, G. & A. Ry. Co. v. Kyle, 81 South. 54 1 ), and the burden of showing invalidity rests upon those impeaching it.
For the errors first pointed out, the writ will be granted, and the judgment will be reversed, and the cause remanded to the Court of Appeals for further consideration.
Writ granted; reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ex Parte Baldwin County Producers' Corporation.
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- Published