Allen County Agricultural Society v. Board of County Commissioners
Allen County Agricultural Society v. Board of County Commissioners
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The only question for determination in this case is the validity of chapter 144 of the Laws of 1911. There was presented to the board of county commissioners of Allen county the claim of the Allen County Agricultural Society for $836.62, being one-half of the total premiums on certain classes of exhibits paid by plaintiff at its annual fair in September, 1912. At the January meeting of the county board $500 was allowed on account of the claim, which was paid and credited thereon, and upon the refusal of the county to pay the balance of the claim this action was instituted to recover a judgment therefor. The case was submitted to the trial court on an agreed statement of facts, upon which the court rendered judgment in favor of the defendant, and the plaintiff appeals.
The validity of the act depends entirely upon whether the title is sufficiently broad to include certain man
“An act authorizing the county commissioners to assist in payment of premiums for agricultural fair associations that have been holding fairs and in actual operation for three consecutive years, and the repealing of all acts and parts of acts in conflict herewith.”
The trial court held the act to be repugant to section 16 of article 2.of the constitution of the state, which provides that “no bill shall contain more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title,” following the case of The State, ex rel., v. Comm’rs of Wabaunsee Co., 45 Kan. 731, 26 Pac. 483. The title of the act involved in that was:
“An act authorizing the county commissioners of Wabaunsee county to appropriate money for repairing bridge,” etc. (Laws 1889, ch. 98.)
In the body of the act the legislature went beyond the title and declared that the commissioners of that county “are hereby authorized and empowered and it is hereby 'made their duty to appropriate such sum of money as may be necessary to keep in repair” a certain bridge. The act was not declared to be unconstitutional, but it was held that the words, “it is hereby made their duty,” being broader than the title, should be regarded as. of no' force or effect. The act was therefore so construed as to leave it discretionary with the commissioners to make the appropriation for such repairs.
Counsel for plaintiff with much insistence urge that the Wabaunsee case, swpra, was not well decided; that
It follows, therefore, that the judgment is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.