Lemon v. Peyton
Lemon v. Peyton
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The petition to prohibit the appointees of the board of supervisors from holding the election ordered sets forth as its grounds an alleged disqualification of the members of the board of super
The propriety of the rulings of the board of supervisors cannot be called in question by petition for prohibition. That could be done only by appeal.
The point made on the language of the order of the board in speaking of voters qualified to vote for members of the legislature is without force, as one qualified to vote for members of the legislature is a qualified elector for any election under our constitution.
In addition to the grounds set up in the petition, the argument of counsel in this case assails the act of the legislature providing for an election as ordered as unconstitutional on several grounds. Among them is that disposed of by our judgment in Schulherr v. Bordeaux, Sheriff, ante 59.
Another is that the act contravenes the scheme of the constitution for the support of common schools, because schools are required by that instrument to be maintained, and among the revenues devoted by it to their maintenance are “all moneys received for licenses granted under the general laws of the State for the sale of intoxicating liquor or keeping dram-shops.” It is urged that the constitution recognizes the policy of general laws for granting licenses to sell liquors, and founds the common schools in part on this basis for support, and that the legislature may not change this policy thus recognized by the constitution, and may
We have fully considered this objection and reject it as utterly without support in reason or authority. A rule or policy cannot be deduced from the mere recognition of an existing state of things.
Such recognition and a declaration of will based upon it is not a perpetuation of that which is recognized. It cannot be held to prevent change of the conditions recognized, and, besides this, the very constitutional provision invoked for the extraordinary view urged plainly implies the subjection of licenses to sell intoxicating liquor to the laws of the State, those which may at any time be in force, thus embracing the idea of what should at any time be the expressed will of the department intrusted by the constitution with legislative power, i. e., the legislature.
The constitution does not establish any policy or ordain any provision as to licensing or trafficking in intoxicating liquors. As a distinct subject, it is wholly unaffected by that instrument.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- George Lemon v. J. W. Peyton, Commissioners
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Local Option. Interest of supervisor in respect thereto. Whether sufficient to disqualify as judge. A member of a board of supervisors who canvasses for or signs a petition for an election under the “local option” law is not thereby disqualified from acting on such petition in his official capacity in pursuance of the terms of the law. The interest which disqualifies a judge is pecuniary, not political. 2. Same. Writ of prohibition. When the proper remedy. The propriety of the rulings of a board of supervisors in refusing to hear evidence as to the genuineness of the signatures to a petition asking for an election under the “ local option ” law, and in permitting new names to be added after the petition was first presented, cannot be called in question by petition for a writ of prohibition, but only by appeal. 3. Local Option. Electors who are qualified. Case in judgment. The Board of Supervisors of the County of H., in passing on the sufficiency of a petition for an election under the “local option” law, found that it was signed by one-tenth of the voters of the county “ who are qualified to vote for members of the legislature ” in said county, without stating that such voters were qualified according to the last registration hooks. Meld, that this was sufficient, as one who is qualified to vote for a member of the legislature is a qualified elector for any election under our constitution. 4. Constitutional Law. Sale of liquors. Revenue from licenses. Common schools. Provisions for maintaining. An act of the legislature which provides that the sale of liquors shall be prohibited in any county where a majority of the legal voters of such county shall so decide, at an election to be held in accordance with the terms of the act, does not violate the scheme of our constitution for the maintenance of common schools nor the provisions of $ 6, article viii, of the constitution, which declares that “ all moneys received from licenses granted under the general laws of the State for the sale of intoxicating liquors or keeping dram-shops” shall be devoted to the support of common schools.