City of Lebanon v. Schneider, 38196.

• Citation: 163 S.W.2d 588
• Decision Date: 27 June 1942
• Docket Number: No. 38196.,38196.
• Parties: In the Matter of the Petition of the City of Lebanon, a Municipal Corporation, for a Pro Forma Decree authorizing the issuance of $200,000 principal amount of water revenue bonds of said city: CITY OF LEBANON, Petitioner-Respondent, v. A.S. SCHNEIDER, Intervener-Appellant.
• Court: United States State Supreme Court of Missouri

163 S.W.2d 588 In the Matter of the Petition of the City of Lebanon, a Municipal Corporation, for a Pro Forma Decree authorizing the issuance of $200,000 principal amount of water revenue bonds of said city: CITY OF LEBANON, Petitioner-Respondent,
v.
A.S. SCHNEIDER, Intervener-Appellant. No. 38196. Supreme Court of Missouri. Court en Banc, June 27, 1942.

[163 S.W.2d 589]

Appeal from Laclede Circuit Court. — Hon. W.E. Barton, Judge.

AFFIRMED.

Don O. Vernon and Bowersock, Fizzell & Rhodes for intervener-appellant.

(1) The National Defense Co-operation Act of 1941, Laws of Missouri, 1941, pages 493-505, is unconstitutional. It is a local or special law and violates Section 53, Article IV, and Section 7, Article IX of the Constitution of Missouri. State ex inf. Mytton v. Borden, 164 Mo. 221, 64 S.W. 172; State ex rel. Moseley v. Lee, 319 Mo. 976, 5 S.W. (2d) 83; Colley v. Jasper County, 337 Mo. 503, 85 S.W. (2d) 57; Carson v. Baldwin, 346 Mo. 984, 144 S.W. (2d) 134; State ex rel. Holloway v. Knight, 323 Mo. 1241, 21 S.W. (2d) 767; State ex rel. Gentry v. Armstrong, 315 Mo. 298, 286 S.W. 705; State ex rel. Mueller v. Fry, 300 Mo. 541, 254 S.W. 1084; State ex rel. Saline County v. Wilson, 288 Mo. 315, 232 S.W. 140; State v. Logan, 268 Mo. 169, 186 S.W. 979; State ex inf. Barker v. Southern, 265 Mo. 275, 177 S.W. 640; State ex rel. Garesche v. Roach, 258 Mo. 541, 167 S.W. 1008; Bridges v. Holdout Mining Co., 252 Mo. 53, 158 S.W. 579; Hays v. C.C. & H. Mining & Milling Co., 227 Mo. 288, 126 S.W. 1051; Woolley v. Mears, 226 Mo. 41, 125 S.W. 1112; State ex rel. Kinsey v. Messerly, 198 Mo. 351, 95 S.W. 913; State v. Anslinger, 171 Mo. 600, 71 S.W. 1041; State ex rel. Atty. Gen. v. Miller, 100 Mo. 439, 13 S.W. 677. The court takes judicial notice of the population of the various cities and counties of the State. As to cities: State ex rel. Garesche v. Roach, 258 Mo. 541, 167 S.W. 1008; State v. Anslinger, 171 Mo. 600, 71 S.W. 1041. As to counties: State ex rel. Moseley v. Lee, 319 Mo. 976, 5 S.W. (2d) 83; State v. Logan, 268 Mo. 169, 186 S.W. 979. If the exception of St. Louis County contained in the act be stricken from the act, the entire act is thereby rendered invalid. To eliminate the exception and to permit the statute to stand would violate the rule that in construing any statute the intent of the Legislature will be ascertained and effectuated. Cummins v. K.C. Public Serv. Co., 334 Mo. 672, 66 S.W. (2d) 920; St. Louis v. Senter Comm. Co., 337 Mo. 238, 85 S.W. (2d) 21; St. Louis v. Pope, 344 Mo. 479, 126 S.W. (2d) 1201; Artophone Corp. v. Coale, 345 Mo. 344, 133 S.W. (2d) 343. The decisions elsewhere are to the effect that if an exception contained in a statute is eliminated, the entire statute is rendered invalid. Gillespie v. Pickens County, 197 S.C. 217, 14 S.E. (2d) 901; Wilkinson v. Stiles, 200 Ala. 279, 76 So. 45; Edmons v. Herbrandson, 2 N.D. 270, 50 N.W. 970; Mordecai v. Board of Supervisors, 183 Cal. 434, 192 Pac. 40; Winter v. Barrett, 352 Ill. 441, 186 N.E. 113; Springfield Gas & Electric Co. v. Springfield, 292 Ill. 236, 126 N.E. 739; Martin v. High Splint Coal Co., 268 Ky. 11, 103 S.W. (2d) 711; Spraigue v. Thompson, 118 U.S. 90; Connolly v. Union Sewer Pipe Co., 184 U.S. 540, 22 Sup. Ct. 431; Niagara Fire Ins. Co. v. Cornell, 110 Fed. 816. (2) The National Defense Co-operation Act of 1941, Laws of Missouri, 1941, pages 493-505, is unconstitutional because it permits a city having a population of less than 75,000 inhabitants to issue revenue bonds in violation of the provisions of Section 12, Article X of the Constitution of Missouri. State ex rel. Blue Springs v. McWilliams, 335 Mo. 816, 74 S.W. (2d) 363. (3) The covenants and agreements contained in Ordinance No. 1035 of the City of Lebanon have the effect of making the water revenue bonds authorized by said ordinance constitute indebtedness of said City within the meaning of Section 12, Article X of the Constitution of Missouri. The incurring of such indebtedness has not been authorized by the voters of said City as required by the Constitution. (a) The provision of Sections 6, 7, 8 and 9 of Ordinance No. 1035 by which the revenues of the existing waterworks system of the City are pledged to pay the principal and interest of the water revenue bonds in controversy cause such bonds to constitute general indebtedness of the City. Bell v. City of Fayette, 325 Mo. 75, 28 S.W. (2d) 356; Grossman v. Public Water Supply District, 339 Mo. 344, 96 S.W. (2d) 701; Woodmansee v. Kansas City, 346 Mo. 919, 144 S.W. (2d) 137; Dodds v. Kansas City, 347 Mo. 1193, 152 S.W. (2d) 128. (b) The provisions of Section 10, paragraph (b) of Ordinance No. 1035 by which the City may be obligated to pay into the waterworks operating fund a sum equal to the value of the water furnished the City cause the water revenue bonds in controversy to constitute general indebtedness of the City. Hight v. City of Harrisonville, 328 Mo. 549, 41 S.W. (2d) 155; Hagler v. City of Salem, 333 Mo. 330, 62 S.W. (2d) 751; State ex rel. Blue Springs v. McWilliams, 335 Mo. 816, 74 S.W. (2d) 363; Sager v. City of Stanberry, 336 Mo. 213, 78 S.W. (2d) 431. (4) The provisions of Sections 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 of Ordinance No. 1035 unreasonably and illegally restrict the City and its present and future governing bodies in the operation and control of the municipal waterworks system and said provisions and the water revenue bonds of the City based thereon are illegal and void. All municipal ordinances must be reasonable. Corrigan v. Gage, 68 Mo. 541; Skinker v. Heman, 148 Mo. 349, 49 S.W. 1026; State ex rel. Musser v. Birch, 186 Mo. 205, 85 S.W. 361; American Tobacco Co. v. Mo. Pac. Ry. Co., 247 Mo. 374, 157 S.W. 502; State ex rel. St. Louis v. Mo. Pac. Ry. Co., 262 Mo. 720, 174 S.W. 73; Thompson v. St. Louis-S.F. Ry. Co., 334 Mo. 958, 69 S.W. (2d) 936; Union Cemetery Assn. v. Kansas City, 252 Mo. 466, 161 S.W. 261; 3 McQuillin, Mun. Corps. (2 Ed.), sec. 1271, pp. 813-814; Aquamsi Land Co. v. Cape Girardeau, 346 Mo. 524, 142 S.W. (2d) 332. (5) The water revenue bonds of the City authorized by Ordinance No. 1035 have not been advertised for sale as required by the statute.

W.I. Mayfield and Phil M. Donnelly for respondent.

(1) The National Defense Co-operation Act of 1941, Laws of Missouri 1941, pages 493-505, is not a local or special law and does not violate the Constitution of Missouri. State ex rel. Daily Record Co. v. Hartmann, 299 Mo. 410, 253 S.W. 991; Davis v. Jasper County, 318 Mo. 248, 300 S.W. 493; State ex rel. Carpenter v. St. Louis, 318 Mo. 870, 2 S.W. (2d) 713; Hines v. Hook, 338 Mo. 114, 89 S.W. (2d) 53; Hull v. Baumann, 345 Mo. 159, 131 S.W. (2d) 721; Roberts v. Benson, 346 Mo. 676, 142 S.W. (2d) 1058; State ex rel. Zoological Board v. St. Louis, 318 Mo. 910, 1 S.W. (2d) 1021; State ex rel. Gentry v. Curtis, 319 Mo. 316, 4 S.W. (2d) 467; State ex rel. Holloway v. Knight, 323 Mo. 1241, 21 S.W. (2d) 767; State v. McCann, 329 Mo. 748, 47 S.W. (2d) 32. The acts of the Legislature are presumed to be constitutional. State ex rel. Circuit Attorney v. Cape Girardeau & State Line Railroad, 48 Mo. 468; State ex rel. v. Aloe, 152 Mo. 468; Ex parte Loving, 178 Mo. 194; State ex rel. v. Fort, 210 Mo. 512; Thompson v. St. Louis-S.F. Ry. Co., 334 Mo. 958, 69 S.W. (2d) 936; Ward v. Public Service Comm., 341 Mo. 227, 108 S.W. (2d) 136. If the exception contained in the statute be held unconstitutional, the statute should be permitted to stand and remain effective, without the exception. State ex inf. Hadley v. Washburn, 167 Mo. 680, 67 S.W. 592; State ex rel. St. Louis County v. Gordon, 268 Mo. 713, 188 S.W. 160; State ex rel. McDonald v. Lollis, 326 Mo. 644, 33 S.W. (2d) 98; State on inf. McKittrick, Attorney General, v. Cameron, 342 Mo. 830, 117 S.W. (2d) 1078; State ex rel. Dillon v. Braxton County Court, 60 W. Va. 339, 55 S.E. 382; Turner v. Fish, 19 Nev. 295, 9 Pac. 884; State ex rel. Monnett v. Baker, 55 Ohio St. 1, 44 N.E. 516; People ex rel. Stuckart v. Knoff, 183 Ill. 410, 56 N.E. 155; Hale v. McGettigan, 114 Cal. 112, 45 Pac. 1049; Ex parte Gerino, 143 Cal. 412, 77 Pac. 166; People's Bank of Rock Hill v. People's Bank of Anderson, 122 S.C. 476, 115 N.E. 736; Commonwealth v. Petranich, 183 Mass. 217, 66 N.E. 807; Fairley v. City of Duluth, 150 Minn. 374, 185 N.E. 390; Adams v. Standard Oil Co. of Kentucky, 97 Miss. 879, 53 So. 692; Johnston v. Long Furniture Co., 113 Miss. 373, 74 So. 283; State ex rel. Bolens v. Frear, 148 Wis. 456, 134 N.W. 673. (2) The National Defense Co-operation Act of 1941, in permitting a city having a population of less than 75,000 inhabitants to issue revenue bonds, does not violate Section 12, Article X, of the Constitution of Missouri. State ex rel. City of Hannibal v. Smith, 335 Mo. 825, 74 S.W. (2d) 367; State ex rel. City of Excelsior Springs v. Smith, 336 Mo. 1104, 82 S.W. (2d)...