Moody v. Hagen

• Citation: 162 N.W. 704,36 N.D. 471
• Decision Date: 04 April 1917
• Docket Number: 1915
• Court: United States State Supreme Court of North Dakota

162 N.W. 704

36 N.D. 471

HOWARD MOODY, as Executor, Petitioner, v. OTTO A. HAGEN, Elina A. Skarderud, Emelia Mattison, and All Other Persons Interested in the Estate of Martin A. Hagen, Deceased, Respondents, and the Tax Commission of the State of North Dakota, Intervener

No. 1915

Supreme Court of North Dakota

April 4, 1917

Appeal from an order and judgment of the District Court of Cass County reversing an order of the County Court and fixing the amount of an inheritance tax, Pollock, J.

Intervener appeals.

Reversed.

Reversed and remanded.

George E. Wallace and F. E. Packard, for appellant.

Aliens take only as the law provides. It was the common-law rule that aliens could not acquire title by descent; 2 A. R. C 123, 124, 129, note; 1 R. C. L. 870, and note 18.

The question of the propriety of a statute rests in legislative discretion, and an act may be declared unconstitutional only when it violates that instrument clearly, and in such a manner as to leave no reasonable doubt. Stewart v. Polk County, 30 Iowa 9, 1 Am. Rep. 238.

This state has removed the common-law disability of aliens by statute. Comp. Laws 1913, § 5759; 1 R. C. L. 815, and note 10; Wunderle v. Wunderle, 144 Ill. 40, 19 L.R.A. 84, 33 N.E. 195; Beavan v. Went, 155 Ill. 592, 31 L.R.A. 85, 41 N.E. 91.

A state may extend the right of citizens as to property to foreigners who become bona fide residents. State ex rel. Ling v Preble, 18 Nev. 251, 2 P. 754.

It may also extend to nonresident aliens the right of inheritance. Ettenheimer v. Heffernan, 66 Barb. 374; Kull v Kull, 37 Hun, 476; Garretson v. Brien, 3 Heisk 534; Murray v. Kelly, 27 Ind. 42.

A state may give such right to resident aliens, to the exclusion of nonresident aliens. Furenes v. Mickelson, 86 Iowa 508, 53 N.W. 416; Easton v. Huott, 95 Iowa 473, 31 L.R.A. 177, 64 N.W. 408; Ware v. Wisner, 4 McCrary, 66, 50 F. 310; Stemple v. Herminghouser, 3 G. Greene, 408; Krogan v. Kinney, 15 Iowa 242; Rheim v. Robbins, 20 Iowa 45; White v. Rettenmyer, 30 Iowa 268; Brown v. Pearson, 41 Iowa 481; King v. Ware, 53 Iowa 97; Mitchell v. Vest, 157 Iowa 336, 136 N.W. 1054; Ahrens v. Ahrens, 123 Iowa 486, 123 N.W. 164, Ann. Cas. 1912A, 1098; Louisville v. Gray, 1 Litt. (Ky.) 147; Beard v. Rowan, 9 Pet. 301, 9 L.Ed. 135, 1 McLean, 135; Yeaker v. Yeaker, 4 Met. (Ky.) 33, 81 Am. Dec. 530; Wacker v. Wacker, 26 Mo. 426; Harney v. Donohoe, 97 Mo. 141, 10 S.W. 191; 2 Bl. Com. 249; 2 Kent, Com. 54; N. H. Pub. Stat. 1901, chap. 137, §§ 16, 17, chap. 176, § 8; Re Colbert, 44 Mont. 259, 119 P. 791; Ettenheimer v. Heffernan, 66 Barb. 374; Goodrich v. Russell, 42 N.Y. 179; Luhrs v. Eimer, 80 N.Y. 171; Hall v. Hall, 81 N.Y. 130, 13 Hun, 306; McConville v. Howell, 5 McCrary, 319, 17 F. 104; Wunderle v. Wunderle, 144 Ill. 40, 19 L.R.A. 84, 33 N.E. 195.

The law generally recognizes the classification of aliens as resident and nonresident aliens. Also as alien friends or alien enemies. Luhrs v. Eimer, 80 N.Y. 171; Re Wehlitz, 16 Wis. 443, 84 Am. Dec. 700; 2 C. J. 1043, 1061, 1063, and note 68, 1070, and notes 35 and 36; Re Gill, 79 Iowa 296, 9 L.R.A. 126, 44 N.W. 553; 1 Bl. Com. 372; Dorsey v. Brigham, 177 Ill. 250, 42 L.R.A. 809, 69 Am. St. Rep. 228, 52 N.E. 303; 2 Kent, Com. 63; Buchanan v. Deshon, 1 Harr. & G. 280; Maiorano v. Baltimore & O. R. Co. 216 Pa. 402, 21 L.R.A.(N.S.) 271, 65 A. 1077, 116 Am. St. Rep. 778; Mulhall v. Fallon, 176 Mass. 266, 54 L.R.A. 934, 79 Am. St. Rep. 309, 57 N.E. 386; Connolly v. Reed, 22 Idaho 29, 125 P. 213; Kennedy v. Wood, 20 Wend. 230; 2 Am. & Eng. Enc. Law, 76; 6 R. C. L. 428, and note 10; Mager v. Grima, 8 How. 490, 12 L.Ed. 1168; Magoun v. Illinois Trust & Sav. Bank, 170 U.S. 283, 42 L.Ed. 1037, 18 S.Ct. 594.

Such classifications are wholly within legislative discretion. Such statutes must be based upon some natural principle of public policy, and must be uniform in their operation on all members of the class or classes to which they are made applicable. 6 R. C. L. 380; Consumers' League v. Colorado & S. F. R. Co. 53 Colo. 54, 125 P. 577, Ann. Cas. 1914A, 1158.

Unless such laws are so manifestly unjust and inequitable as to cause an imposition of burdens on one class to the exclusion of another class without reasonable distinction, they will be upheld. State v. McFarland, 60 Wash. 98, 140 Am. St. Rep. 909, 110 P. 792; 6 R. C. L. 380, and cases therein cited, 385, 386, and notes therein cited, 388, and note 9; Re McKennan, 27 S.D. 136, 33 L.R.A.(N.S.) 620, 130 N.W. 33, Ann. Cas. 1913D, 750.

The population of the state may be classified into cities and villages for certain purposes of government. Budd v. New York, 143 U.S. 517, 36 L.Ed. 247, 4 Inters. Com. Rep. 45, 12 S.Ct. 468; State v. Peel Splint Coal Co. 36 W.Va. 802, 17 L.R.A. 385, 15 S.E. 1000; Mutual Loan Co. v. Martell, 200 Mass. 482, 43 L.R.A.(N.S.) 746, 128 Am. St. Rep. 446, 86 N.E. 916; State v. Sherman, 18 Wyo. 169, 27 L.R.A.(N.S.) 898, 105 P. 299, Ann. Cas. 1912C, 819; Summerville v. Pressley, 33 S.C. 56, 8 L.R.A. 854, 26 Am. St. Rep. 659, 11 S.E. 545; Ex parte Lewinsky, 66 Fla. 324, 50 L.R.A.(N.S.) 1156, 63 So. 577; 1 R. C. L. 801; Trageser v. Gray, 73 Md. 250, 9 L.R.A. 780, 25 Am. St. Rep. 587, 20 A. 905; Allen v. Smith, 84 Ohio St. 283, 95 N.E. 829, Ann. Cas. 1912C, 611; Williams v. Donough, 65 Ohio St. 499, 56 L.R.A. 766, 63 N.E. 84; Bell's Gap R. Co. v. Pennsylvania, 134 U.S. 232, 33 L.Ed. 892, 10 S.Ct. 533; State ex rel. Lewis v. Smith, 158 Ind. 543, 63 L.R.A. 116, 63 N.E. 25, 214, 64 N.E. 18; State v. Shedroi, 75 Vt. 277, 63 L.R.A. 179, 98 Am. St. Rep. 825, 54 A. 1081, 15 Am. Crim. Rep. 129; Slaughter-House Cases, 16 Wall. 36, 21 L.Ed. 394; Grainger v. Douglas Park Jockey Club, 78 C. C. A. 199, 148 F. 513, 8 Ann. Cas. 997; Qoung Wing v. Kirkendall, 223 U.S. 59, 56 L.Ed. 350, 32 S.Ct. 192; Wenham v. State, 65 Neb. 394, 58 L.R.A. 825, 91 N.W. 421.

Withholding from women permits to sell intoxicating liquors, while granting them to others, does not deprive women of any constitutional right. Re Carragher, 149 Iowa 225, 31 L.R.A.(N.S.) 321, 128 N.W. 352, Ann. Cas. 1912C, 972.

Also forbidding them to enter wine rooms for the purpose of being supplied with liquor. Cronin v. Adams, 192 U.S. 108, 48 L.Ed. 365, 24 S.Ct. 219, 29 Colo. 488, 63 L.R.A. 61, 69 P. 590.

Also prohibiting the keepers of such resorts from permitting women to frequent their places of business. Cronin v. Adams, supra; People v. Case, 18 L.R.A.(N.S.) 657, and note, 153 Mich. 98, 116 N.W. 558.

Minors, by the laws of every state, are placed in a certain class. Re Spencer, 149 Cal. 396, 117 Am. St. Rep. 137, 86 P. 896, 9 Ann. Cas. 1105; Re Morgan, 26 Colo. 415, 47 L.R.A. 52, 77 Am. St. Rep. 269, 58 P. 1071.

Also fixing the age of children when it shall be lawful for them to enter, or be permitted to enter, saloons. State v. Baker, 50 Ore. 381, 13 L.R.A.(N.S.) 1040, 92 P. 1076.

Laws which prefer veterans of the Civil War for appointment to office over all other qualified persons are upheld. Goodrich v. Mitchell, 68 Kan. 765, 64 L.R.A. 945, 104 Am. St. Rep. 429, 75 P. 1034, 1 Ann. Cas. 288; Shaw v. Marshalltown, 10 L.R.A.(N.S.) 825, and note, 9 Ann. Cas. 1039, and note, 131 Iowa 128, 104 N.W. 1121.

A law fixing the age of limitation for certain purposes, like jury service, militia, etc., is valid. Thurston County v. Tenino Stone Quarries, 44 Wash. 351, 9 L.R.A.(N.S.) 306, 87 P. 634, 12 Ann. Cas. 314.

Classification of occupation may also be made on the basis of the number of persons employed. Consolidated Coal Co. v. Illinois, 185 U.S. 203, 46 L.Ed. 872, 22 S.Ct. 616; McLean v. Arkansas, 211 U.S. 539, 53 L.Ed. 315, 29 S.Ct. 206; Consumers League v. Colorado & S. R. Co. 53 Colo. 54, 125 P. 577, Ann. Cas. 1914A, 1158.

Classification as to retailers and wholesalers of intoxicating liquors is also proper. Cook v. Marshall County, 196 U.S. 261, 49 L.Ed. 471, 25 S.Ct. 233; Southwest Oil Co. v. Texas, 217 U.S. 114, 54 L.Ed. 688, 30 S.Ct. 496.

Also, as between banks and bankers there may be proper forms of classification. Assaria State Bank v. Dolley, 219 U.S. 121, 55 L.Ed. 123, 31 S.Ct. 189; Engel v. O'Malley, 219 U.S. 128, 55 L.Ed. 128, 31 S.Ct. 190; Provident Inst. for Sav. v. Malone, 221 U.S. 660, 55 L.Ed. 899, 34 L.R.A.(N.S.) 1129, 31 S.Ct. 661.

In many instances legislation applicable to railway companies only, although vigorously assailed as a denial of the equal protection of the laws, has been upheld as an exercise of a valid police power of the United States. Missouri P. R. Co. v. Humes, 115 U.S. 512, 29 L.Ed. 463, 6 S.Ct. 110; Missouri P. R. Co. v. Mackey, 127 U.S. 205, 32 L.Ed. 107, 8 S.Ct. 1161; Minneapolis & St. L. R. Co. v. Herrick, 127 U.S. 210, 32 L.Ed. 109, 8 S.Ct. 1176; Pittsburgh, C. C. & St. L. R. Co. v. Backus, 154 U.S. 421, 38 L.Ed. 1031, 14 S.Ct. 1114; Norfolk & W. R. Co. v. Pennsylvania, 136 U.S. 114, 34 L.Ed. 394, 3 Inters. Com. Rep. 178, 10 S.Ct. 958; Hughes v. Cairo, 92 Ill. 339; Home Ins. Co. v. Swigert, 104 Ill. 653; Union Cent. L. Ins. Co. v. Durfee, 164 Ill. 186, 45 N.E. 441.

So in the classification of municipal corporations for certain purposes peculiarly adapted to certain cities. Darcy v. San Jose, 104 Cal. 642, 38 P. 500.

Authority rests in the various states to classify between residents and nonresidents. State v. Broadbelt, 89 Md. 565, 45 L.R.A. 433, 73 Am. St. Rep. 201, 43 A. 771; Central Loan & T. Co. v. Campbell Commission Co. 173 U.S. 84, 43 L.Ed. 623, 19 S.Ct. 346; Chemung Canal Bank v. Lowery, 93 U.S. 72, 23 L.Ed. 806; Re Wickstrum, 92 Neb. 523, 42 L.R.A.(N.S.) 1068, 138 N.W. 733; Des Moines v. Keller, 116 Iowa 648, 57 L.R.A. 243, 93 Am. St. Rep. 268, 88 N.W. 827.

So as to vehicles and cars propelled by electricity and their use. Detroit, Ft. W. & B. I. R. Co. v. Osborn, 189 U.S 383, 47 L.Ed. 860, 23...