State v. Armour & Company, a Corporation

• Decision Date: 17 December 1913
• Court: North Dakota Supreme Court

145 N.W. 1033

27 N.D. 177

STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA v. ARMOUR & COMPANY, a Corporation

Supreme Court of North Dakota

December 17, 1913

On petition for rehearing, February 17, 1914.

Appealed from the District Court of Cass County, Pollock, J.

Affirmed.

Watson & Young and Alfred R. Urion and Abram R. Stratton, for appellant.

Every exercise of the police power must be reasonable. Wisconsin M. & P. R. Co. v. Jacobson, 179 U.S. 287 45 L.Ed. 194, 21 S.Ct. 115; Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537, 41 L.Ed. 256, 16 S.Ct. 1138; Railroad Commission Cases, 116 U.S. 307, 29 L.Ed. 636, 6 S.Ct. 334, 388, 1191; Reagan v. Farmers' Loan & T. Co. 154 U.S. 362 38 L.Ed. 1014, 4 Inters. Com. Rep. 560, 14 S.Ct. 1047; Covington & L. Turnp. Road Co. v. Sandford, 164 U.S 578, 41 L.Ed. 560, 17 S.Ct. 198; Lake Shore & M. S. R. Co. v Smith, 173 U.S. 684, 43 L.Ed. 858, 19 S.Ct. 565.

While every reasonable presumption is to be indulged in favor of the validity of a statute, the courts must obey the Constitution, rather than the lawmaking branch of the government. Mugler v. Kansas, 123 U.S. 623, 31 L.Ed. 205, 8 S.Ct. 273; Sinking Fund Cases, 99 U.S. 700, 718, 25 L.Ed. 496, 501; Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch, 137, 176, 2 L.Ed. 60, 73; Powell v. Pennsylvania, 127 U.S. 678, 32 L.Ed. 253, 8 S.Ct. 992, 1257; Dobbins v. Los Angeles, 195 U.S. 223, 49 L.Ed. 169, 25 S.Ct. 18; Lawton v. Steele, 152 U.S. 133, 38 L.Ed. 385, 14 S.Ct. 499; Wisconsin M. & P. R. Co. v. Jacobson, 179 U.S. 287, 45 L.Ed. 194, 21 S.Ct. 115; Lochner v. New York, 198 U.S. 45, 49 L.Ed. 937, 25 S.Ct. 539, 3 Ann. Cas. 1133; Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 550, 41 L.Ed. 260, 16 S.Ct. 1138; State v. Hanson, 118 Minn. 85, 40 L.R.A. (N.S.) 865, 136 N.W. 412, Ann. Cas. 1913E, 405; Freund, Pol. Power, p. 60.

Section two of the law can be justified only on the basis that it is necessary to prevent fraud. It is in violation of the commerce clause of the Federal Constitution. McDermott v. Wisconsin, 228 U.S. 115, 57 L.Ed. 754, 47 L.R.A.(N.S.) 984, 33 S.Ct. 431.

The object of the act in question is to prevent the misuse of the facilities of interstate commerce in conveying to and placing before the consumer misbranded and adulterated articles of medicine or food. Re Wilson, 168 F. 566; Nave-McCord Mercantile Co. v. United States, 104 C. C. A. 486, 182 F. 46; United States v. American Druggists' Syndicate, 186 F. 387; United States v. 10 Barrels of Vinegar, 186 F. 400; Von Bremen v. United States, 113 C. C. A. 296, 192 F. 904; United States v. 75 Boxes of Alleged Pepper, 198 F. 934.

It is well settled that the state may not, under the guise of police power, impose burdens upon or discriminate against interstate commerce, nor enact laws in conflict with the statutes of Congress. Texas & P. R. Co. v. Abilene Cotton Oil Co. 204 U.S. 426, 51 L.Ed. 553, 27 S.Ct. 350, 9 Ann. Cas. 1075; Northern P. R. Co. v. Washington, 222 U.S. 370, 56 L.Ed. 237, 32 S.Ct. 160; Southern R. Co. v. Reid, 222 U.S. 424, 56 L.Ed. 257, 32 S.Ct. 140; Second Employers' Liability Cases (Mondou v. New York, N.H. & H. R. Co.) 223 U.S. 1, 56 L.Ed. 327, 38 L.R.A.(N.S.) 44, 32 S.Ct. 169, 1 N.C. C. A. 875; Savage v. Jones, 225 U.S. 501, 56 L.Ed. 1182, 32 S.Ct. 715.

The classification contained in § 2 is arbitrary and without reason, and cannot be justified as a proper exercise of police power. Edmonds v. Herbrandson, 2 N.D. 270, 14 L.R.A. 725, 50 N.W. 970; Vermont Loan & T. Co. v. Whithed, 2 N.D. 82, 49 N.W. 318; Angell v. Cass County, 11 N.D. 265, 91 N.W. 72; Beleal v. Northern P. R. Co. 15 N.D. 318, 108 N.W. 33, 20 Am. Neg. Rep. 453; Plummer v. Borsheim, 8 N.D. 565, 80 N.W. 690; Re Connolly, 17 N.D. 551, 117 N.W. 946; State ex rel. Dorval v. Hamilton, 20 N.D. 598, 129 N.W. 916; Powers Elevator Co. v. Pottner, 16 N.D. 359, 113 N.W. 703; Wally v. Kennedy, 2 Yerg. 554, 24 Am. Dec. 511.

The limitation of legislative power to classify is that it shall be upon some reason suggested by necessity, or by a difference in the situation and circumstances of the different classes. Cobb v. Bord, 40 Minn. 479, 42 N.W. 396; State ex rel. Oblinger v. Spaude, 37 Minn. 322, 34 N.W. 164; Sutherland, Stat. Constr. § 127; Cooley, Const. Lim. 141; Vermont Loan & T. Co. v. Whithed, 2 N.D. 94, 49 N.W. 318; Edmonds v. Herbrandson, 2 N.D. 273, 14 L.R.A. 725, 50 N.W. 970; State ex rel. Richards v. Hammer, 42 N.J.L. 439; Nichols v. Walter, 37 Minn. 264, 33 N.W. 800; Plummer v. Borsheim, 8 N.D. 565, 80 N.W. 690; State v. Cougal, 3 S.D. 55, 15 L.R.A. 477, 44 Am. St. Rep. 756, 51 N.W. 858.

If the statute is to be construed as forbidding the sale of lard in pails of any other than the size stated, it is an unreasonable and unlawful exercise of the police power, because it goes beyond the evil sought to be cured. Chicago v. Schmidinger, 243 Ill. 168, 44 L.R.A.(N.S.) 632, 90 N.E. 369, 17 Ann. Cas. 614, 226 U.S. 578, 57 L.Ed. 364, 33 S.Ct. 182.

It is not fair to rely upon the early cases as justify this character of legislation. Guillotte v. New Orleans, 12 La.Ann. 432; Mobile v. Yuille, 3 Ala. 137, 33 Am. Dec. 441; Paige v. Fazackerly, 36 Barb. 392; Buffalo v. Collins Baking Co. 39 A.D. 432, 57 N.Y.S. 347; People v. Wagner, 86 Mich. 594, 13 L.R.A. 286, 24 Am. St. Rep. 141, 49 N.W. 609; Com. v. McArthur, 152 Mass. 522, 25 N.E. 836; Chicago v. Schmidinger, 243 Ill. 168, 44 L.R.A.(N.S.) 632, 90 N.E. 369, 17 Ann. Cas. 614; State v. McCool, 83 Kan. 428, 111 P. 477.

The exercise of the police power of the state is limited and prescribed. Rochester v. West, 29 A.D. 125, 51 N.Y.S. 482; Dill. Mun. Corp. 3d ed. §§ 319, 320; Ford v. Standard Oil Co. 32 A.D. 600, 53 N.Y.S. 48; People v. Gillson, 109 N.Y. 398, 4 Am. St. Rep. 465, 17 N.E. 343; Slaughter-house Cases, 16 Wall. 36, 106, 21 L.Ed. 394, 418; People v. Marz, 99 N.Y. 377, 52 Am. Rep. 34, 2 N.E. 29; Buffalo v. Collins Baking Co. 24 Misc. 745, 53 N.Y.S. 968; Buffalo v. Hill, 79 A.D. 408, 79 N.Y.S. 449; People ex rel. Appel v. Zimmerman, 102 A.D. 105, 92 N.Y.S. 497; People ex rel. Lodes v. Health Dept. 117 A.D. 864, 103 N.Y.S. 275; Ex parte Dietrich, 149 Cal. 104, 5 L.R.A.(N.S.) 873, 84 P. 770.

Arthur W. Fowler, State's Attorney, Cass County, Andrew Miller, Attorney General, Alfred Zuger, and John Carmody, for respondent, Edward Engerud, counsel for respondent.

The object of all net weight and measure laws is to circumvent the opportunity for practice of imposition upon buyers, which is always possible in sales of ready-made packages. Freund, Pol. Power, § 274; Tiedeman, Pol. Power, § 89; People v. Wagner, 86 Mich. 594, 13 L.R.A. 286, 24 Am. St. Rep. 141, 49 N.W. 609; McLean v. Arkansas, 211 U.S. 539, 53 L.Ed. 315, 29 S.Ct. 206.

"It would be more honest to charge the customer more for the tea than to make him pay for the wrapper." Lane v. Rendall [1899] 2 Q. B. 673, 69 L. J. Q. B. N. S. 8, 63 J. P. 757, 48 Week. Rep. 153, 81 L. T. N. S. 445, 16 Times L. R. 4.

Every possible presumption is in favor of the validity of a statute, and this continues until the contrary is shown beyond rational doubt. One branch of the government cannot encroach on the domain of another, without danger. The safety of our institution depends in no small degree on a strict observance of this salutary rule. Chicago, B. & Q. R. Co. v. McGuire, 219 U.S. 549, 563, 55 L.Ed. 328, 337, 31 S.Ct. 259; State v. Aslesen, 50 Minn. 5, 36 Am. St. Rep. 620, 52 N.W. 220; Turner v. Maryland, 107 U.S. 38, 27 L.Ed. 370, 2 S.Ct. 44.

The appellant does not deny that it is a proper exercise of police power to require lard and similar commodities, when not sold in bulk, but sold in packages or by the pail, to be sold in packages of fixed sizes. Wheeler v. Russell, 17 Mass. 258; Eaton v. Kegan, 114 Mass. 433; State v. Pittsburg & C. Coal Co. 41 La.Ann. 465, 6 So. 220; Levy v. Gowdy, 2 Allen, 320; James v. Josselyn, 65 Me. 138; Richmond v. Foss, 77 Me. 590, 1 A. 830; McLean v. State, 81 Ark. 304, 126 Am. St. Rep. 1037, 98 S.W. 729, 11 Ann. Cas. 72, 211 U.S. 539, 53 L.Ed. 315, 29 S.Ct. 206; Gibbons v. Ogden, 9 Wheat. 1, 6 L.Ed. 23; Com. v. McArthur, 152 Mass. 522, 25 N.E. 836; Mobile v. Yuille, 3 Ala. 137, 33 Am. Dec. 441; People v. Wagner, 86 Mich. 594, 13 L.R.A. 286, 24 Am. St. Rep. 141, 49 N.W. 609; Chicago v. Schmidinger, 243 Ill. 168, 44 L.R.A.(N.S.) 632, 90 N.E. 369, 17 Ann. Cas. 614; State v. McCool, 83 Kan. 428, 111 P. 477.

Such laws are enacted for the prevention of fraud and deception in trade and commerce, and are within the police power of the state. People v. Girard, 145 N.Y. 105, 45 Am. St. Rep. 595, 39 N.E. 823; John P. Squire & Co. v. Tellier, 185 Mass. 18, 102 Am. St. Rep. 322, 69 N.E. 312; State v. Campbell, 64 N.H. 402, 10 Am. St. Rep. 419, 13 A. 585; Neas v. Borches, 109 Tenn. 398, 97 Am. St. Rep. 851, 71 S.W. 50; People v. Luhrs, 195 N.Y. 377, 25 L.R.A.(N.S.) 473, 89 N.E. 171; Lemieux v. Young, 211 U.S. 489, 53 L.Ed. 295, 29 S.Ct. 174; State v. Fourcade, 45 La.Ann. 717, 40 Am. St. Rep. 249, 13 So. 187; Butler v. Chambers, 36 Minn. 69, 1 Am. St. Rep. 638, 30 N.W. 308; State, Waterbury, Prosecutor, v. Newton, 50 N.J.L. 534, 2 Inters. Com. Rep. 63, 14 A. 604; Freund, Pol. Power, 275.

The classification contained in § 2 of the law is reasonable, and cannot be said to be arbitrary in its application. Paige v. Fazackerly, 36 Barb. 392; Rochester v. West, 29 A.D. 125, 51 N.Y.S. 482; Buffalo v. Hill, 79 A.D. 402, 79 N.Y.S. 449; People ex rel. Lodes v. Health Dept. 117 A.D. 856, 103 N.Y.S. 275; Bertholf v. O'Reilly, 74 N.Y. 509, 30 Am. Rep. 323.

BURKE, J. BRUCE, J. (specially concurring.)

FISK, J., SPALDING, Ch. J., (dissenting). BURKE, BRUCE, GOSS, JJ.

OPINION

BURKE, J.

As early as chapter 72, Session Laws of 1899, the legislature of the state of North Dakota enacted laws relative to pure foods and honest weights. This legislation covers almost every ...