USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 74
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2. 2. All votes shall be by ballot.
2. 3. Electors shall, in all cases except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privi- leged from arrest during their attendance at elections, and in going to and returning from the same. And no elector shall be obliged to do military duty on the days of election, except in time of war or public danger.
2. 4. No elector shall be deemed to have lost his residence in this State by reason of his absence on business of the United States, or of this State, er in the military or naval service of the United States.
2. 5. No soldier, seaman or marine in the army or navy of the United States shall be deemed a resident of this State in consequence of being stationed therein.
2. 6. No person shall be elected or appointed to any office in this State, civil or military, who is not a citizen of the United States, and who shall not have resided in this Stale one ycar next preceding the election or appointnient.
2. 7. The general assembly shall pass laws excluding from the right of suffrage persons convicted of infamous crimes.
ARTICLE VHI.
1.DICATION.
2 1 F-re Schools Established.
{ > Onit's or Grants in aid of Scho Is.
¿ 3. Public Schools not to be Sectarian.
3 4. School Officers not Interested. & 5. C unty Supermendent of Schools.
2. I. The general assembly shall provide a thorough and efficient system of free schools, whereby all children of this State may receive a good common school education.
2. 2 All Innd-, moneys, or other properties, donated, granted or received for school, col- lege, seminary or university purposes, and the proceeds thereof, shall be faithfully applied to the objects for which such gifts or grants were made.
2 3. Neither the general assembly nor any county, city, town, township, school district, or other public corporation, shall ever make any appropriation or pay from any public fund whatever, anything in aid of any church or sectarian purpose, or to help support or sustain any school, academy, seminary, college, university, or other literary or scientific institution,
controlled by any church or sectarian denomination whatever; nor shall any grant or dona- tion of land, money, or other personal property ever be made by the State or any such public corporation, to any church, or for any sectarian purpose.
2 4. No teacher, State, county, township, or district school officer shall be interested in the sale, proceeds or profits of any book:, apparatus or furniture, used or to be used, in any school in this State, with which such officer or teacher may be connected, under such penalties as may be provided by the general assembly.
2 5. There may be a county superintendent of schools in each county, whose qualifica- tions, powers, duties, compensation and time and manner of election, and term of of office, shall be prescribed by law.
ARTICLE IX.
REVENUE.
I. Principles of Taxation Stated
2. Other and further Taxation.
3. Property Exempt from Taxation.
4. Sale of Real Property for Taxes.
5. Right of Redemption therefrom.
11. Defaulter not to be Eligible.
12. Limitation on Municipal Indebtedness.
¿ I. The general assembly shall provide such revenue as may be needful by levying a tax, by valuation, so that every person and corporation shall pay a tax in proportion to the value of his, her or its property-such value to be ascertained by some person or persons, to be elected or appointed in such manner as the general assembly shall direct, and not otherwise; but the general assembly shall have power to tax peddlers, auctioneers, brokers, hawkers, merchants, commission merchants, showmen, jugglers, inn-keepers, grocery keepers, liquor dealers, toll bridges, ferries, insurance, telegraph and express interests or business, venders of patents, and persons or corporations owning or using franchiscs and privileges, in such manner as it shall from time to time direct by general law, uniform as to the class upon which it operates.
& 2. The specification of the objects and subjects of taxation shall not deprive the general assembly of the power to require other subjects or objects to be taxed in such a manner as may be consistent with the principles of taxation fixed in this constitution.
2. 3. The properties of the State, counties and other municipal corporations, both real and personal, and such other property as may be used exclusively for agricultural and horti- cultural societies, for school, religious, cemetery and charitable purposes, may be exempted from taxation ; but such exemption shall be only by general law. In the assessment of real estate encumbered by public easement, any depreciation occasioned by such easement may be deducted in the valuation of such property.
& 4. The general assembly shall provide, in all cases where it may be necessary to sell real estate for the non-payment of taxes or special assessments for State, county, municipal or other purposes, that a return of such unpaid taxes or assessments shall be to some general officer of the county having authority to receive State and county taxes; and there shall be no sale of said property for any of said taxes or assessments but by said officer, upon the order or judgment of some court of record.
¿ 5. The right of redemption from all sales of real estate for the non-payment of taxes or special assessments of any character whatever, shall exist in favor of owners and persons interested in such real estate, for a period of not less than two years from such sales thereof. And the general assembly shall provide by law for reasonable notice to be given to the owners or parties interested, by publication or otherwise, of the fact of the sale of the prop- erty for such taxes or assessments, and when the time of redemption shall expire : Provided, that occupants shall in all cases be served with personal notice before the time of redemp- tion expires.
¿ 6. The general assembly shall have no power to release or discharge any county, city, township, town or district whatever, or the inhabitants thereof or the property therein, from their or its proportionate share of taxes to be levied for State purposes, nor shall commuta- tion for such taxes be authorized in any form whatsoever.
¿ 7. All taxes levied for State purposes shall be paid into the State treasury.
¿ 8. County authorities shall never assess taxes the aggregate of which shall exceed 75 cents per $100 valuation, except for the payment of indebtedness existing at the adoption of this constitution, unless authorized by a vote of the people of the county,
¿ 9. The general assembly may vest the corporate authorities of cities, towns, villages, with power to make local improvements by special assessment or by special taxation of con- tiguous property or otherwise. For all other corporate purposes, all municipal corporations may be vested with authority to assess and collect taxes; but such taxes shall be uniform in respect to persons and property, with the jurisdiction of the body imposing the same.
¿ Io. The general assembly shall not impose taxes upon municipal corporations, or the in- habitants or property thercof, for corporate purposes, but shall require that all the taxable property within the limits of municipal corporations shall be taxed for the payment of debts contracted under authority of law, such taxes to be uniform in respect to persons and prop- erty, within the jurisdiction of the body imposing the same. Private property shall not be liable to be taken or sold for the payment of the corporate debts of a municipal corporation.
2 11. No person who is in default, as a collector or custodian of money or property belong- in { to a municipal corporation, shall be eligible to any office in or under such corporation. The fees, salary or compensation of no municipal officer who is elected or appointed for a definite term of office, shall be increased or diminished during such term.
2 12. No county, city, township, school district, or other municipal corporation, shall be allowed to become indebted in any manner or for any purpose, to an amount, including ex- isting indebtedness, in the aggregate exceeding five per eentum on the value of the taxable property therein, to be ascertaincd by the last assessment for State and county taxes, previous to the incurring of such indebtedness. Any county, city, school district, or other municipal corporation, incurring any indebtedness as aforesaid, shall beforc, or at the time of doing so, provide for the collection of a direct annual tax sufficient to pay the interest on such debt as it falls due, and also to pay and discharge the principal thereof within twenty years from the time of contracting the same. This section shall not be construed to prevent any county, city, township, school district, or other municipal corporation from issuing their bonds in compliance with any vote of the people which may have been had prior to the adoption of this constitution in pursuance of any law providing therefor.
ARTICLE X.
COUNTIES.
T. Formation of New Counties.
2. Division of any County. 9. Salaries and Fees in C ok County.
3. Territ ry stricken In in a County. IO. Sala ies fixed by County Board
4. Removal of a County Scal.
Method of County Government.
6.
Board of Co inty Commissioners.
7. County affairs in Cook County.
8. County Officers-Terms of Office.
11. 'Township Officers-Special Laws.
12. All Future Fees Uniform.
¿ 13. Sworn Reports of all Fers.
2. 1. No new county shall be formed or established by the general assembly, which will reduce the county or counties, or either of them, from which it shall be taken, to less eon- tents than 400 square miles; nor shall any county be formed of less contents ; nor shall any line thereof pass within less than ten miles of any county seat of the county, or counties proposed to be divided.
6. Release from Taxation Forbidden.
7. Taxes paid into State Treasury.
8. Limitation on ('ounty Taxes.
9. Local Municipal Improvements.
10. Taxation of Municipal Corporations.
7. Persons Convicted of Crime.
{ 2. No county shall be divided, or have any part stricken therefrom, without submitting the question to a vote of the people of the county, nor unless a majority of all the legal voters of the county, voting on the question, shall vote for the same.
¿ 3. There shall be no territory stricken from any county, unless a majority of the voters living in such territory shall petition for such division; and no territory shall be added to any county without the consent of the majority of the voters of the county to which it is proposed to be added. But the portion so stricken off and added to another county, or formed in whole or in part into a new county, shall be holden for, and obliged to pay its proportion of indebtedness of the county from which it has been taken.
COUNTY SEATS.
¿ 4. No county seat shall be removed until the point to which it is proposed to be removed shall be fixed in pursuance of law, and three-fifths of the voters of the county, to be ascer- tained in such manner as shall be provided by general law, shall have voted in favor of its removal to such point ; and no person shall vote on such question who has not resided in the county six months, and in the election precinct ninety days next preceding such election. The question of the removal of a county seat shall not be oftener submitted than once in ten years, to a vote of the people. But when an attempt is made to remove the county seat to a point ncarer to the centre of a county, then a majority vote only shall be necessary.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
& 5. The general assembly shall provide, by general law, for township organization, under which any county may organize whenever a majority of the legal voters of such county, voting at any general election, shall so determine, and whenever any county shall adopt township organization, so much of this constitution as provides for the management of the fiscal concerns of the said county by the board of county commissioners, may be dispensed with, and the affairs of said county my be transacted in such manner as the general assem- bly may provide. And in any county that shall have adopted a township organization, the question of continuing the same may be submitted to a vote of the electors of such county, at a general election, in the manner that now is or may be provided by law ; and if a ma- jority of all the votes cast upon that question shall be against township organization, then such organization shall cease in said county ; and all laws in force in relation to counties not having township organization, shall immediately take effect and be in force in such county. No two townships shall have the same name, and the day of holding the annual township meeting shall be uniform throughout the State.
¿ 6. At the first election of county judges under this constitution, there shall be elected in each of the counties in this State, not under township organization, three officers, who shall be styled " The board of county commissioners," who shall hold sessions for the trans- action of county business as shall be provided by law. One of said commissioners shall hold his office for one year, one for two years, and one for three years, to be determined by lot ; and every year thereafter one such officer shall be elected in each of said counties for the term of three years.
¿ 7. The county affairs of Cook county shall be managed by a board of commissioners of fifteen persons, ten of whom shall be clected from the city of Chicago, and five from towns outside of said city, in such manner as may be provided by law.
COUNTY OFFICERS AND THEIR COMPENSATION.
¿ 8. In cach county there shall be elected the following county officers : County judge, sheriff, county clerk, clerk of the circuit court, (who may be ex-officio recorder of deeds, cx- cept in counties having 60,000 and more inhabitants, in which counties a recorder of deeds shall be elected at the general election in the year of our Lord 1872,) treasurer, surveyor, and coroner, each of whom shall enter upon the duties of his office, respectively, on the first Monday of December after their election; and they shall hold their respective offices for the term of four years, except the treasurer, sheriff and coroner, who shall hold their office for two years, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified.
¿ 9. The clerks of all the courts of record, the treasurer, sheriff, coroner and recorder of deeds of Cook county, shall receive as their only compensation for their services, salaries to be fixed by law, which shall in no case be as much as the lawful compensation of a judge of the circuit court of said county, and shall be paid, respectively, only out of the fees of the office actually collected. All fees, perquisites and emoluments (above the amount of said salaries) shall be paid into the county treasury. The number of the deputies and assistants of such officers shall be determined by rule of the circuit court, to be entered of record, and their compensation shall be determined by the county board.
¿ I0. The county board, except as provided in ¿ 9 of this article, shall fix the compensa- tion of all county officers, with the amount of their necessary clerk lire, stationery, fuel and other expenses, and in all cases where fees are provided for, said compensation shall be paid only out of, and shall in no instance exceed, the fees actually collected ; they shall not allow either of them more per annum than $1,500, in counties not exceeding 20,000 inhabitants ; $2,000 in counties containing 20,000 and not exceeding 30,000 inhabitants ; $2,500 in coun- ties containing 30,000 and not exceeding 50,000 inhabitants; $3,000 in counties containing 50,000 and not exceeding 70,000 inhabitants; $3,500 in counties containing 70,000 and not exceeding 100,000 inhabitants ; and $4 000 in counties containing over 100,000 and not ex- ceeding 250,000 inhabitants ; and not more than $1,000 additional compensation for each ad- ditional 100,000 inhabitants : Provided, that the compensation of no officer shall be increased or diminished during his term of office. All fees or allowances by them received, in excess of their said compensation, shall be paid into the county treasury.
¿ II. The fees of township officers, and of each class of county officers, shall be uniform in the class of counties to which they respectively belong. The compensation herein pro- vided for shall apply only to officers hereafter elected, but all fees established by special laws shall cease at the adoption of this constitution, and such officers shall receive only such fees as are provided by general law.
¿ 12. All laws fixing the fees of State, county and township officers, shall terminate with the terms, respectively, of those who may be in office at the meeting of the first general assembly after the adoption of this constitution; and the general assembly shall, by general law, uniform in its operation, provide for and regulate the fees of said officers and their suc- cessors, so as to reduce the same to a reasonable compensation for services actually rendered. But the general assembly may, by general law, classify the counties by population into not more than three classes, and regulate the fees according to class. This article shall not be construed as depriving the general assembly of the power to reduce the fees of existing officers.
{ 13. Every person who is elected or appointed to any office in this State, who shall be paid in whole or in part by fees, shall be required by law to make a semi-annual report, under oath to some officer to be designated by law, of all his fees and cmoluments.
ARTICLE XI.
CORPORATIONS.
I. Fstablishcd only by General Laws. Existing Charters-How Forfeited. 2. Election of Directors or Manag rs.
3.
4.
Construction of Street Railroads.
State Bank Forbidden-General Law.
6. Llability of Bank Stockholder.
S spension of Specie Payment.
Of a General Banking Law.
9. Railroad Office-Books and Records.
10. Personal Property of Kailroads.
II. Consolidations Forbidden.
12. Railroads deemed Highways-Rates Fixed.
@ 13. Stocks, Boncs and Dividends.
14. Power over existing Companies,
2 15. Freight and Passenger Tariff reg lated. 1
¿ I. No corporation shall be created by special laws, or its charter extended, changed or amended, except those for charitable, educational, penal or reformatory purposes, which are to be and rem in under the patronage and control of the State, but the general assembly shall provide, by general law, for the organization of all corporations hereafter to be created.
¿ 2. All existing charters or grants of special or exclusive privileges, under which organi- zation shall not have taken place, or which shall not have been in operation within ten days from the time this constitution takes effect, shall thereafter have no validity or effect wh it- ever.
{ 3. The general assembly shall provide, by law, that in all elections for directors or managers of incorporated companies, every stockholder shall have the right to vote, in person or by proxy, for the number of shares of stock owned by him, for as many persons as there are directors or minagers to be clected, or to cumulate said shares, and give one candidate as many votes as the number of directors multiplied by the number of his shares of stock, shall equal, or to distribute them on the same principle among as many candidates as he shall think fit; and such directors or managers shall not be elected in any other manner.
¿ 4. No laws shall be passed by the general assembly, granting the right to construct and operate a street railroad within any city, town, or incorporated village, without requiring the consent of the local authorities having the control of the street or highway proposed to be occupied by such street railroad.
BANKS.
¿ 5. No State bank shall hereafter be created, nor shall the State own or be liable for any stock in any corporation or joint stock company or association for banking purposes, 1.0W created, or to be hereafter created. No act of the general assembly authorizing or creating corporations or asssociations, with banking powers, whether of issue, deposit or discount, nor amendments thereto, shall go into effect or in any manner be in force unless the same shall be submitted to a vote of the people at the general election next succeeding the passage of the same, and be approved by a majority of all the votes cast at such election for or against such law.
¿ 6. Every stockholder in a banking corporation or institution shall be individually respon- sible and liable to its creditors over and above the amount of stock by him or her held, to an amount equal to his or her respective shares so held, for all its liabilities accruing while he or she remains such a stockholder.
¿ 7. The suspension of specie payments by banking institutions, or their circulation, created by the laws of this State, shall never be permitted or sanctioned. Every banking association now, or which may hereafter be, organized under the the laws of this State, shall make and publish a full and accurate quarterly statement of its affairs, (which shall be ccr- tified to, under oath, by one or more of its officers,) as may be provided by law.
¿ 8. If a general banking law shall be enacted, it shall provide for the registry and counter- signing, by an officer of state, of all bills or paper credit, designed to circulate as money, and require security, to the full amount thereof, to be deposited with the State treasurer, in United States or Illinois State stocks, to be rated at ten per cent. below their par value ; and in case of a depreciation of said stocks to the amount of ten per cent. below par, the bank or banks owning said stocks shall be required to make up said deficiency, by deposit- ing additional stocks. And said law shall also provide for the recording of the names of all stockholders in such corporations, the amount of stock held by each, the time of any transfer thereof, and to whom such transfer is made.
RAILROADS.
¿ 9. Every railroad corporation organized or doing business in this State, under the laws or authority thereof, shall have and maintain a public office or place in this State for the transaction of its business, where transfers of stock shall be made, and in which shall be kept for public inspection, books, in which shall be recorded the amount of capital steck sub- scribed, and by whom ; the names of the owners of stock and amount by them respectively, the amount of stock paid in and by whom, the transfers of said stock ; the amount of its assets and liabilities, and the names and place of residence of its officers. The directors of every railroad corporation shall, annually, make a report, under oath, to the auditor of public ac- counts, or some officer to be designated by law, of all their acts aud doings, which report shall include such matters relating to railroads as may be prescribed by law. And the general assembly shall pass laws enforcing by suitable penalties the provisions of this section.
¿ 10. The rolling stock, and all other movable property belonging to any railroad company or corporation in this State, shall be considered personal property, and shall be liable to ex- ecution and sale in the same manner as the personal property of individuals, and the gen- eral assembly shall pass no law exempting any such property from execution and sale.
¿ II. No railroad corporation shall consolidate its stock, property or franchises with any other railroad corporation owning a parallel or competing line; and in no case shall any consolidation take place except upon public notice given, of at least sixty days, to all stock- holders, in such manner as may be provided by law. A majority of the directors of any railroad corporation, now incorporated or hereafter to be incorporated by the laws of the State, shall be citizens and residents of this State.
¿ 12. Railways heretofore constructed, or that may hereafter be constructed in this State, are hereby declared public highways, and shall be free to all persons for the transportation of their persons and property thereon, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. And the general assembly shall, from time to time, pass laws establishing reasonable maxi- mum rates of charges for the transportation of passengers and freight on the different rail- roads in this State.
§ 13. No railroad corporation shall issue any stock or bonds, except for money, labor or property, actually received, and applied to the purposes for which such corporation was created ; and all stock dividends, and other fictitious increase of the capital stock or indebt- edness of any such corporation, shall be void. The capital stock of no railroad corporation shall be increased for any purpose, except upon giving sixty days' public notice, in such man- ner as may be provided by law.
¿ 14. The exercise of the power, and the right of eminent domain shall never be so con- strued or abridged as to prevent the taking, by the general assembly, of the property and franchises of incorporated companies already organized, and subjecting them to the public necessity the same as of individuals. The right of trial by jury shall be held inviolate in all trials of claims for compensation, when, in the exercise of the said right of eminent do- main, any incorporated company shall be interested either for or against the exercise of said right.
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