The Cairo bulletin., 1909-10-13
This Bulletin ID on sale az the fol
lowing places:
coleman's, 2f4 Eighth street.
Halliday House NeWs stand.
Blue Front Restaurant.
THE CITY's LEGAL RIGHT.

Whatever other questions may be
raised against the proposition to
bring about a reduction of water rates
to private consumers in Cairo, there
cnn be no question as to the legal
right OF the city council to do this,
The supreme court or Illinois and 9TH
er courts have passed upon cases In
which the situation was exactly as
1t Is presented here and have decided
on the side OF the people In an I'M
equivocal manner A case id point
arose in Freeport, ILL.,, in which the
supreme court of this state gave n
very comprehensive opinion reported
in Vol lSG beginning on page 179,
The court said In part:
1T appears that the appellant (the
organized under the general ineorpor-
alton law of the state Of illinois. The
precise questions presented on this
record arose In the cases of City of
Danyille VS.. Danville Water Co. ITS
ILL.,, 1919, and $50 Ill. 235, where it was
held that corporation organized I'M
der the general Incorporation act
agrees to submit itself to such reg
ulations and provisions as the legis.
lature may deem 1t advisable to make,
Under SECTION OF said act, by which
the ri9ht " Lac lsssislatare to regulate
the rates at which water Shall be sap
piled 10 tie public by water com
pany 10 organized Is reserved; that
the act Of June 6. 1891. empowering
cities to fix reasonable water rates,
Is constitutional and valid notwith-
standing the fact that the city had
heretofore entered into "a contract
with a private corporation by which
the rentals for wvter had been fixed
during the period Of the franchise; that
the city has no power, by virtue of the
act Of April 2, 1872, ana section of
article 10 Of the City and Village act,
to bind itself to the payment of a fix
ed sum for an entire period of thirty
years in advance, but that the city
might, under the act of June 6, 1891,
make reasonable reduction for fu-
ture supply"
This case was appealed to the SUI
preme court of the United States and
that court affirmed the decision of the
lower court as reported in Vol. 1870
page EST
In tho the above quoted opinion
the general incorporation act and the
act Of June 6, 1891, are referred to,
which apply to Cairo in this connec-
ton just as they did to Danville.
These acts declare as follows:
General Incorporation Act, approved
April liz, 1872, Sec. 9.-"The General
Assembly shall, at all times, have
power 10 prescribe such regulations
and provisions as It may deem advis.
able, which regulations and provisions
shall be binding on any and all cor.
porati0ns formed under this Act, And.
provided, further. that this Act shall
not De nelu 70 revive or extend any
private charter or law heretofore
grnrfed or passed concerning any
corporation"
Act approved June 6, 1891; In force
July |. 1891; r. 1891. D. So; Sec. L.
Be 1t enacted by the people of the
State OF Illinois, represented In the
General Assembly: that the corporate
authorities of any city. town or vii
lage. now or hereafter incorporated
under any general or special law OF
this State. In which any individual,
comnsRy or corporation has been, OF
hereafter may be, authorized BY such
city, town on village TO supply water
70 such city, town or village and the