Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-18
TOWNSHIP HIGH
SCHOOL IS HELD
CONSTITUTIONAL
Supreme Court Decision Up
holding East Moline District
Broad in Effect.
SUFFRAGE ACT INVOLVED
High Tribunals Reversal Of Own De
eis.on Relieves Uncertainty in
Many Quarters.


schools and the validity Of the woman
suffrage act and perhaps so other acts
on the statute books OF Illinois was
established in a decision OF the state
supreme court yesterday when it
handed down a ruling reversing that
OF last October and declaring that the
East Moline township high school dis
tricr was lawfully formed.
The 30 township high schools, with
all bond issues, buildings. and other
items. involved an estimated total of
100000.
The justices we're divided in the
opinion which came down yesterday. I
lust before court adjourned for the
December term. Chief Justice Cooke
and Justice Dunn disseEted. Justice
Nickers wrote the opinion OF the FIVE .
majority justices.
Amended BY Title.
The constitutional section brought .
into the controversy was section - OF .
article T. which says: NO law shah !.
be revived or amended by reference I
TO its title only. but the law revived .
or the section amended shall b. in
serted at length in the new act
The woman suffrage act, il has been
argued on the Curbstoue, clearly
comes within this category. and ever
-ince the court in October held the
township high school law 10 be in
valid because of this constitutional
trouble the contention has been that
strict construction would knock ont
the suffrage act. as Well "a the bulk Of
the laws which have created state
boards and commissions. The arEu-
ment in such instances i that the sui
Irage act is ameudCrOry Of tile gen
eraI elections law and that these
should have been set ont in full IN ;Le
bill for the suffrage act. as il was pass
ing through the legislature.
The court by its opinion Of yestor-
day now regulates the October deci-
sion and holds the high school act
The case came TO the supreme
court from Rock Island county III the
matter OF the East Moline township
high school created under tle terms
IF the high school enactment.
Formed Last Year.
First steps for the forming Of I
ovnship high school in East Moline
we're taken March y. 1872. when
petition was fled with the late :. j.
ferguson. county superintendent for
IN election. South Moline township
and part Of Hampton. comprising &
hree' school districts. East Moline.
WATERFOWL and what is known IS the
Wells district. made up the new high y
school unit.
April 20. 1912. an election in the
hree districts was held aud the con j
olidation question carried 2lS 70 1l2. e
Tay IL following another election was =
reld and board of trustees We're S
.hosen. \ high school tax was levied
nd collected. $4,000 being held in
he hands OF the treasurer pending
he outcome Of the litigation.
In the meantime an action in quo (
was brought by \. B. Cant. y
William OdendahI ana Daniel Mcneil. 4
epresenting DIRECTORS TO Gust the Z
ewly elected board. c
Dec. 20. 1912. Judge T. D. Ramsay 4
n the circuit court entered the order q
z custer. on the ground that tho n
owuship high school act amendment 81
assed in 1871 and providing for the y
Drmirg OF a high school district by B
ne union of adjoining districts in diff n
srent townships was unconstitutional
Set d Rehearinq.
The case was carried 10 the SUI
rene court which last October hand 4
4 down a decision unfolding the 9
.and taken by Judge Ramsay. An ap- (
cal for a rehearinC was made and s
ranted and yesterdays decision ap-
arently finally dispOses Of the ques-
on.
The East Moline township high Z
,hool board Is composed of n :
rossIey. 4 D. Taft. William Modem. 4
L. Walker, c. W. Hink, L. +. Haze
er and George STANCE. II Is ex-
scted that plans for the erection Of a
gh school building viii be taken up \
once
Kenworthy & Kenworthy and A
,hnson represented the school dis
let and Searie < Marshall the plain