County of Union v. Ussery

Citations

• 147 Ill. 204
• 35 N.E. 618

Syllabus

<p>1. Election law—domestic animals running at large. The act of June 22, 1891, to regulate the manner of elections and to enforce the secrecy of the ballot, repeals the act of July 1,1874, entitled “An act to revise the law in relation to permitting animals to run at large,” in respect to the manner of conducting elections.</p> <p>2. Same—voting upon a public measure. Since the passage of the act of 1891, a vote upon any public measure, such as allowing domestic animals to run at large, must be had in pursuance of section 16 of that act. The ballots must designate the measure to be voted on, and must contain the words “Yes” or “No,” and the elector must designate his vote by a cross marked to the left of the word “Yes” or the word “No,” as he may see fit to vote.</p> <p>3. Same—statute construed. The words “or other public measure,” following the words “whenever a constitutional amendment,” etc., is proposed to be voted on, in section 16 of the Election law of 1891, are not limited to measures affecting the whole territory of the State.</p> <p>4. Statutes—rule of construction. Where general words follow an enumeration of particular cases, such words will apply only to cases of the same kind as those expressly mentioned,—or, in other words, the word “other,” following an enumeration of particulars, embraces enumerated particulars of like nature only, unless a broader sense is obviously intended. A construction should not be given that will render the general words meaningless. All that is required by the rule is, that the general words be restricted to a sense analogous to the less general.</p> <p>5. Where things inferior are enumerated, general words will not embrace those which are superior; but there is no authority for the converse of this rule.</p>